Happy Ever After

Chapter 11

Three days later, Alana put away the cake she'd been working on in the walk-in and started clearing her workspace. She lifted the heavy pots and placed them in the sink. The dishwashers would take care of them later. Next, she wiped off the stainless-steel counter and then rubbed it dry with a clean cloth. The cleaners would have done this too, but Alana had been in the business too long to forget basic hygiene after a long day. She was the only one left in the state-of-the-art test kitchen the network had outfitted for the production. It had all the equipment a chef could want, even better than what some of the biggest restaurants had.

Her feet were crying for a break and her back had that telltale ache that said she'd been at it too long. She had been in the kitchen since five a.m. Due to the added complications of filming she needed to be here earlier for make-up and lighting tests. She thought the make-up was pointless given that sweat was part and parcel of a hot kitchen, but it wasn't her call. Jo had arrived later due to an appointment with her doctor, but she quickly picked up the tasks and they'd made up time quickly. Still it irritated her every time the director called a halt and had someone powder her forehead or when the lighting had to be adjusted. The breaks had been unnerving as it broke off the rhythm of work.

The reception was tomorrow and there was still a lot of work to be done to prepare for over two hundred guests. Mentally, she went over the game plan for tomorrow and checked the time on the digital clock above the door. Six p.m. Matt would be calling in an hour and she wanted to get home by then. Matt had taken to calling her at seven every night.

The first morning that Alana had spoken to him, Jo had cautioned her about getting too involved. She said she didn't want to see Alana get hurt again. Alana had told her she knew what she was doing. Since then Jo had kept quiet, but Alana could tell she was worried. Of everyone who knew Alana, only Mimi and Jo had seen what Matthew's leaving had done to her. Still, Alana was determined to show her friend that there was nothing to worry about. Jo had gotten used to Matt calling and left Alana alone during the call. Then they would go out to dinner or order in and not discuss it at all.

She and Matt developed a routine of sorts. They would discuss their respective days at work, talking about nothing in particular or something one of them had come across and knew the other would find interesting. It was simple things that couples usually shared at the end of a long day while unwinding. Most nights she spoke to him she could tell he was tired and could hear the clicking of the keyboard as he worked while talking to her. She teased him about being a workaholic and he teased her right back something about pots and black kettles. It was all too normal.

Then they'd started emailing each other. Little things at first, but there were definitely some playful sexual overtones. She hummed a tune, remembering how she'd blushed when she'd received his email earlier today.

Missing you, he'd written. Full disclosure, the bed's too lonely without you. Can't wait until you're under me, above me, or when I'm inside you.

She'd looked around guiltily to make sure no one had noticed how turned on she was. Taking a five-minute break, she'd walked out of the kitchen and into the hall outside where she could be alone. She gave it some thought and wrote back with a mischievous smiley face.

Can't wait to be under you and above you. Love when you're inside me, moving so slow that I can feel every inch of you touch every inch of me. Then I want you harder, faster until there's only you and me, hearts pounding and muscles screaming, until we're complete.

She pressed send before she could think it further, and then waited on tenterhooks to see how he would reply. She hadn't been disappointed.

Baby, I'm already there. Love the sounds you make when I'm inside you. Those moans are worth the price of admission alone. But when we're together next I'm getting a room with soundproofing so I can make you scream and moan louder as I slam into you again and again. And when you come, I'll be waiting.