For Your Dining Pleasure

Andres took another swig of liquor, rolling the burning liquid around in his mouth as he dragged his teeth against one another. A red hue surrounded his deep blue, glazed eyes. He polished off his glass and tossed it aside. Slowly he made his way towards them.

Teaghan wasn't having much fun herself. She knew she had already succeeded in getting Andres' ire up, knocking the perpetual grin he had off of his face. That's all she had really wanted. So flirting with Remy now seemed a bit like overkill. He really was as predatory and persistent as Andres suggested him to be. As he leaned in closer and closer to her, his overtures had gone well-past suggesting that they continue their introductions more privately and intimately. He was now at the point where he was getting his rocks off telling her what he was going to do with her.

"My cock's never tasted chef pussy before," he breathed on her. His breath and his cologne was sending Teaghan into sensory overload. She winced and tried not to look at him but he was leaning over her so close, pinning her to the railing. "Maybe you could just call it my big 'meat thermometer."

Ugh. Teaghan hated cliche humour.

"Uh, R-Remy," she stammered, then shuddered when she felt his fingers drag up and down the smooth flesh exposed at her midriff. She definitely over did it with the two piece outfit. The already over-stimulated man particularly delighted in handling the gold waist chain around her belly.

"We can leave this on," he said of the chain. He flashed her a cut-glass smile.

Teaghan leaned over the railing as far as she could without flipping over it. She looked away and down at the poolside. No matter how uncomfortable she was feeling about Remy's advances, what also was distressing her was that she noticed that nobody was touching the food she had spent all that time, thought and effort in preparing. The sandwiches were pushed aside, surrounded by empty glasses and bottles, and used as cigarette extinguishers. All that work. What a waste. She had guessed before that it could have ended up that way. But it still bothered her -a lot.

And she couldn't see Andres anywhere.

Her disappointment took her away for moment, but the feel of something warm and slick on her neck shocked her back. Remy nuzzled his face under the side of her chin. Teaghan gasped and almost lost her balance but his body pressed up against hers, holding her up against the railing. In another split second, his rough hand slipped under her skirt and slid quickly up her thigh and around to her smooth bottom.

"Mmm, nice and tender," he purred against her throat as he continued to kiss and lick her.

His scent filled her lungs and she had to clear her throat before she could speak. "Remy, wait," she said, breathlessly. Then more firmly she urged, "Stop it!"

His hands indulged in a few more firm gropes, tugging at the woman's underwear, before she pushed him away with her legs and arms. "I said stop it already!" she insisted.

"You want to get out of here now?" the man asked eagerly, "You want to go to a room or somewhere?"

"No. I just want to get away from you," she spat as she readjusted her panties through her skirt.

Her words weren't quite registering with him, but still, a mean streak immediately showed itself in Remy. He leered at her and said, "Hey. You're just hired help anyway, aren't you?"

He moved towards her again. Teaghan, however, slipped away from him, avoiding getting pinned against the railing once more.

"Will you just fuck off already?" she snapped at him, "I'm not interested!"

"Wha-?" The man stood there, red faced and dumbfounded. He sputtered, "You've gotta be shitting me!"

"No. I'm not," she insisted and quickly walked around the balcony and went down the stairs.

She had started to make her way through the guests by the poolside when she heard Remy yell at her from behind.

"You fucking little bitch!" he roared as he made his way to the bottom of the stairs. "You're just a cock-tease slut aren't you?"

She should have just kept going but instead, Teaghan froze. The crowd of party goers moved away from her, staring at her.

"Yeah, and you know what?" the enraged man went on as he grabbed a burger from the table, "Your food is crap!"

Stunned, Teaghan turned around slowly and faced him. Her body trembled as she growled, "I am a DAMN good chef you fucking asshole! I may as well just serve you a piece of shit!"

"Go get a job at McDonald's!" he yelled, "Either learn how to cook or learn how to fuck, bitch!"

She was mortified, a chill running through her spine and rooting her to where she was standing even as she watched the crazy man, in slow motion, cock his arm back and prepare to actually fling the burger at her. Suddenly a solid figure lunged by and tackled Remy, plowing him into a service table. People gasped and screamed as Andres sat on the man and pounded his fists into his face. Food and glasses were scattered all around them and the poolside as he pummeled Remy even as other guests struggled to pull him off.

