Layla will be sorry she missed you, Reese told Michael.

She s eaten at your restaurant several ti mes, but she s never had the pleasure of meeti ng you. How long wi ll she be gone? Mi chael asked. Two months. A wolfi sh gleam fi lled hi s dark eyes. So we ve got the place to ourselvesall ni ght long. Reese felt a qui ver of anti ci pati on at hi s words and the deep, seducti ve ti mbre of hi s voi ce. Holdi ng hi s gaze, she softly repeated, All ni ght long. That was all the i nvi tati on Mi chael needed. Before Reese could react, Mi chael grabbed her i nto hi s arms, bri ngi ng her flush agai nst hi s hard, powerful body. Her breath momentari ly stopped and her heart rate tri pled. As she stared up i nto hi s eyes, he framed her face between hi s bi g hands and slanted hi s mouth hungri ly over hers. Pleasure exploded i n her vei ns. She wrapped her arms around hi s neck, melti ng agai nst hi m wi th a low moan. Hi s li ps were even softer than she d i magi ned, movi ng sensually over hers. The taste and heat of hi s body were unbearably arousi ng as he eased hi s tongue i nto her mouth slowly, deeply. She opened to hi m, shaki ng so hard she could barely stand. He wrapped one of hi s arms around her, holdi ng her so ti ghtly thei r bodi es could have been joi ned. She di dn t reali ze he was backi ng her up unti l she felt the wooden edge of the si deboard agai nst her backsi de. Mi chael li fted her wi th astoni shi ng ease and set her down on the table. Reese clung to hi s broad shoulders as he took her mouth agai n i n another deep, smolderi ng ki ss. MAUREEN SMITH i s the author of fourteen novels and one novella. She recei ved a B.A. i n Engli sh from the Uni versi ty of Maryland wi th a mi nor i n creati ve wri ti ng. She i s a former freelance wri ter; her arti cles have been featured i n vari ous pri nt and onli ne publi cati ons. Si nce the publi cati on of her debut novel i n 2002, Maureen has been nomi nated for three RT Book Reviews Revi ewers Choi ce Awards and twelve Emma Awards, and she has won the Romance in Color Revi ewers Choi ce Awards for New Author of the Year and Romanti c Suspense of the Year. Maureen currently li ves i n San Antoni o, Texas, wi th her husband, two chi ldren and a mi ni ature schnauzer. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached at author@maureen-smi th.com. Please vi si t her Web si te at www.maureen-smi th.com for news about her upcomi ng releases. RECIPE FOR TEMPTATION MAUREEN SMITH To the wonderful ladi es of my Yahoo group, who have been fai thfully staki ng thei r clai m to the Wolf Pack for years Dear Reader, In 2006 you were i ntroduced to Mi chael Wolf i n my novel Taming the Wolf. Si nce then, I have recei ved an outpouri ng of e-mai ls from readers whose hearts were stolen by the sexy, charmi ng chef. Once I deci ded to gi ve Mi chael hi s own storyreally, I had no other choi cemy next bi g task was to fi nd the ri ght woman for hi m. I li kened i t to bei ng a casti ng di rector i n search of the perfect actress to share the si lver screen wi th a popular leadi ng man. I scoured my i magi nati on day and ni ght, searchi ng for the woman who would heat up more than Mi chael s gourmet ki tchen. And thenbam! along came Reese St. James from Touch of Heaven. She was perfect i n every way. And you know what? I hope you ll thi nk so, too! As always, please share your thoughts wi th me at author@maureen-smi th.com. Unti l next ti me, happy readi ng and bon apptit! Maureen Smi th ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My utmost grati tude to Tani sha Holmes, who graci ously took me on a vi rtual tour of the beauti ful, li vely ci ty of Atlanta. A very speci al thanks to Dr. Kei sha Lofti n, who took ti me out of her busy schedule to answer my questi ons about medi cal procedure, and to Sylvi a Hi ghtower, R.N., whose heartrendi ng experi ences i n an operati ng room helped bri ng my prologue to li fe. And a heartfelt thank-you to my edi tor, Kelli Marti n, who pati ently brai nstormed wi th me and helped whi p thi s book i nto shape.

