Episode 21: Burning Questions
Katrina cocked her head. “Shug, are you okay?”
Sugar snapped her attention to her sister-in-law.
“Yeah, of course. The cough medicine just makes me, um, jittery, is all,” she lied. Katrina raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she slowly paced around the kitchen.
“You need to open your presents,” Rochelle said, lifting the purple gift bag she’d brought and giving it a little shake.
“I got you the best gift,” Odette announced giddily.
Reid rolled her eyes. “You got Shug the worst gift imaginable.”
Odette flipped her hair over her shoulder and smiled smugly. “Don’t hate, hoes.”
Reid shook her head, pursing her lips.
Eager to keep things moving, Sugar dove into her birthday presents. Rochelle had gone with a barely-there outfit—a “weapon for catching a man,” as she called it—while Helena paired it with a set of sky-high “fuck-me pumps.” Katrina opted for a gift card to some fancy beach resort spa, and Reid’s gift was a mix of scented candles and a pricey spa basket.
Finally, she reached Odette’s gift.
“Saved the best for last,” Odette said with a wink.
Now, Sugar felt a flicker of worry.
“Can I use your bathroom?” Helena suddenly asked, the urgency clear after downing her third glass of wine. She hopped off the counter.
“Be my guest,” Sugar replied.
“Thanks,” she said, quickly scurrying out of the kitchen.
“Come on, girl. Open it,” Odette urged, eyes bright with anticipation.
Sugar sighed as she sifted through the neon-green tissue paper, pulling out a box. Her brow furrowed in disbelief. It was a hot pink silicone sex toy labeled the ‘Wild Bunny G-Gasm Vibrator.’ A detailed image of the rabbit vibrator adorned every side of the box.
Her jaw dropped.
“Um, Shug, why are your panties on the kitchen floor?” Katrina asked suddenly.
Sugar’s eyes widened.
Oh no.
An impressed Helena reentered the kitchen with her arms crossed, tilting her head. “Ettie, you got a return receipt for that?”
“She doesn’t need a return receipt,” an irritated Odette replied, rolling her eyes. “I thought you had to use the bathroom?”
“I did, but I can hold it. I made a little discovery along the way.”
“How did you make a discovery on the way to the bathroom just down the hall, Helena?” Rochelle asked, irritation creeping into her voice.
“I don’t use hallway bathrooms. Only master bathrooms,” Helena said matter-of-factly. “The good hand soap is always there. I gotta keep these hands soft, my love.”
Sugar blinked in disbelief, tapping a finger against her chest. “You went to my bedroom?”
Helena grinned, nodding.
“Mm-hm, I sure did,” she said, looking back at Odette. “Shug doesn’t need that bunny vibrator at all. Honestly, I didn’t think she had it in her, but I give two thumbs up!”
Sugar squeezed her eyes shut, mortified. “Oh, dear god.”
Rochelle frowned. “Shug, what in the hell is going on?”
“Do you want to tell them, or should I?” Helena offered.
“Girl, shut the hell up,” Odette snapped.
“Fine.” She held up her hands in surrender, sauntering back to the bottle of Chardonnay to refill her glass.
“Evenin’, ladies.”
Helena sipped her wine as five startled pairs of eyes whipped toward the doorway, all gawking at the man standing there.
Chef’s gaze went straight to Sugar. “Figured since the young lady here found my hidin’ spot, I might as well come out.”
Odette’s expression lit up, her mouth open in a gleeful smile. “Shug, aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Rochelle cocked her head, pleased. “I second that.”
“Third,” Katrina added, intrigued.
“Fourth,” Reid chimed in.
Sugar exhaled deeply through her nose. “Everyone, this is...Chef.”
“And Chef is...?” Rochelle asked, her voice dripping with fake innocence.
“A friend,” Sugar replied, her tone sharper than she intended.
“Well, Chef, I’m Odette, Sugar’s baby sister,” Odette introduced herself, gesturing at the others. “That’s Rochelle, another Hartwell sister. Katrina is our sister-in-law, and Reid is Rochelle’s. And of course, You’ve already met our nosy little Helena.”
Chef nodded with a charming grin. “Pleasure to meet y’all.”
Immediately, a flurry of questions bombarded him.
“So, what’s your real name?”
“How many tattoos do you have?”
“How did you two meet?”
“Do you have a brother?”
He chuckled, slipping his hands into his pockets.
“Miles Thibodeau. I have eighteen tattoos. Mrs. Hartwell introduced us,” he said, “and no, I don’t have a brother.”
At the mention of their mother, Rochelle’s eyebrows shot up. “You know our mother?”
Chef nodded. “As well as your father, Cal. They’re regulars at my restaurant, and we’ve become close friends.”
“It takes a lot for Mama and Daddy to like someone, let alone become friends with them,” Odette said, her smile sly. “You must be a great guy.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, his grin modest. “I’m an alright guy, but I’ve found a good reason to better myself.”
His gaze found Sugar again. A wave of warmth rolled through her, and she bit her lower lip.
Katrina glanced at her wristwatch. “Well, look at the time! If we don’t leave now, we’ll be late for that thing.”
Odette scrunched her eyebrows. “What thing?”
Katrina narrowed her eyes. “That thing, Ettie. Remember?”
Rochelle swatted her sister’s shoulder. “You know what she means, Odette.”
“Right, that thing.” Reid snapped her fingers as if remembering. “We’d better get going.”
The women filed out of the kitchen, though Odette seemed reluctant.
Helena, trailing behind, paused in the doorway with the wine bottle, still a quarter full. “Mind if I take this on the road?”
“Knock yourself out, Helena,” Sugar sighed.
She winked, blowing her a kiss before trotting out. “Thanks! Love you! Oh, and happy birthday!”
Once the door clicked shut behind them, Sugar sagged against it, locking it for good measure.
Chef stepped into the foyer, walking toward her. “Guess this is where I take my leave, huh?”
“I think that’s best,” she agreed, dragging her teeth across her bottom lip. “Thanks for making me some chicken noodle soup.”
Chef closed the distance, bracing his tattooed arms on either side of her. She was trapped, though escape was the last thing on her mind. His head dipped, lips grazing her earlobe.
“Thanks for giving me somethin’ to eat, too,” he said, his voice low. “I’d love to know when you’re puttin’ it back on the menu.”
Sugar gulped hard. “You’ll be the first to know if or when I do.”
Her body trembled as he undid her robe’s tie, sliding his calloused hand beneath her nightie, cupping her breast roughly. He squeezed her mound, his thumb flicking at her erect nipple. She gasped, arching her back against her front door.
Chef ravaged her neck with his teeth and tongue, leaving a trail of wet kisses down to her collarbone. She moaned, hips bucking involuntarily as his other hand glided down her stomach, teasing the elastic waistband of her panties.
Touch me.
The words burned on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back, flinching at the ache of denying herself more of him.
“You’d better, darlin’,” he said with a devilish grin before stepping back.
Sugar spun around, quickly unlocking the front door and holding it open. He needed to leave before she invited him to stay the night—with no clothes on.
“Good night, Chef,” she said, her voice slightly shaky.
Chef nodded as he stepped outside. “Good night, and happy birthday.”
“You know,” she began, “you never sang me ‘Happy Birthday.’”
He turned halfway, his eyes catching hers. “You’re right, but I did manage to make the birthday girl sing. That should count for somethin’.”
