Yes Chef, No Chef - By Susan Willis Page 0,107

against the bench watching him snap tops from the carrots and put them into the basket. Then he collected handfuls of the other green vegetables and set them in a row along the bench placing them from the largest down to the smallest.

“You see, the cucumber is the longest and thickest but naturally, it’s far too big,” he said stroking the length of it and dropping it into the basket. He raised an eyebrow and gave her a smouldering look. “And, of course the sugar-snaps and green beans are too small and thin to be any real use…”

She couldn’t quite make her mind up if he was flirting with her or just teasing her in a playful manner? Her white vest began to stick to her back and she anxiously made a comment about it being hot and muggy.

Ignoring the trite weather comment he picked a courgette up. “But, these little beauties just keep on coming, so big, and so fast – there’s no other squash plant grows like courgettes do.”

She shuffled from one foot to another becoming uncomfortable with the oppressive heat, her mouth was dry and she licked her lips feeling the stickiness of her lip gloss.

“Do you like courgettes?” he asked staring wantonly at her breasts. “Mmm, they’re definitely my favourites. It’s the perfect size and shape, almost phallic – don’t you think?”

Holding the bottom of the courgette in one hand he began to stroke it lengthways with his other hand and stared longingly into her eyes. “The skin is so soft and smooth and of course the taste is unbelievable.”

She felt mesmerised as she stared back into his eyes and shakily grabbed the bench to steady herself because her legs were trembling with desire. Yes, this was definitely a come-on and instinctively played along with him.

“Yeah, I suppose it’s true what they say that size does matter?” she tittered.

He threw his head back and roared with laughter. She was having fun and enjoying flirting with him which was something she hadn’t done for a long time. Looking at his muscular hairy arms and his tanned glistening skin she thought of how sexy and gorgeous he was, and swallowed hard with desire.

He stopped stroking the courgette and leaned in towards her tracing a finger down the side of her cheek and an aroma of rich, earthy peat filled her nostrils.

“You've no idea what fun you can have with vegetables,” he drawled seductively throwing the courgettes into the basket.

She felt dumbstruck and noticed out of the corner of her eye a small spider inching its way down the glass in front of the bench and although she wasn’t frightened of them at any other time she would warily be backing away from it, but she was so captivated by what he was doing she couldn’t move - her feet and body felt like they were cemented into the raffia matted floor.

He picked up two plump, orange tomatoes and cupped each one in the palms of his hands. “These are Juane Flammee tomatoes. They have the perfect small shape and firmness one would expect from a salad tomato but we must be extra careful with these delicate tomatoes.”

Tenderly he squeezed and caressed the tomatoes until she felt she was about to burst. The urge and longing to be touched flooded through her body, her blood seemed to be pumping through her veins with excitement, and she felt a small droplet of perspiration run down her neck and trickle slowly between her breasts. Staring wantonly at him she licked her dry lips again then saw him follow the trickle of perspiration with his sultry eyes. She was under no illusion that he was certainly up for it, and sweet Jesus, so was she.

“And the lovely sweet flavour is mild, and yet so intense,” he said slowly putting one of the tomatoes to his mouth and biting into it. Some of the red juice ran down his chin and a couple of the seeds dropped onto his black Vest. “Oops,” he muttered licking at the juice with his tongue.

Transfixed now she reached over and touched the trickle of juice on his chin with her finger and he leant forward to kiss her full on the lips. He tasted of sweet tomato and she groaned quietly while he gently eased her up against the bench and before she knew what she was doing all the weeks of pent-up desire flooded through her and she greedily kissed him back. He slid his hands