Disclaimer: I do not own VA and thank Richelle Mead for writing such an awesome series.

First of all thank you for those who reviewed RF and RW – so close to getting my 50 for RF (just need one more review – remember 2 of my reviews were ANs).

Someone asked why Olena and Janine were conspiring to get Rose and Dimitri together (seemed like this came out of the blue for them when they read the last chapter)…but if you read the prologue and the rest of the chapters you will understand what's going on…(but if you still confused PM me)

And now the chapter you have all been waiting for… when Rose and Dimitri finally meet…

Two rival restaurants and chefs – what happens when love joins the menu?

Restaurant Wars

CHAPTER 7

Rose POV

I can officially say today made the top 5 bad days of my life.

It started with my alarm not going off – there was a stupid power outage in the middle of the night and because I preferred using my old school bedside clock and not my phone, when the power went out it reset the settings and removed my alarm. Normally my body has great circadian rhythm and I wake up before the alarm most days, but last night things had been hectic at the restaurant (since tonight was the welcome party and the competition was starting tomorrow), which meant that I was more tired than normal. It also didn't help that I got home close to 1am.

Rushing to get ready meant I didn't have time for my morning coffee, which put me in a foul mood. And because this wasn't enough, I got stuck in traffic (the one day I decided to ride my motorcycle to work to make up for running late).

Things just kept getting worse as the day progressed – deliveries delayed, rude customers who sent back dishes, being under-staffed on one of our busiest days and for the first time since I started working in the kitchen, one of our dishes had to be 'pulled' from the menu because one of its key ingredients had gone bad.

I just wanted to curl up in a ball in the corner and cry!

But I was Rose Mazur damn it! And Mazur's don't give up!

I took a deep breath and pulled myself together, re-focusing my efforts so I could shift the remainder of the day to work for me and not against me. I was looking forward to tonight's party weirdly enough and I wanted to finish early to get home in time to get ready.

But things are never that easy…

We had just closed the restaurant for the night, earlier than usual, to allow baba and I time to get home and change. I was in the kitchen, finishing off some prep-work for the next day (since neither of us were going to be here) when my mobile rang.

Surprised to see anne's name flash across the screen, I answered straight away, wondering if she was calling to nag us to get home soon.

"Oh good, I caught you…are you still at the restaurant?"

I replied with a tentative 'yes', my gut telling me I wasn't going to like the reason behind her call.

As always, my gut was right…

"I'm sorry to have to ask you to do this, but the guys who missed the delivery in the morning said they were on their way now… could you stay back to let them in? I would ask your father, but he has to be at the party. Not saying you're not important – just that your father needs to be there. Once you have received the delivery and stocked the items away, you can head straight to the party – I will make sure everything is set and ready for you at home. Hopefully you will be able to make the welcome party, but if not, there is always the after party".

I gritted my teeth in frustration – so much for thinking my day was getting better. I hadn't planned on attending the after party, wanting to get home at a reasonable hour to make up for lost sleep and be ready for the filming and start of the competition tomorrow. Hopefully the delivery would happen soon so I could still make an appearance at the welcome party and avoid the after party as I had originally planned.

After relaying anne's message to baba, I moved around the kitchen, doing small chores here and there, waiting. Every hour that passed, I was getting annoyed and frustrated – I was ready to kill the delivery guys!

By the time the delivery was done and the items put away, I realised I had missed the welcome party. With the day I had I was ready to just head home and fall into bed. As if sensing my decision through some psychic bond, Eddie called just as I reached home.

"Don't even think about it…"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Of all my brothers, Eddie knew me best, so I wasn't surprised too much that he figured if I didn't make the welcome party I wasn't going to put the effort in the after party.

"Eddie, I am dead tired. I barely got any sleep last night and have had the worst day in history. I don't think I have the energy to dress myself, let alone be sociable. I was never planning to attend the after party anyway so it shouldn't matter if I miss it. This way I can go to bed now and be 'bright-eyed and bushy tailed' for the filming and day 1 of the competition".