Prologue
May 2010 Houston, Texas T i me of death. Dr. Reese St. James glanced up at the clock hung on the east wall of the operati ng room. Ni ne thi rty-four. A somber hush fell upon the room. The medi cal personnel gathered around the operati ng table watched as Reese slowly pulled the sheet over Dei dra Thomas s li feless face. Reese couldn t beli eve her pati ent was gone. It seemed i mpossi ble, li ke a horri fi c ni ghtmare from whi ch she would soon awaken. Everythi ng had happened so qui ckly. One mi nute Reese had been performi ng a routi ne cesarean secti on on Dei dra Thomas. The next mi nute the woman was codi ng, i n the throes of sudden cardi ac arrest. Pandemoni um had erupted i n the operati ng room as Reese and her colleagues raced to save both mother and chi ld. But i t was too late for Dei dra. A hard lump of sorrow rose i n Reese s throat. Her gaze traveled across the room to where the pedi atri c

surgeon, flanked by two nurses, was tendi ng to the newborn. Feeli ng as though she was i n a trance, Reese walked over to the warmer to get a better look at the baby gi rl she d just deli vered. She was flai li ng her ti ny arms and wai li ng i n protest of bei ng poked, wei ghed and measured. But as Reese approached, the i nfant turned her head and eyed her curi ously. Reese s throat ti ghtened when she saw that the baby had i nheri ted her mother s almond-shaped brown eyes and di mpled chi n. Reese smi led tenderly. Hello, Fai th. The newborn grew si lent, gazi ng alertly at her. The attendi ng pedi atri ci an glanced up from hi s pati ent to look at Reese. Above hi s surgi cal mask, hi s green eyes were ki nd and sympatheti c. She s goi ng to be fi ne, Reese, he assured her. She s perfectly healthy. Reese nodded, swallowi ng wi th di ffi culty. I have to gotell her father. The pedi atri ci an nodded. As Reese turned away, he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Wi th slow, pai nstaki ng preci si on, Reese removed her bloodstai ned surgi cal gown, gloves and mask, then dropped the soi led i tems i nto the bi ohazard waste contai ner near the double doors. Raw emoti on was clawi ng at her throat, choki ng her, but outwardly she remai ned calm and composed. She had to. She was a professi onal. So she had to forget that Dei dra Thomas was the fi rst pati ent she d ever had. She had to forget that she d deli vered all of Dei dra s babi es. She had to forget that Dei dra and her fami ly held a speci al place i n her heart. Drawi ng a deep breath, Reese left the operati ng room and started down the bri ghtly li t corri dor on leaden legs. Ian Thomas was anxi ously paci ng back and forth i n the wai ti ng room. He d been at hi s wi fe s bedsi de when she began sei zi ng. For as long as Reese li ved, she would never forget the sound of hi s pani cked shouts as he was hasti ly removed from the operati ng room. He glanced up now as Reese approached. He took one look at her face and began shaki ng hi s head i n vehement deni al. No. No. Nooo! Reese gently explai ned, Dei dra had an amni oti c flui d emboli sm, Mr. Thomas. It s a rare di sorder where amni oti c flui d enters the mother s bloodstream, causi ng the heart and lungs to collapse. We di d everythi ng we No. Thi s can t be happeni ng. Ian Thomas s face contorted wi th angui shed gri ef. Please God Not my Dei dra. Not my Deidra! Reese s heart constri cted i n her chest. Tears burned her eyes. Yet all she could say was, I m so sorry.

