Hell's Smitten (Gordon Ramsay x Reader)

Chapter 120- Judging Part 1/2

||I hope you enjoy this new chapter and I hope your holidays are fun! Thank you for reading this far into my book, we're almost at 300,000 words or 748 pages long and there are around ten chapters left to go before we're through! I've been writing Hell's Smitten for almost two years now, but I want you to know I'm still going to be doing work on/in it even after the story is done. If you want to stay a part of the story and aren't ready to let our men go quite yet, I'd love to see and talk to you on my Hell's Smitten discord- https://discord.gg/5MsrTrt

Merry Christmas everyone :D||

Sunday, July 21st, 2013

The ambience outside of the restaurant has done a 180 degree flip from the calm, homely atmosphere of when we arrived to now resembling an outdoor block party. Velvet ropes hold back throngs of people cheering and waving as Gordon opens the door for us to step outside. It seems like hundreds of people have gathered just in the time we were cooking. We've avoided sizeable crowds until now, I hope I can keep my nerve in front of all of them.

Abel steps beside me and takes my arm, smiling gently down at me as Gordon takes the lead, shaking hands and high-fiving people as are led to the parking lot, which has now been transformed into what resembles an outdoor theater with a stage at the far end. Two large projector screens hang over the left and right side of the stage, displaying flaming Hell's Kitchen logos. Throngs of people applaud, and I make out both mine and Abel's names being called out. Most interestingly, a group of women catch my attention with their unusual request.

"Kiss her!" They plead at Abel as we walk past. "Come on, please?"

My cheeks flush at the thought of him kissing me in front of thousands of people. He seems unperturbed, sweeping me over his arm and leaning into me, kissing me fully on the lips to the approving roar of the crowd, especially the fangirls. When he pulls me back to standing, I catch Gordon's eye. He must have turned around to wait for us... my cheeks darken further.

"Come on now, you two. We don't have all day," Gordon says, playfully reprimanding us. The fangirls whine at his request.

"Yes, Chef," we respond, hurrying after him when he turns on his heel and leads us toward the stage.

If the crowd of people have seen the tabloids, they don't seem to pay them much heed, which gives me a sense of calm. We ascend the stairs to the left, following closely after the Chef, until he motions for us to stop and takes center stage.

It is now that I become acutely aware of the state Gordon has left me in, and that I'm now being observed by what looks to be at least five hundred people all at once. I understand why he couldn't resist, but the thought makes me want to squirm for more than one reason. I hold off to not draw attention, but it takes proper focus to not bite my lower lip. At least these pants are black, so I won't be in the same situation as I was way back when I had stupidly worn grey leggings to Gordon's office...

"Thank you all for coming out tonight to the Hell's Kitchen final challenge. Our two competitors have crafted five delicious plates for our judges–a salad, a seafood appetizer, a ribeye, a filet, and a fish entrée. As you no doubt observed on our screens, these two Chefs have poured their heart and soul into their food. Now, it's up to the judges to see who wins!" Gordon claps his hands and moves behind a rectangular table with a white tablecloth draped over it. He gestures for us to come forward and we take our spot on his right.

"Our first judge, here to taste the salad entrée, is Chef Gulianne Roma, both the Head Chef and owner of Roma Café here in London with a second location opening up next month in New York. She specializes in all things salad, so expect her input to be invaluable. Please, Gulianne, step up to the table."