Three men finally pulled Andres up from the bloody mess that was Remy's face. As he shrugged them off breathing hard, his face red and angry, he looked around the poolside. She wasn't there.

Teaghan ran back to the guest house. The tears started to stream down her face just as she walked through the door.

****************

She actually managed to compose herself pretty quickly. Within a few minutes, after she had washed her face and started to change into her wife beater and jockey panties, the distress she felt turned to solemn fuming. What did it matter what that sonuvabitch thought of her? She didn't care about what any of those people out there thought of her and she didn't need their approval to know that her food was great.

Teaghan stood over her bed and grimaced. Okay, so she was a bit proud, and haughty, and short-tempered and all of that sometimes made her do and say stupid things just to get back at people. She knew that she wasn't completely innocent of what went down at the party.

Surprisingly, an excited twinge deep down in her gut told her she that she got a little satisfaction watching Andres throttle Remy. That was a complete surprise.

With her mind whirling and her heart still beating quickly, Teaghan thought she would have trouble falling asleep. As soon as she fell onto the plush mattress and pillows, however, her exhausted body sank into a deep slumber, images of a young man with crisp blue eyes and olive skin filling her dreams.

***************

3:45 a.m.

Teaghan thought she heard thumping on the guest house door. At first she thought it was part of her dream, but as the thumping persisted and she felt her face buried against a pillow, she realized she was awake. The dull thumping continued and it wouldn't go away no matter how far she stuffed her face into the pillow.

"Oh for-!" With an annoyed groan she whipped off the blankets and marched over to the door.

She couldn't see anybody standing behind the frosted window of the door. The thumping continued, very softly, like someone dragging their knuckles against the door.

Teaghan opened it and jumped back as a dark figure sitting on the doorstep slumped onto the floor at her feet.

"Christ!" she yelped, "Andres?"

The young man hauled himself back up to a seated position, leaning on the door frame. Teaghan switched on the lights and stood over him.

He lolled his head up to look at her. His eyes, looking a bit blank, were red and watery and his olive skin complexion had a noticeably red blush. His mouth was slightly open and shaped in a really stupid grin. He was pissed drunk.

"Teaghan," he drawled, "Tigger. The 'Tigress'. Rowr. Ha ha ha!"

He laughed. The woman just continued to look at him with a stupefied glare.

"I-I can see your panties," he chuckled, pointing an unsteady finger at her bare legs.

Teaghan blinked realizing she had gone to the door without her robe. "Shit!" she spat and ran to the bed. She returned to the door, covering herself up.

"Andres, what are you doing here?" she demanded, "Don't tell me you want a frigging sandwich?!"

"'Sandwich'," he mimicked her and laughed again. His eyelids lowered and, swallowing, he shook his head with an exaggerated movement and said, "No. No. I'm just here to say sorry."

Teaghan sighed, "Andres, you don't have to do this now. Just go to bed."

"No. No," he insisted. With a guttural rumble, he heaved himself up onto his feet. "I'm really, really sorry. For everything."

Teaghan held up her hands half-heartedly as he wobbled but he managed to stay standing.

"Yep, I'm a bastard and a spoiled rich-brat," he went on. Then unexpectedly, he stumbled his way inside the guest house.

"Oh, wait! Um, don't...shouldn't you go home?" Teaghan pleaded as he she watched him make his way to the centre of the room.

He looked up at the skylight. "Wow," he remarked, "This place is nice, isn't it? Never been in here before. It's really homey."

She was at a loss as to what to say or do to get him out of there.

He mumbled, "But you're not going to stay."

She couldn't tell if that was a question or a statement. She could tell however, by the way that he was standing on the spot and speaking that he had no intention of leaving right away. With a tired sigh, she closed the door and said, "What do you mean?"

He managed to focus his eyes on her, "I mean, you're not going to stay because of me. You can't stand me."

She shook her head, "Andres, I don't-"

"I'm an inconsiderate, unappreciative bastard," he droned, "I get all this good stuff given to me and I don't deserve any of it."

Teaghan's exasperation, in spite of how tired she felt, left her body. She walked over to Andres and gently took his arm. He looked at her and smiled. She smiled back.