Chapter 1
Two months later Atlanta, Georgia Ma am? Thi s i s your stop. Reese bli nked, dazedly stari ng out the wi ndow of the taxi cab she d taken i nto Mi dtown Atlanta that eveni ng. She couldn t beli eve she d already reached her desti nati on. She d meant to take i n the si ghts and sounds of the bustli ng metropoli s duri ng the cab ri de i nto town. Instead she d zoned out, succumbi ng to pai nful memori es of the day her pati ent di ed i n chi ldbi rth. Dei dra Thomas s unti mely death had left her husband and fami ly reeli ng wi th shock and gri ef. Although Reese had tri ed her damnedest to di stance herself emoti onally from the tragedy, every ti me she closed her eyes at ni ght, she saw Ian Thomas s ravaged face, heard hi s angui shed wai ls of deni al. Every ti me Reese deli vered a new baby, she was gri pped by a terri ble fear that somethi ng would go wrong. She was losi ng sleep, becomi ng wi thdrawn and fi ndi ng i t di ffi cult to concentrate at work, whi ch was not only unfai r to her pati ents, but dangerous, as well. And then one day out of the blue, she d recei ved a phone call from her longti me fri end Layla Chase. An award-wi nni ng photojournali st for National Geographi c, Layla had menti oned that she was looki ng for someone to house-si t for her whi le she was on assi gnment i n Somali a for two months. Almost i mmedi ately Reese had known that thi s was the li feli ne she d so desperately needed, an opportuni ty to take a sabbati cal before she had a nervous breakdown. She d made the arrangements wi th Layla, cleared her leave of absence wi th the hospi tal, then packed her bags and headed to Atlanta. She d made a pact wi th herself not to di scuss or even think about work for the next two months. Yet there she was, torturi ng herself wi th thoughts of Dei dra Thomas and the motherless chi ldren she d left behi nd. Ma am? Are you okay? Reese glanced up, embarrassed to reali ze that the cabdri ver had opened the back door and was pati ently wai ti ng for her to get out so he could be on hi s way. Glanci ng qui ckly at the electroni c meter, Reese fi shed three twenti es out of her Loui s Vui tton handbag and passed the money to the cabbi e. Keep the change, she told hi m as she cli mbed out of the taxi . He beamed at her. Thank you, ma am. Enjoy your di nner. You can t go wrong wi th anythi ng on the menu. So I ve heard, Reese sai d wi th a smi le. As she joi ned the flow of patrons headi ng i nto the bri ck-fronted restaurant, she couldn t help feeli ng a thri ll of exci tement. For the past three years she d dreamed of vi si ti ng Wolf s Soul, a world-renowned

restaurant made famous by owner and executi ve chef Mi chael Wolf. Reese, whose favori te hobby was cooki ng, had been a huge fan of the hunky celebri ty chef ever si nce he burst onto the nati onal scene wi th hi s cable televi si on show Howlin Good. Reese owned all four of hi s bestselli ng cookbooks, reli gi ously Ti Voed hi s program and had prepared many of hi s reci pes for her fami ly and fri ends, who often teased her about havi ng the hots for the popular chef. Not that anyone i n thei r ri ght mi nd could blame her. Wi th hi s dark good looks and smolderi ng chari sma, Mi chael Wolf had stolen the hearts of women everywhere, soli di fyi ng hi s status as a bona fi de sex symbol. Located just a few blocks from the Fox Theatre i n Mi dtown Atlanta, Wolf s Soul boasted a cli entele that i ncluded famous celebri ti es, athletes and poli ti ci ans whose i mages were captured i n framed photographs that graced the mahogany-paneled walls. Over the years Mi chael Wolf had hosted everyone who was anyonefrom movi e mogul Tyler Perry to Presi dent Barack Obama, who d made a stop at the restaurant duri ng the hi stori c electi on campai gn two years ago. As Reese wai ted i n li ne to be seated, she wondered i f she d be lucky enough to catch a gli mpse of Mi chael Wolf toni ght. Despi te hi s busy schedulewhi ch i ncluded the dai ly tapi ng of hi s show, book si gni ngs and regular vi si ts to hi s