I don’t get any sleep. I mean how could I?

After that amazing, toe curling, out of this world kiss.

I have kissed a few people in my life. A few men but nothing compares to kissing Alexander Cain. I felt like I was floating and my whole body was tingly, like someone rubs eucalyptus on my whole body.

He left after a few more kisses and my heart longed for more. I still want more. And that is the thought that scares me. The fact that I'm wanting more and I definitely know that if I do get more, I will become addicted.

Men like Alexander are dangerous when it comes to girls. They are like a drug and once you get addicted to them, it becomes a hard habit to get rid of.

He’s basically the personification of crack.

Crack that I’ve gotten a hit of and my stupid self wants more.

The whole day that I am working, I can’t help but keep on replaying the kiss in my mind. I keep touching my lips and getting a silly, lovesick puppy kind of smile.

What did this man do to me?

“Rosalie dear, Pierre would like to see you in the kitchen when you’re done”, Miss June says.

I nod “Okay. Sure thing Miss June”.

She smiles at me and walks away.

I finish up folding the sheets I've just ironed in the laundry room and then head down to the kitchen. I wonder why Pierre wants to see me.

“Hey, you wanted to see me?”

“Oui ma chérie”, Pierre says as I walk into the kitchen.

I grab a seat on one of the bar stools.

“Can you cook?”, he asks.

“I’m not a top class chef like you but yes I can hold my own in a kitchen”.

He smiles at me, “Good, because you will be taking over from me for a little while.”

Confusion becomes me. “What do you mean?”

“I have some business to take care of with one of my restaurants, so I will be leaving for a while”, he says.

“How long is a while?”, I ask.

He lets out a heavy sigh, “Hopefully not too long”.

We spend the following hour going over the menu. It’s not as difficult as I thought it would be but some of the meals are a little bit too complex for me. Thankfully Pierre hands me one of his recipe books.

I didn’t even know he has published several cookbooks until now.

“Alexander is a simple man but he absolutely adores Asian cuisine”, he says as we’re going over some Asian meals.

I guess I’ll add that to the list of things I know about him.

Pierre gives me a prepared meal schedule of options I could cook on each day. They include all three meals of the day.

I went from being a normal maid now I’m adding being a house cook onto my list of duties. Wow life sure moves fast for me sometimes.

Exhaustion consumes me, mostly because I did not get any sleep, so I go to bed right after when I finish with Pierre. He sends me to my room with a cup of hot chocolate and two bran muffins.

“Something to hold you till dinner”, he says with a wink.

He always tries to feed me, he is never happy when he does not see me eat. And that gives him a special place in my heart, right next to the guy who put wheels on luggage.

After a quick shower, I get into some shorts and a tank top then get into bed and enjoy my hot coco and muffins.

I fall asleep straight after that.

A knock wakes me from my deep slumber. I begrudgingly get up and go open it.

Alexander stands in all his glory. He is still in a perfectly tailored suit that hugs every crevice of his godly sculpted body.

I move slightly for him to come in. I lean against the door once I close it.

“Hey”, he says in his deep voice.

“Hi”

Silence falls upon us. We haven’t talked since last night or earlier this morning since it was already past midnight. After the kiss he wished me a goodnight and left. I did not see him this morning. Apparently he had left earlier for work.

I feel his eyes on my body. I see them trailing their way up and down my barely covered legs and arms.

I feel my body heat rise but at the same time his stare on my makes goosebumps rise from my skin. It’s a paradox and I don’t know how to handle it. So I grab a cardigan that is draped on a chair and I put it on just to cover up a bit.

“How was your day”, he asks , filling up the void.

“It was long and honestly not the best. How was yours?”. I move towards the bed and sit on it.

He sits next to me, “The same as yours”.

“Why?”, I ask.

“Didn’t get enough sleep” he simply answers.

“Me too” I say, nodding at him.

I shift and sit cross legged on the bed and cover myself up with the duvet. His eyes move with my every action. Like a predator analysing its prey’s every move.