While I spoke, I could hear loud music in the background – clearly he and everyone else were already at the after party. Hearing my impassioned speech of bowing out, I could hear him shuffling, probably trying to find a quiet spot. He must have found somewhere, because suddenly the noise level had dropped to barely audible thumping.

"Rose, you have to come. You can't be anti-social all the time. And the club is actually pretty cool – nothing like Chris's but still good. There are other people here who will be part of the competition – perfect opportunity to suss out who you are up against. So you have to get your butt down here! And didn't anne spend a fortune on your outfit? Do you want to make her feel bad for having spent so much time and money?"

Now he was just playing dirty…he knew I would feel guilty about not using the outfit anne picked out so carefully and definitely spent a fair amount of money on.

"Fine, give me half hour and I will be there".

"Love you little sis…"

He hung up before I could grumble a reply – he sounded way too gleeful at the end.

Seeing as I only had 30 minutes to shower, get ready and reach the club, I didn't waste any more time pondering on my brother's strange behaviour. After having the quickest shower in history (thankful I had taken anne up on the hair removal treatment after the shopping was done), I rushed around getting ready. Hair and make-up done (with minimal effort – just the way I like it), I took a look at myself in the floor length mirror in my bedroom. I couldn't recognise the woman staring back at me – she looked like a sexy vixen. Smoky brown eyes took in every little detail, while dark red lips parted in pleasant surprise. I had decided to leave my hair out and the thick, soft curls gave my look an exotic allure (I had baba to thank for my gorgeous hair and eyes). Feeling embolden by my new appearance, I reached under my dress and took off the beige thong I had bought – what the hell I wasn't wearing a bra, might as well go all commando!

I don't know how I did it but I made it to the club in the designated time I had given Eddie – who met me outside to ensure I was let into the 'VIP party'. My poor brother looked like he was about to have a heart attack when he saw what I was wearing. Rendered speechless, all he could do was stare, while I stifled a giggle. Finally finding his voice he only uttered one statement in regards to the outfit.

"Thank God baba didn't see you in this…"

He didn't have to elaborate on the ramifications – I knew well enough how baba would have forced me to turn around and head home to change. And he would have been doubly mortified to find out that it was anne who had found the dress and insisted I buy it for the party.

Eddie was right – the club was nice but nothing like Vasi. He lead me to an area of the club which I assumed was reserved for the VIP party aka the after party for Restaurant Wars. I took in the crowd and tried to recognise the faces – some I recognised, while others were new. And one face drew in my attention like honey draws in a bee.

He was tall, I could tell even though he was sitting and God, was he gorgeous. Long, dark hair that fell to his shoulders framed a chiselled face that looked hard, but had an undercurrent of softness. His dark eyes held a strange twinkle, as they roamed the room until they locked on me. Mesmerised by their depth, I found myself floating towards him, completely forgetting Eddie. I was so consumed by this stranger's gaze, I failed to notice the attention I had grabbed of practically every male in the area. Nothing else in the world mattered but this person and my heart pounded in my chest in anticipation as I drew near.

Finally finding my voice, I extended my hand out to greet the tall, dark, handsome stranger.

"Hi, my name is Rose".

Our hands touching triggered a strange spark to shoot through our skin, causing both of us to drop the others hand. This seemed to break the spell for my gorgeous stranger, and his admiring smile changed into an alluring smirk.

"Nice to meet you Roza, my name is Xander".

Oh God, maybe I should have left the thong on…damn that accent…my inner voice chastised as something stirred deep in my loins, causing me to rub my thighs together. Suddenly feeling nervous, I nibbled on my lower lip, which pulled Xander's gaze away from my eyes and to my lips. Something akin to hunger took over Xander's face and my heart practically leapt out of its chest when I felt him grab my hand again, this time to help me take a seat next to him.

I had forgotten about the large slit in my dress that went high enough to be dangerously close to revealing my secret, but Xander didn't seem to mind, releasing a growl of appreciation, as his eyes raked the length of my body. The way he took me in didn't make me feel cheap or slutty, no, it was a cross between a devout worshipping their God and a thirsty man who had finally found his oasis. My skin broke out in goose bumps and I took in my own inventory of him now that I was closer.

