Unbreak My Heart

Death By Exhaustion

The two days that followed the cooking test were a blur, I lost track of what was going on around me and put all my focus on my school work. Valentine came and went, but hardly took notice of it until Soph found a gift on her desk from some secret admirer. This was fun to watch because we both knew who it was and not long after the entire class knew.

Charles has had his eyes on Sophia since the first day of school, for the past couple of weeks, he has failed dismally to hide his feelings. He bought Soph chocolates and daffodils flowers, to his dismay Soph couldn't stop sneezing. Soph being the sweet angel lied and told him that she changed her shampoo and it was the cause for her sneezing, when in actual fact the flowers were the reason.

When I asked her why she lied she said was, "I didn't want to make him feel bad." As soon as we were far from campus and out of our classmates range, I tossed them into the nearest bin. I couldn't take her sneezing no longer, especially after chef Jake pulled me aside before we went home.

"I'm starting to think Beth shouldn't have given you a job, our deal was for you to put your studies first and what I saw in there this morning was anything but the opposite!" He whisper yelled after making sure no one was in earshot.

"I believe you mean you shouldn't have given me a job, right?" I challenged him peering at him.

What's wrong with me, he could fire me and here I am being sassy? Argh!

Jacob was still towering over me, he had that pokerface of his and I wondered if he was finally going to snap at me. His mind was over working and I wanted to know what goes on in there, I craved it even.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, his face showing disinterest.

"Go home, get enough sleep and study. Studies first, work later." He said counting on his fingers.

The game he was playing wasn't lost on me, but I knew that it would have only one winner. Who that was I didn't know, but I sure as hell wasn't going down. Two could play it, my only worry was that my opponent was so damn hard to read.

I knew that I wasn't prepared for the test, but I wasn't that bad. Shouldn't it be enough that I still passed the test? Yes I looked like a walking zombie due to exhaustion, but did this mean everyone could see how beat up I was?

Sucking my teeth I said the first thing that came to my mind, "if you haven't caught on,  don't worry your little mind about it." Then I walked away, or at least I tried to.

He tugged me so hard and fast I was pushed right into his awaiting chest, and held onto his arms to steady myself on pure instinct. He took a sharp breath, and I did the same, closing my eyes and taking in his scent. He smelled so good, it was the same notes I picked up on him that night at Red Stilettos, it was a woody scent with a hint of citrus.

I wish I could bottle it and spray it around my room.

His strong arms on my waist burnt through the chef coat I had on. I wanted to stay right there in his arms for a bit more, but I took notice of where we were and in whose arms i was in. Just like that the trance I was here was broken and I tried to move, but Jake had another plans and wouldn't let me go just yet.

He moved closer and in that moment, all I felt was him. His breath behind my ear —his scent clouding my senses —his hard broad frame —his hands holding me tight and causing goosebumps all over my body.

"One thing I can assure you of little kitten, is that nothing about me is little." He whispered in a hoarse strained voice heavy Australian accent.

Australian accent? But..?

Then he I felt him, and OMG! I hated to say this, but he was right. There wasn't anything little about him. Just above my stomach was the evidence that supported his claims. It was then I decided that Chef Jake wasn't all talk. Just as my body was getting more warmed up by the not so little parts of him, he let go of my waist and walked away.