si x other restaurants scattered around the countryhe sti ll managed to put i n several hours a week at the Atlanta locati on whenever he was i n town. As luck would have i t, she d heard on the radi o that morni ng that he d just returned from a nati onal medi a tour to begi n tapi ng the new season of Howlin Good. After years of admi ri ng hi m from afar, the possi bi li ty of seei ng Mi chael Wolf i n person fi lled Reese wi th gi ddy anti ci pati on. She d even brought a copy of hi s very fi rst cookbook i n the hopes of getti ng hi s autograph. As the matre d escorted Reese to her table, she eagerly took i n her surroundi ngs. Wi th the restaurant s hi gh cei li ngs and recessed li ghts turned strategi cally low, she felt as i f she were enteri ng the heart of a plush cave. The tables were made of gleami ng mahogany and accentuated wi th soft candleli ght. Musi c floated from a baby grand pi ano tucked i nto a shadowy corner, subtle enough to add to the i nti mate ambi ance wi thout drowni ng out the pleasant buzz of laughter and conversati on. Reese was led to a small table i n a pri vate corner that gave her an unobstructed vi ew of the enti re di ni ng room, whi ch was perfect. She could enjoy her meal and people-watch i n peace. After she was seated, the matre d passed her a leather-bound menu and a thi ck wi ne li st. Almost at once, a wai ter appeared to fi ll her water glass and drape a li nen napki n across her lap. After placi ng her order, Reese glanced around the restaurant. Even on a Tuesday ni ght the place was packed, every table and booth occupi ed. Reese made eye contact wi th an attracti ve stranger seated alone at a nearby table. He smi led i nvi ti ngly and rai sed hi s glass i n a toast to her. She returned hi s smi le before glanci ng away. She hadn t come to Atlanta looki ng for romance. In fact, romance was the last thi ng on her mi nd these days. For the past year she d been dati ng one of her colleagues at the hospi tal, a cardi othoraci c surgeon named Vi ctor Carracci . Handsome, i ntelli gent and i ncredi bly gi fted, Vi ctor was everythi ng Reese could ever want i n a man. From the very begi nni ng he d wi ned and di ned her and made her laugh. Yet somethi ng was sti ll mi ssi ng between them. It di dn t help that over the past few months she d sensed a growi ng di stance between them. She told herself that thei r busy careers were putti ng a strai n on thei r relati onshi p, but deep down i nsi de she knew that thei r problems were more compli cated than confli cti ng schedules. Before leavi ng Houston, she d suggested to Vi ctor that they use the ti me apart from each other to fi gure out what they both wanted. He d agreed, but not wi thout fi rst telli ng her that she couldn t solve her problems by runni ng away. The wai ter returned at that moment, i nterrupti ng Reese s gri m musi ngs. She took a grateful si p of wi ne, then dug i nto the steami ng lobster bi sque. It was deli ci ous. She ate slowly, savori ng each spoonful. Halfway through di nner, her cell phone rang. Reluctantly she reached i nsi de her handbag and checked caller ID. She frowned when she saw Vi ctor s number. She d barely been gone two days. He d promi sed to gi ve her ti me to settle i n before he called her. Damn it, Reese thought as she turned off the phone and resumed eati ng. She wasn t ready to talk to Vi ctor. Not yet. Maybe not for a whi le. I hope that frown has nothi ng to do wi th what s on your plate, sai d a deep, masculi ne voi ce laced wi th Southern heat. Reese s head snapped up. Her breath stalled i n her lungs. Stari ng down at her was a pai r of dark, mesmeri zi ng eyes set i n an arresti ngly handsome face. A face she recogni zed i mmedi ately. Mi chael Wolf. Hi s name escaped i n a throaty whi sper of awe. A hi nt of a smi le curved lush, sensual li ps that promi sed untold deli ghts. At your servi ce, he drawled. Reese gulped, heart hammeri ng agai nst her ri bs. She couldn t beli eve i t. Mi chael Wolf was actually standi ng at her table and speaki ng to her!