"Come on, 'Apollo'," she spoke sympathetically as she led him to the couch, "Have a seat. I'll get you a glass of water."

As she walked to the kitchen, Andres, staring at the unlit fireplace, rambled on, "I mean it. I don't appreciate anything. As soon as I get some money, I blow it. I get a free pass into university and I just squander it. I'm such an ungrateful dumbass."

Teaghan returned with a glass of water. She smiled to herself, bemused by his self-berating. As she handed him the glass she said, "Here you go...dumbass."

Andres polished it off in one long gulp. "I have a beautiful and sexy and talented chef working her butt off for me," he looked at her longingly, "And all I do is tell her to make sandwiches."

Teaghan's thoughts had gotten stuck on "beautiful and sexy". She looked down and away as the words sunk in. She also definitely liked the "talented chef part".

"No wonder you want to leave," he muttered and closed his eyes slumping onto the couch.

Teaghan scratched her wrist uneasily and just watched him lie motionless there. She thought she might try to encourage him to leave, but short of picking him up herself, she couldn't be bothered. With a shake of her head, she walked away, turned off the lights and slipped back into bed.

But just as her eyes closed, she heard Andres moving around in the dark. He coughed then said, "So what's the plan?"

Teaghan rubbed her head and sighed, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what are you going to do when you leave here?" he said. He appeared at the edge of the bed, the light from the skylight casting a glow on him. He walked around to the side and sat down on the bed.

Teaghan sat up, covering herself with the blankets. "Andres! What are you doing?" she asked anxiously, "Get off of my bed!"

"Seriously, what are you going to do?" he asked again.

"I don't know!"

He turned his head to look at her. "Sure you do. Of course you know. You're not going to be here forever."

Teaghan stared at him. His eyes were fixed on hers as he waited patiently for a reply. He wasn't goofing around and he wasn't going to leave until she answered. She breathed deeply, her nerves calming somewhat as she thought for a few moments.

"Well," she finally said, "I always wanted to own and work in my own restaurant, have my own kitchen."

He nodded.

Picking at the blanket she added, "It'll be a bistro in Napa Valley, just an exclusive and small place. 20 guests a night, tops." She enjoyed talking about her goal and continued, "A nightly menu of my own creations. It'll be called 'Little Roses' with fresh peach and white flowers throughout the restaurant. Out front, I'll have a statue of a flower girl, tossing rose petals into a pond."

Teaghan smiled to herself in the darkness. Maybe it was his grogginess, but Andres thought she glowed as she spoke.

"That's...really nice," he said softly. He looked away, "Nice to have a plan."

"And what's your plan?" she asked, "What's in store for you?"

He shrugged. "You tell me," he muttered.

"The only son of an only son inherits the family business. End of story?"

Teaghan saw the back of the man's head bob slowly up and down. She realized her remark may have come across as callous. She wasn't sure if it was residue from the last few days or if she was just getting a little annoyed with a rich guy's self-pity. Still, she kind of regretted saying it.

She heard him chuckle softly. "Yep. You've really got me pegged. You really are a smart, smart girl." He sighed then said again, "Nice to have a plan."

"Well, maybe it's just because I'm a little older than you. Who knows what you'll do in the future?"

Before she could go on, Andres suddenly dropped back into the bed, his head falling on the pillow beside her. His eyelids slammed shut.

"Uh, Andres?" Teaghan said nervously as she shifted away from him, "Andres, you can't sleep here. Get up."

A quiet gurgling rumble slipped thorugh his mouth and nose. She called his name again and then shook poked and shook his arm. The snoring grew louder.

"Dammit," Teaghan muttered. She glared at him for a few minutes. Then she stood up, grabbed her pillow and stomped over to the couch.

***************

The next morning, Teaghan walked across the garden towards the house. She passed the hired clean up crew as they tidied the grounds after the party. They had their work cut out for them but they went about their business diligently and quietly.

"Help yourself to a few burgers," she remarked half-jokingly to no one in particular as she passed by the poolside.

Checking through the pantry and the fridge, she made a list of the groceries that needed to be delivered for the week. She had awoken from the couch late and was weary but the morning sunlight seemed to perk her up a bit. Andres was completely sprawled out on the bed when she had left the cottage. She doubted he would get up anytime soon but even if he did, she had decided to herself that he could make his own breakfast and lunch. After finishing her work, she took her time to simply sit in the sun room and read the paper. By noon, as the clean up crew packed up their gear, Andres still hadn't made an appearance.

