تسجيل الدخولHis body pressed closer, guiding her back against the sturdy shelves. One hand splayed across her lower back, pulling her flush against him with possessive hunger, while the other threaded through her hair, tilting her head exactly where he wanted.She melted into him. The fight drained from her limbs as the kiss deepened—languid, consuming, and achingly familiar. Every slow stroke of his tongue and subtle roll of his hips stoked a heavy, liquid heat between them.When he finally pulled back just enough for her to breathe, his forehead rested against hers. His breath fanned warm and ragged across her lips. For a long moment, the only sounds were the faint creak of the shelves behind her and the wild thunder of her heartbeat.Then his voice came—low, rough, strained with the last threads of restraint.“I don’t hate you, Lena.”His thumb brushed the corner of her mouth in a slow, almost reverent caress, as if he still couldn’t believe he was touching her again.“I tried. God knows I tr
When the notes were done, Lena rose from her station and headed toward the spice room off the main kitchen, basket in hand.Tarzan followed.Her heart kicked into a frantic rhythm.When he had called it her dream, could it be he was acknowledging their past? Or was he simply playing the role of guest supervisor, speaking to her the way he would any other student? The question gnawed at her.Just then, a large hand smoothly claimed the basket from her grasp with effortless authority. He didn’t step beside her. Instead, he allowed her to walk ahead, his long strides deliberately measured so he remained a half-step behind. For someone with such long legs, the choice was intentional—and unsettling.Lena swallowed tightly, fighting the urge to glance back. The weight of his presence pressed against her back like a tangible force as they stepped into the narrow, dimly lit spice room. Shelves rose on every side, heavy with jars of cumin, turmeric, dried chilies, saffron, and rare aromat
"Your name?"The deep voice was so achingly familiar that her heart stuttered to a halt.Lena froze.Slowly, she lifted her head.Tarzan stood directly in front of her station—so close she could see the tiny flecks of silver hidden in his striking hazel eyes. And there it was: that same playful, heart-stealing smile from the early days, when he'd flirted with her every chance he got.How could he still smile like that? Like nothing had ever happened between them?She was too stunned to answer. Her lips parted, but no sound came.Tarzan dropped his gaze to the name badge clipped to her chef's jacket. His gloved fingers brushed against it lightly."Mine..."He read it aloud, then looked up at her.Lena blinked. Her badge clearly said Lena, not Mine. Was he messing with her?Before she could react, he unclipped it with effortless confidence, pinned his own name badge onto her uniform, and slipped hers into the breast pocket of his jacket—directly over his heart.Lena searched his eyes, d
The kitchen suddenly felt too small, too hot—too much. Lena could barely hear the nervous chatter around her over the frantic pounding of her own heart. Tarzan. The same man she had spent countless sleepless nights trying to forget. Her fingers tightened around her pen until her knuckles ached. She forced her gaze down to her notebook, clinging to the blank page like a lifeline. Don't look at him. Don't let him see you. A sharp clap cut through the tension. Chef Isabelle's voice rang out. "Everyone, listen up." The room fell silent. "The fridge garden is fully stocked—everything you could possibly need is there. Fresh herbs, rare spices, premium proteins, and seasonal produce. You know where to find it all. Your time starts now. First, take ten minutes to finalize your recipe notes. Precision on paper leads to perfection on the plate. Begin." The class scattered in a burst of nervous energy. Notebooks flipped open, and pens scratched furiously against paper. But for Lena, th
“Good.” Chef Isabelle Moreau tapped her clipboard sharply. “Mise en place finishes in fifteen minutes. Then we begin. Remember: your stations are your domains. Defend them.” She paused. “Lena—” Lena’s head jerked up. “—you look like you’re somewhere else today. Bring yourself back.” “Yes, Chef,” Lena replied, her cheeks warming. She gripped her knife tighter and glanced sideways at Antoine, who offered her a small, encouraging nod. Lena had always been the standout student in her cohort—talented, focused, and from one of the wealthiest families in the program, which made her equally popular among both students and instructors. As Chef Isabelle Moreau strode out of the kitchen to fetch their special guest, Antoine leaned toward Lena and whispered. “Famous guest, huh? Who do you think it’s going to be?” Lena exhaled slowly. “No idea… but I’m ready for anything.” "That's why you are my partner, gorgeous and courageous." Antonie said with a chuckle. "Go back to your stati
AUTHOR'S POV**LOCATION: École Supérieure de Cuisine, Paris, France**The air inside the training kitchen hummed with intensity.Twenty students in chef whites with double-breasted jackets buttoned tightly, black-and-white houndstooth pants, and neckerchiefs knotted, were all moving around their stations.Lena stood at station four,spacing out. Her dark hair was tucked neatly beneath her white chef’s cap, but her mind was miles away, replaying the fan edits and celebrity shipping videos of Tarzan she had watched out of jealousy the night before until she finally fell asleep.“Lena?”A familiar voice cut through the fog.It was Antoine, her regular partner on group projects, leaning over the counter with a half-grin. His jacket sleeves were already rolled once, revealing forearms marked by the faint scars of a hundred accidental nicks.“You’ve been staring at the wall like they owe you money,” he said. “What’s going on?”Lena blinked then forced a quick smile.“Nothing. I’m fine. Just
LENA'S POVMy cheeks were still warm long after we pulled apart.The kiss had been soft, almost reverent, yet it left my racing in a wild, joyful rhythm I couldn’t quite tame. I buried my face deeper into the enormous bouquet he’d brought me, inhaling the sweet, heady fragrance of fresh roses and
LENA'S POVAfter cooking, I waited for Tarzan to come back so we could eat together.Although he had told me he might stay out late, I couldn’t bring myself to eat alone, so I decided to wait.Hours passed.I was starting to feel uncomfortable—worried, and maybe even a little scared. The memory of
"Wha—what?" I blinked. She kissed her teeth. "Don't worry… I'll do it myself then". She knelt between my thighs and reached for my belt, starting to unbuckle it. My heart pounded wildly. "Lena—hey, hey—stop. Please stop." She ignored me. "Lena, what is going on… Lena." I grabbed her
In my panic, I'd completely forgotten. I was still in the outfit I'd planned to wear to the headquarters. I forced a casual smile and rubbed the back of my neck. "I… borrowed these. To surprise you. How do I look?" Lena's eyes traveled slowly from my perfectly styled hair down to my expensiv