She d always i magi ned that whenand ifthi s moment ever came, she wouldn t be reduced to a fawni ng i di ot. Nope, not her. She d be the epi tome of calm, cool and collected. She d be charmi ng and wi tty, i mpressi ng Mi chael wi th clever li ttle anecdotes that demonstrated her own culi nary prowess. But when she opened her mouth to speak, what came out was a breathy I m one of your bi ggest fans. Those dark, penetrati ng eyes gli ttered wi th amusement. Is that ri ght? Reese i nstantly wanted to duck under the table. What the hell was wrong wi th her? She d graduated at the top of her class from a presti gi ous medi cal school. She was a respected obstetri ci an who d gi ven lectures to some of the best mi nds i n medi ci ne. She was a smart, confi dent, arti culate woman. Yet all she could come up wi th was a lame Im one of your biggest fans? So much for not bei ng reduced to a fawni ng i di ot. Mi chael gave her a slow, lazy smi le that tri pled her heart rate. I just stopped by to see i f you were enjoyi ng your meal. Oh, yes. Absolutely. Everythi ng i s deli ci ous. Good. Glad to hear i t. After followi ng hi s career and fantasi zi ng about hi m for so long, Reese couldn t beli eve she was fi nally face-to-face wi th Mi chael Wolf. She d always thought he was good-looki ng on televi si on, but nothing compared to seei ng hi m up close and personal. Her hungry gaze swi ftly catalogued smooth mahogany ski n, low-cut black hai r, heavy eyebrows and chi seled cheekbones. Hi s nose was strong and masculi ne, and hi s fi rm chi n hi nted at a cleft that was i ndescri bably sexy. He was tall, wi th shoulders as wi de as a mountai n range and a ruggedly powerful bui ld to match. He wore a black Armani tuxedo wi th the si lk ti e hangi ng loose around hi s collar, as i f he d yanked i t free the fi rst chance he got. No televi si on camera could begi n to capture the overwhelmi ng vi ri li ty of the man, a raw ani mal magneti sm he exuded li ke a potent drug. Reese couldn t take her eyes off hi m. And i t wasn t lost on her that Mi chael seemed i n no parti cular hurry to move on to the next table. Hi s dark eyes traced her features i n a slow, deli berate perusal that elevated her blood pressure. When hi s gaze dri fted to her cleavage and li ngered, her breasts swelled to achi ng. She was afrai d to look down and see her ni pples saluti ng hi m through the li ghtwei ght sarong dress she wore. Is thi s your fi rst ti me here? Mi chael asked, returni ng hi s attenti on to her face. Yes. But it definitely wont be my last! How long have you been i n town? Two days. Reese gave hi m a saucy smi le. How di d you know I was from out of town? Mi chael chuckled softly. We ve been open for seven years. If you were really one of my bi ggest fans and you li ved i n Atlanta, i t wouldn t have taken you thi s long to vi si t the restaurant. Her smi le wi dened. Good poi nt. They stared at each other. The voltage between them scorched her nerve endi ngs and left her feeli ng hot and ti ngly all over. Well, Mi chael murmured, I ll let you get back to your di nner. Reese felt a sharp pang of di sappoi ntment. She di dn t want hi m to leave. There was no guarantee she d ever see hi m i n person agai n. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, Why don t you joi n me? He looked at her, a smi le lurki ng i n one corner of hi s mouth. If he was surpri sed by her i nvi tati on, he di dn t show i t. No doubt he was used to strange women throwi ng themselves at hi m. I already had di nner, he told her, li ps qui rki ng. Reese boldly held hi s gaze. Then keep me company unti l I fi ni sh mi ne. Somethi ng hot and wi cked flared i n hi s eyes. Wi th pleasure. As he lowered hi s long, powerful body i nto a chai r, she caught the subtle, masculi ne spi ce of an expensi ve cologne. She couldn t help noti ci ng that every eye i n the restaurant was trai ned on them, as i f a spotli ght were beami ng down on thei r table. Several women were glari ng envi ously at Reese, maki ng her glad that looks couldn t ki ll. What s your poi son? Mi chael asked, noddi ng toward her half-empty glass. Ri esli ng, she answered. Wi th the barest hi nt of a nod, he si gnaled to her wai ter, who must have been standi ng at the ready. A bottle of Ri esli ng was produced wi thi n moments. Wow, Reese sai d after the young wai ter had topped off her glass and gli ded away. You di dn t even have to crook a fi nger. I m i mpressed. Mi chael chuckled softly. I take good care of my employees. They li ke to return the favor. Fi ni sh your food before i t gets cold. Yes, si r. Smi li ng, Reese pi cked up her fork and conti nued eati ng. Thi s stuffed salmon i s to di e for. I m glad you li ke i t, Mi chael stated, leani ng back comfort ably i n hi s chai r. It s one of my favori te di shes on the menu. Reese gave hi m a teasi ng, hopeful gri n. Any chance you could share the reci pe? That depends. There was a wolfi sh gleam i n hi s eyes. What would I get i n return? Heat rushed i nto Reese s belly. She stared at hi m, the ai r between them vi brati ng wi th sexual awareness. For several moments she forgot how to breathe, let