He had muscles but didn't seem like a gym-junkie – more like someone who worked with his body and took great care of it. He had worn a black suit to the party, but had discarded the jacket somewhere and had rolled up his long sleeves to relax that revealed strong, tanned arms. Even though I was a virgin, I couldn't help but wonder if he was big everywhere, considering all other visible appendages were large and intimidating. I was certain he was close to 6'7, since even seated he was taller than me when I had been standing in heels.

"What would you like to drink Roza?"

It finally registered in my head that this was the second time he had called me that instead of Rose – maybe he had misheard my name?

"My name is Rose, not Roza and I would like a shot of vodka please".

He appeared impressed by my choice of drink and chuckled at my correction. Leaning over to give the bartender our order, he finally addressed the name mix-up.

"In my language, Rose is Roza, but if you prefer I can call you Rose…"

Oh hell no! My mind screamed, rejecting my normal moniker for the new one I was introduced to 5 minutes ago. I could imagine him whispering my name in my ear, chanting it over and over again… Oh my God! What the hell was wrong with me?

Blushing at the scandalised thoughts that bombarded my mind (which by the way doesn't happen that often …), I was glad the lights in the club were dim enough to hide the colouring that would have sprung on my cheeks.

"No, Roza is fine…"

Two shots each later, we fell into a strangely comfortable conversation. We spoke about our families (I cracked a lame joke about us being perfect for each other because he had 3 sisters and I had 3 brothers), our likes and dislikes (he had a sweet tooth like me) and briefly about work (he was a chef too). It was amazing to find someone else who was passionate about cooking and I vaguely recalled him saying something about being part of the competition (which explained why he was in the section), but I think I barely listened. For someone who rarely drank, the third shot of vodka was more than enough to loosen my inhibitions.

Before I knew what I was doing, I pulled Xander with me towards the dance floor, giving the friendly bartender my clutch to look after. I was blaming the vodka – apparently 3 shots of the stuff and I was no longer level-headed Rose Mazur. I wouldn't say I was drunk, but that rational voice in my head had gone to bed sometime after the 2nd drink and a saucy, adventurous voice came out to play.

The world seemed to fade away once more, as we moved deeper into the ocean of bodies. The loud, indiscernible base song ended and Ed Sheerans 'Shape of you' came on. It was the perfect song for our first dance.

The slow, sensual notes wrapped around our bodies, as I faced away from Xander, my back leaning against his hard chest. As we swayed together, lost in the music and each other, I felt his warm, large hands tentatively move from my shoulders and down my arms, caressing my hands like they were made of glass. Moving my arms above my head, letting my fingers run through my hair, I came to rest them around Xander's neck, pulling him closer so his breath teased the sensitive area behind my ear. Having lost access to my hands, Xander took the opportunity to resume exploring my body, his hands going back to my arms again, but this time moving along my sides, waist, hips and outer thighs. Suddenly Xander's hands froze mid-stroke, hovering close to the slits in my dress.

Unleashing a strained growl, I felt him pull me closer to ask.

"Are you not wearing any underwear Roza?"

The old Rose would have balked at the question and stammered incoherently, maybe even rush out of the club. But my new, confident persona had no reservations and daringly took hold of his unsteady hands and moved them closer to the slit, allowing his fingers to brush under the material, so he could 'feel' first hand his answer.

"What do you think?" I challenged him.

He swore in another language I didn't recognise, but God it sounded sexy. His fingers, surprisingly enough, remained where they were – halfway between my outer and inner thighs. Another growl left his lips when he realised I was completely bare down there – after all the dress was too revealing and I couldn't take the chance of having any hair peeking out.

"Do you want to leave?" he asked huskily.

