“Can I read some of them?”
Setting his head on her shoulder to see the screen, his fingers flew over the keyboard. “Here’s one of them.”
She read the words quickly but thoroughly, astonished that such a big food reviewer had actually tried her products. There wasn’t one negative word, every bit of the review positive. At the bottom of it, her website link was displayed boldly. “No wonder I have orders already. Most of the country follows her advice and recommendations. Anybody who likes to cook or bake uses her recipes. I know I do.”
“I know,” Jared replied with a touch of arrogance. “You’re going to outgrow this house and the equipment very quickly. And you’re going to need some help.”
“I have you.” Not that she really expected Jared to don an apron and get to work, but she could do the cooking. He’d incredibly managed everything else with ease.
“Sweetheart, you want your products to succeed. I don’t cook. You need help in the kitchen.”
Mara lowered the computer to the floor. Her hands free, she swung her leg over and straddled his lap. “You’re amazing.” Eyes watering, she stroked a palm down his strong, freshly shaved jawline. “I think you’d look hot in an apron,” she teased.
“Not happening,” he rumbled. “But I’ll do whatever else I can to make the launch fantastic.”
“It’s already incredible. I have to get moving and start getting the products ready.” She started to scramble out of his lap, but a steely arm around her waist kept her planted exactly where she was.
“Not so fast. I expect a proper thank-you.” His jade gaze drilled into her dark eyes.
“What do you consider proper?” She’d give this man anything he wanted. “Thank you for the phone, and everything you’ve done for the business. I’ll reimburse you for it. I probably really do need a cell.” If her business was going to start booming like this, she needed to be reachable at all times, and she could access the Internet with her phone.
“I don’t want you to pay me back. It’s a gift. I want you to kiss me,” he demanded bossily.
“I’d do that anyway. The things you give me have nothing to do with how much I care about you.” Her love for Jared was just there. But the thoughtful things he did just made her fall deeper and deeper in love with him.
“Show me.” His tone was domineering, but his eyes were pleading.
Leaning down, her mouth so close to his that she could feel his warm breath on her face, she murmured seriously, “We have to solve your big problem before I get to work.”
“Do I have a big problem?” Jared sounded puzzled.
Wiggling her hips, she pressed her core against his hard erection. “Very big.”
“You’re the only woman on earth who can fix that now,” he replied, both challenge and desperation in his voice.
“Done,” she whispered as she lowered her head and kissed him senseless.
She didn’t get her orders started until noon, but it was time well spent. When she finally started cooking to fill orders, she did so with a whimsical smile on her face.
CHAPTER 16
Mara’s Kitchen kept right on growing, and Jared was there every step of the way, clearing out other problems so she could focus on the products. She started working early and finished late at night. But she’d never been happier in her life.
The evening before Sarah’s wedding, she and Jared sat at the living room table signing the contracts he’d finally produced. It had taken another threat of switching her business partnership to include Evan instead of Jared to get him to finally do the business paperwork. Mara had hated every moment of using that against him, but she’d hate herself even more for continuing to take advantage of Jared’s kindness.
He’d hired a few teenagers temporarily for a summer job because her orders were getting overwhelming. She now had Nina to help her do some of the basics with the cooking prep, and Todd to do the continual cleaning of the kettles and equipment she needed several times every day. Jared had asked Emily to help him recruit the teens, both of them coming from families that Emily knew could really benefit from the extra money, since she ran the Youth Center and was aware of which families in the area were in need. Both of them worked hard at their assigned tasks, and it took a considerable amount of pressure off Mara to have their help every day. Jared worked on the marketing and business aspects of Mara’s Kitchen, and he was doing an incredible job, judging by the explosive amount of orders she was getting on a daily basis. She knew that Jared was also starting to work on contracts for restaurants and businesses outside of Amesport to use her products on a regular basis.