Walking back to the guest house, she spotted Andres heading towards her from across the garden. He looked like hell with a messed up shirt and hair, stubble all over his face, and his thick brows hanging heavy and low, darkening his normally glistening eyes. Yet still, his stride was long and smooth as he walked and he came upon Teaghan quickly.

They both stopped, facing one another. For some reason, Teaghan felt a bit uneasy as she looked at him casting a stoic and unmoved gaze on her. She had been ready to resume their usual exchange of barbs but seeing him, she instead simply said, "Uh, good morning?"

"Why was I on your bed?" he questioned her.

"Why...? Uh," She tilted her head. Hesitantly she replied, "You came into the guest house last night kind of drunk. You fell asleep on the bed."

Andres simply stared back at her.

Teaghan spoke up, "I had to sleep on the couch!"

The young man looked around past her head towards the house. "Did the clean up crew come this morning?"

"Yes," she replied, annoyed, "They were here bright and early and they cleaned up your mess."

They stood in front of each other for a moment. Teaghan couldn't figure out what was going on with him this morning. She couldn't think of anything to say. Even though she said to herself that she wouldn't she finally asked him, "Look, do you want me to make you something for lunch? Aren't you hun-"

"I'm going out for the day," Andres interrupted and walked away towards the house. Teaghan was left standing alone with her mouth hanging open.

***************

Teaghan didn't want to go near the house all day. She was upset with Andres again and couldn't be bothered to risk running into him. Instead, she stayed at the guest house. Her body and mind needed the solitude, anyway. She made herself a lobster salad for lunch and treated herself to wine and various cheeses as she sat out on the deck and read. Later on, she called her friend Suzanne, trying very had not to complain about Andres, then took a nap.

Yet awake or asleep, she couldn't deny that she was thinking about him. She was really annoyed by his reactions that day. Then again, she wasn't sure what she had been expecting. She was hoping for...well, something other than the cold shoulder.

In the early evening, she called the house. The housekeeper said he hadn't come home yet and asked if she could go home already. After dismissing her, Teaghan shrugged. Fine, no dinner for him either.

She ate by herself and watched television until late at night. It had been a lazy day and her body was feeling restless for it. The pool was calling.

The sky was clear and the air was warm that night as she strolled across the garden path in a spa robe. She could see the glow of the light from the pool as she walked up the marble steps. As she reached the top, she realized someone was already swimming. She already knew it could only be Andres and she immediately stopped, thinking about turning around and going back to the guest house.

"No," she said to herself, "Why should I have to leave?"

Before she could walk towards the pool however, she saw Andres pull himself up from the pool. Teaghan gasped and ducked behind a hedge. With her hand over her mouth, she frowned. Did she see right? Was he naked?

"Go back now," a little voice in her head told her. Without a second thought, she ignored it.

Biting her upper lip, Teaghan peered over the hedge. She had a clear view of the rear of Andres' wet, buck-nude body as he towelled off. She breathed deeply and held her breath, trying to be as silent as possible as she gazed at his svelte, muscular build. His broad shoulders topped a muscular back which seemed to just funnel down to his smooth, firm bottom. There wasn't a hair on his body and she jokingly wondered if the Greek playboy shaved or waxed. Whatever, she wished that she had her camera phone right now. "That'd be a nice little photo for Suzanne," she whispered to herself and giggled softly.

Andres turned. Teaghan's crescent eyes widened so much that her entire pupils were in plain view. She gasped and instantly slapped her hand over her mouth.

Okay, maybe not so little a photo. She stood behind the hedge, frozen. She didn't want to be caught gawking at him. She also had to take a moment to absorb what she saw. No wonder the young man preferred to swim in the raw than wearing a Speedo. Teaghan suddenly caught herself imagining how it must look when the stud was aroused, how well he handled it, how it would feel...

"Ohmygod," she sighed. She could feel her heart pounding and the warmth flooding her face. What was she thinking? Unnerved by her thoughts, she made a break for the stairs, simply hoping Andres didn't notice her.