My stomach clenched in excitement and arousal, causing me to nod in agreement without further thought. Grabbing my handbag from the bartender (and another shot each) we left together. As Xander hadn't driven in (since he had planned to drink) we caught a cab to his apartment, which was nearby (since he worked close to the city). I don't know what it was – the fourth shot, getting some fresh air or finally regaining some common sense, but suddenly my mind and hormones connected and I almost jumped out of the cab upon realising I was about to head to a stranger's apartment for a one-night stand. It wouldn't have been a big deal if it wasn't my first time, and even though I was a 25 yr. old virgin, I wasn't desperate to lose it with a stranger. I hadn't planned on being celibate this long but now that I was, I wanted to give it to someone who meant something to me, someone I loved. And lets me honest, even though Xander was gorgeous and there seemed to be some sort of connection between us, he was still a stranger.

By the time we reached the apartment, my arousal had long gone and it was replaced with apprehension. Xander seemed to pick up on my change of mood and gave me some much needed space, though he still held my hand.

Once inside, I gave a once over and was impressed. He was neat for a guy – living with 3 brothers I knew how messy boys could be. Another positive was that the one bedroom apartment had beautiful views of the city. I stood nervously, nursing the glass of water he had quietly handed to me, staring out the towards the city lights. Normally I was proud of my virgin-status, but now I was embarrassed and unsure. I could tell Xander was 'experienced' – no way could he be a virgin with that much confidence and suave, not to mention the sensual way he handled my body. No, Xander knew exactly how to handle a woman. The question was did I want him to handle me?

I felt him make his way towards me, arms encircling me gently. Soft lips kissed my exposed collarbone, while he just held me.

"It's ok Roza, we don't have to do anything if you don't want to…"

I turned sharply in his arms, surprised at his gentleness. His manly, alpha aura that had bewitched me at the club was still there, simmering in the background, but right now, stood a gentle, understanding soul who had picked up my secret without me revealing it.

"How did you figure it out?" I whispered, a plethora of emotions running through me.

He gave me a breathtaking smile that made my knees wobble and caused me to lean against his panoramic window.

"There is nothing to be ashamed about Roza. I guess you can say I have a sixth sense for such things. Also you have drunk enough that I would not feel comfortable doing more than kiss you… well… maybe some light make-out, but nothing more than that. My mama raised me right, and I'm not the kind of guy who would take a girl to bed who wasn't completely aware of her senses".

I was rendered speechless again, this time blown away by his honourable nature. The raw charisma he had exuded in the club made me think he was no less than a man-whore (like Mason), who took pleasure in conquering and possessing women. I had braced myself at either being pressured to given in to my arousal or being thrown out by a frustrated, angry guy. Instead I was faced a true gentleman, one who didn't view woman as mere objects. My heart thumped loudly, but for a completely different reason. I reached out and laid my hand over his own heart, touched by his sweet gesture.

"Thank you for understanding. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on, but yeah…hmm…I don't think I feel comfortable losing my virginity with someone who I just met. If you want, I can leave…"

I tried to move around him, but I hadn't taken more than one step before he grabbed my wrist.

"Don't leave Roza…stay…we can talk some more if you aren't tired and if you are, you can take the bed while I take the sofa. Its late and I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you catch a cab alone…and if you stay I will make you a large breakfast".

I chuckled at his attempt at tempting me with my love of food. I was torn – a part of me shouting to leave with what dignity I had left, but another part (my heart?) begged me to stay and spend more time with this wonderful, unpredictable man. For once in my life (maybe even the first time), I listened to my heart.

"Sure I will stay…hmm do you have something I can change into, that's more comfortable?…"

His eyes raked over my body, lust and regret shining briefly on his face, before he reigned in those emotions and gave me a boyish grin. With a quick nod, he went back to his room and returned with a t-short and shorts. Directing me toward the bathroom, he left me to change while he made some hot chocolate (after I had refused his offer for coffee – I knew it wouldn't be Turkish and I didn't want to sound like a snob going into a speech about the difference between it and normal coffee).

His clothes, though clean, still smelled like him. After taking my dress off carefully and pulling my hair into a braid, I took in my appearance, wearing his t-shirt (which looked like a loose dress on me). Strangely I could see myself wearing this every day when I came home after a long day at the restaurant. The image and the accompanying emotions it elicited rattled me – how could I be imagining myself with Xander when I just met him?