He clears his throat, “About the kiss, it wa-”

“It was a mistake and should not happen again”, I finish for him.

I watch his eyes shift to my face. He looks slightly surprised.

“I mean you’re with Belle and I’m sorry if I led you on” I continue to talk. “I’m your maid, nothing more”.

He almost looks taken aback by my words.

“Yes. You’re right. That’s what I was going to say”, he says.

I nod, “Glad we’re on the same page”.

“Okay then. See you at dinner” he says standing from the bed.

“Yeah”, I watch him walk out the door and in some sort of way out of my fantasy about us.

What the hell did you just do? My subconscious asks.

I don’t know but I hope it’s the right thing. Me and him can never happen, we’re too different from each other. Plus my momma raised me right, I may be a lot of things but I am NOT a homewrecker.

Dinner is an absolute wreck .

Well, it is for me and my emotions.

My stomach is in knots and I can’t even taste the food. Belles is once again talking non-stop and it’s giving me a migraine.

Alexander sorts of entertains her and chips in a little bit on the mainly one sided conversation.

I immediately leave them together at the table the moment I am somewhat full. I quickly go to my room and get into bed.

It does not take long for sleep to come and I am lost in the land of dreams.

The following morning I wake up refreshed. I get ready for work and put on a pair of wide leg pants, a shirt that I tuck in the waistband and some heels. I pull my hair into a bun and then put on a little bit of makeup.

Pierre is leaving today and I am not ready for that. Since he has a house in the same neighbourhood as Alexander, he usually comes in the mornings and leaves in the evenings. Miss June and Harvey occupy a wing of the house.

I hear his voice as I walk down the stairs. He is talking with Harvey, and for the first time since I’ve started working here I see a smile on Harvey’s face.

He is always so serious that I thought his face muscles would probably spasm if he ever tried to smile.

I surprise him by wrapping my arms around him and hugging him from behind. Well I try to, my arms only reach his sides.

Why do chefs have to have such huge bellies?

“Rosa, my dear”, he turns around to see me. He has been calling me that since I started working here. I like it and every time he calls me I can’t help but smile.

This man brings joy to my soul. He is like Santa.

“I’m going to miss you”, I say to him.

He pulls me close and kissed my forehead. His small mustache tickled me.

“I will be back very soon”.

After Pierre and Harvey go to the airport. I get started with work. I have a busy day ahead of me, mainly because I will also be starting with my online classes later on today.

I breeze through my duties and before I know it I am folding the last of the laundry.

I have not seen Belle today so I don’t bother making lunch for her. Miss June said that she would take care of her and Harvey’s.

God bless her soul.

Time passes by quickly and I suddenly find myself in the kitchen with an apron covering my clothes, as I dice vegetables.

I decided on making Turkey Salisbury steak and steamed vegetables for dinner. For desert I make a simple lime cheesecake.

I set the table and quickly plate up for everyone. After I set the plates down, I walk back to the kitchen to get some wine and water. Alexander loves his wine. I grab a Cabernet and walk back into the dining hall to find everyone already seated.

Everyone except Belle.

“Where’s Belle?”, I ask.

“On her way to Paris”, Miss June says.

“Huh?” I say with a confused face.

“It’s a work thing. I think she will be joining your friend’s team there”, Alexander explains.

I nod and say nothing else as we start eating.

I can cook. I’m a decent cook. But seeing Alexander clean up his whole plate makes my heart dance with joy.

I watch a satisfied grin appears on his face as he sips his wine. I feel a smile come on to my face.

After dinner and clean up I am back in my room. I get into bed and start going onto the college online learning portal. I see that my tasks for the week have been outlined.

I have two assignments due on Sunday, so this week will be a lot of reading and research. So I will have to split up my time wisely if I am going to get these done by Sunday night.

I get on to my reading material and start taking down important notes onto my notebook. I get the hang of everything again easily even though I have not touched any academic work in half a year.

An hour into my reading, exhaustion becomes me and I call it. I put the laptop and books aside.

I snuggle into the covers and go to sleep instantly.