Craving My Ruthless Ceo novel Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Anna’s POV

I leaned against the counter, watching him. “Who taught you?”

His hands stilled on the pasta dough. Just for a second. “Mom.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Oh. That’s… good.”

“Good?”

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“So you were a mummy’s boy years ago, Mr. Blackwood.” I couldn’t help the teasing lilt in my voice. “Your mom must be proud that you’re about to wow me with her recipe. She must have been a great cook.”

“She was.” He started kneading the dough, his hands moving expertly, like he’d done this a hundred times before. “Is. I assume she still is.”

“You assume?”

“We don’t speak.”

The words were casual, but I heard the anger underneath.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “How long has it been?”

“Years.” He didn’t look up from the dough. “Can we not talk abou my mother?”

“Of course. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine.” He finally looked at me, and his expression had softened slightly. “Our relationship is strained.”

I wanted to press. To understand what happened to break that bond so completely. But I decided not to ruin the moment. It was clear talking about her affected him.

Instead, I took another sip of wine, giving him space. Giving us both space from whatever pain I’d accidentally touched.

After a moment, I said, “You know, I thought when I got here, there’d be a meal already prepared. That you’d hired some chef and were just going to take credit.”

He chuckled. “You have no vote of confidence in me.”

“Can you blame me?”

“Miss Winters.” He dusted flour off his hands. “You will soon come to find out I don’t back out of a deal. Once I commit, I see it through. And certainly not by cheating.”

“So where do I come in?”

“Right here.” He gestured to the cutting board and vegetables. “You’re my assistant for the evening.”

“Uh-uh.” I shook my head, trying to maintain some distance. “I was supposed to watch you cook, not be your sous chef.”

He reached past me, his chest brushing my shoulder, and grabbed a cutting board. He set it in front of me with a soft thud.

Then his hand came up, fingers tangling gently in my hair as hecked a strand behind my ear. His touch lingered against my neck, his thumb brushing the sensitive skin there.

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11:01 Sat, Feb 7 BBB.

Chapter 91

My pulse jumped.

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His eyes glinted with amusement. “Last I checked, you are my asistant. You work for me, Anna. Might as well put those skills to use here too.”

“You’re really going to pull the boss card? While cooking dinner

“I pull whatever card gets you to help me.”

He walked to the sink and washed his hands, scrubbing thoroughly. Then he dried them, meticulous about it, the towel moving over each finger.

He faced me. “Besides, I thought you wanted to see me sweat.

I swallowed hard. “Fine. What do you want me to do?”

“Chop the tomatoes. Small pieces.”

“Super controlling,” I muttered under my breath as I grabbed a knife and began chopping.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.” I continued, then paused, realizing the pieces might be too big for what he wanted.

I stepped back, drawing his attention. “Like this?”

He glanced over, then walked around the counter.

His hand covered mine on the knife, while his other hand settled on my hip, fingers pressing lightly through the silk of my dress.

“No.” His breath brushed across my neck. “Like this.”

He pressed his body against my back, his chest solid and warm. His hand guided mine, showing me the angle, the pressure.

Electricity shot through me. Every nerve ending came alive.

“Slow cuts.” His voice dropped, rougher. Right against my ear. “You want to feel the blade do the work.”

He slid the knife through the tomato perfectly. The juice ran across the cutting board, and somehow even that felt obscene. “Feel how easy that is when you let me show you?”

I couldn’t speak. I could barely breathe. Were we still talking about tomatoes?

His hand moved with mine again, his fingers threading through mine on the handle. “Again.” Another cut. His hips pressed closer, pinning me against the counter. “That’s it. Just like that. Perfect.”

The words sent heat flooding through me. My head fell back slightly, resting against his shoulder.

I got lost in his scent, masculine and clean with a hint of wine an flour. In the solid warmth of him pressed against me. In the way his hands moved mine with such confidence.

Then he pulled away.

The cold air rushed in where his body had been.

“Carry on like that.”

I stood there for a second, flustered and embarrassed by how easily I’d melted into him.

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11:01 Sat, Feb 7 BBB.

Chapter 91

“Oh.” I gripped the knife tighter. “I’ll chop this to perfection, do you worry.

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My thoughts raced. What the hell was that? And why was I disappointed he’d pulled away? Thank God he had, or I might have done something stupid. Like turn around and kiss him.

1 exhaled slowly, trying to center myself. Get it together, Anna.

We worked in comfortable silence for a while. Me chopping vegables, him rolling out pasta.

“So,” I said eventually. “This place. When did you get it?”

“About six years ago.”

“And you come here when…?”

“When I want to be close to the city but need space.” He glanced t me. “Privacy. Quiet.”

“How many properties do you own?”

His lips curved. “Do you really want to know?”

“Now I’m curious.”

“I wouldn’t give you

the exact number, but I’ve got one in Manhattan, obviously. This one. One in the Hamptons. One in London. One in Tokyo, and a few more.”

I whistled low. “A few more. I guess you’re more loaded than I thought.”

“Anna.” He looked up from the pasta dough. “You’re my assistant. You should know these things better than anyone.”

I crossed my

my arms. “You’re incredibly private. The day I got the job, you warned me never to Google you or read blogs about you. And not to meddle in your private affairs. I was only needed in the office.”

Guilt etched across his face. “I did say that.”

“See? Not my fault.”

He grinned, then his expression turned more serious. “Does the vastness of my wealth bother you?”

“Should it?”

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