Shaking my head at my thoughts I suddenly remembered to message Eddie to let him know I was somewhere safe and wouldn't come home till early morning. When I returned to the living room, I found Xander in his night clothes waiting for me, two cups of hot chocolate on the coffee table. The way he looked me over, I might as well have been still wearing the dress – the heated look was causing wonderful sensations to ripple through my body. Clearing his throat, blushing at being caught in his admiring, he patted the area next to him on the sofa for me to join. Guess neither of us were tired, because we spent another 2 hours drinking hot chocolate and getting to know each other more.

"I should probably get some sleep…" I stifled a yawn, trying to not think about the long day ahead of me.

Helping me up from the sofa, he led me to his bedroom where a king-sized bed was already set-up for me, the covers pulled back and the pillows fluffed. I only then noticed the blanket and pillow on the sofa and felt guilty at the thought I had kicked him out of his bed. Looking at the small sofa and then the bed, I knew he wouldn't have a comfortable sleep – he was too tall and big for the sofa.

Twirling my braid nervously, I gazed at him through my lashes as I suggested an alternative sleeping arrangement (knowing the gentleman he was, he wouldn't let me sleep on the sofa).

"The bed is large enough for the both of us… I don't mind if you want to sleep in the bed too…with your height and…hmm body… I can't imagine the sofa would be comfortable…"

A nervous look passed over his face, probably the first time I saw any form of insecurity in his persona.

"Are you sure Roza? Will you feel…comfortable enough with me being in the same bed as you?"

Yes! No!... my mind indecisively screamed, but I took a deep breath and only nodded, praying I wouldn't chicken out. Once again, as I turned away from him, he caught my wrist and pulled me close. This time a strange, determined look was fixed on his face, making me wonder what he was thinking. My breath caught in my throat when I realised how close I was to him – I could actually see the gold flakes in his iris.

"Can I…can I kiss you Roza?" he whispered hesitantly.

Strangely, for the first time tonight, my body's response was unanimous – both my heart and head screamed YES, but yet again I let my actions answer his question.

Leaning in slowly, keeping my gaze firmly on him I felt him move to meet me halfway, and then magic! How could lips be this soft and rough at the same time? Sparks rushed through me and my nerves felt like they were on fire. I don't know who deepened the kiss – maybe it was me or it could have been him – all I know is that we pulled each other closer and our mouths gave way to our tongues, allowing us to caress each other on an intimate level.

I felt him pull me towards the bed and I let him, knowing in my heart that he would respect my wishes for us to not move further tonight than 2nd base. Our hands had a mind of their own and explored one another, but we kept it innocent by fondling outside our clothes. I think we were both hesitant to touch any more skin – the risk of giving in and letting our hormones and alcohol infused minds take-over would have serious ramifications in the morning.

I don't know how long we made out, but finally the necessity to breathe and sleep had us pulling apart. Gazing into his deep brown eyes, I wondered if this was going to be a one-night thing or if I would see Xander again. Placing a soft kiss on his lips, I turned away on my side and got comfortable. Before I could wish him goodnight, I felt his arm encircle my waist, pulling me close. The gesture was loving and felt natural, but his muscles were tense, ready for my rejection. I probably should reject him – this felt too familiar for a new acquaintance and yet again, just like the sleeping outfit, I could imagine myself falling asleep for the remainder of my life in his arms, safe and warm.

It had been a long, tiring day and with a barely descrinable goodnight, I found myself close to falling asleep. The last coherent thought that filtered through my mind before the dreamless darkness took me caused a lump to form in my throat.

I could see myself falling deeply in love with Xander…

…If I hadn't already.

Before I get a slew of comments asking me who the hell is Xander, rest assured it's our sexy Russian. Why he said his name is Xander and not Dimitri will be revealed next chapter.

So, did I do justice to their first meeting? Do you think 'the dress' did its job?

And yes, Rose is still a virgin – don't worry she won't be by the end of my story (you know me and my lemons), but I couldn't see level-headed Rose giving up her virginity in a one-night stand with a complete stranger. And I wanted to reveal that Dimitri, though a man-whore, was an honourable man-whore.

The competition commences next chapter so keep an eye out for my requests for help figuring out which cuisines to include as part of the competition.