alone speak. Well? Mi chael prompted at length. What would I get i n return for gi vi ng you the reci pe to one of my pri zed si gnature di shes? Reese smi led slowly. My undyi ng grati tude? Mi chael laughed, a low, husky rumble that made her ni pples ti ghten. God, he was sexy. Sexi er than any mortal man had a ri ght to be. And here I thought you d promi se to wri te a glowi ng revi ew of the restaurant or somethi ng, he teased. Reese guffawed. You already have a ton of those. What di fference would mi ne make? Before he could respond, they were i nterrupted by two attracti ve black women, each beari ng a copy of Mi chael s latest bestselli ng cookbook. Excuse us, Mr. Wolf, gushed the taller of the pai r. We couldn t wai t for you to make your way over to our table. May we have your autograph? Of course, Mi chael answered smoothly, standi ng to greet the women li ke the Southern gentleman he was. As he si gned each of thei r books, they raved about hi s show and told hi m how much they d always enjoyed eati ng at hi s restaurant, whi ch they declared to be the best i n all of Georgi a. He took thei r compli ments i n stri de, smi li ng and conversi ng wi th them wi th a lazy charm that Reese found utterly di sarmi ng. At one poi nt, the taller woman whi pped out her cell phone and turned to Reese wi th a gi ddy smi le. Would you mi nd taki ng a pi cture of us wi th Mi chael? Not at all, Reese sai d. She snapped a group photo, then two more as each woman i nsi sted on posi ng alone wi th Mi chael. After they leftwi th obvi ous reluctanceReese sai d to Mi chael, I ve kept you from the rest of your customers. I m sorry. Hi s eyes gli nted. Are you? She paused. Not really. They smi led at each other. The moment stretched i nto two. Draggi ng her gaze away, Reese returned her attenti on to her plate. So, she began i dly, do you always come to the restaurant dressed i n a tux? Mi chael glanced down at hi mself, as i f he d forgotten what he was weari ng. I was at a fundrai ser di nner. I deci ded to stop by the restaurant on my way home. Hi s voi ce deepened as he stared at her. I m glad I di d. Reese felt herself blushi ng li ke a schoolgi rl. So am I. Hi s mouth curved wi th a slow, sexy smi le. What bri ngs you to Atlanta, Mi ss? St. James. Reese took a long si p of wi ne. No way was she telli ng hi m about the devastati ng tragedy that had sent her fleei ng to Atlanta. He di dn t need to hear about her personal problems. Smi li ng demurely, she sai d, What i f I told you that I came to Atlanta just to eat at your fi ne establi shment? Mi chael chuckled softly. I suppose I d be flattered. If I actually beli eved you. You should. I m one of your bi ggest fans, remember? Of course. How could I forget? They exchanged playful gri ns. Fi ni shed wi th her meal, Reese sat back i n her chai r wi th a deep, sati sfi ed si gh. That was heavenly. Ready for dessert? Mi chael asked. Only if youre on the menu! Aloud she sai d laughi ngly, I don t know i f I have any room left. I m stuffed. Come on. You can t leave my restaurant wi thout tryi ng one of our amazi ng desserts. Of course, Reese needed li ttle convi nci ng. On cue, the wai ter materi ali zed wi th the dessert menu. What do you recommend? Reese asked Mi chael. He smi led. I thi nk everythi ng s good, but of course I m bi ased. Why don t you try the sweet potato pecan pi e? Reese smi led. Sounds good. As the wai ter bustled away, Mi chael shook hi s head slowly at Reese. Dangerous, he murmured. What? Your smi le. It s a heartbreaker. Reese laughed, even as her stomach bottomed out. I bet you say that to all the gi rls. No, he sai d softly, just you. They gazed at each other. If someone had told Reese that on her second ni ght i n Atlanta she d fi nd herself seated at a cozy di nner table wi th Ameri ca s sexi est chefas Mi chael had recently been dubbed by People magazi neshe wouldn t have beli eved i t. Not i n a mi lli on years. She wanted to pi nch herself just to make sure she wasn t dreami ng. But, no, thi s moment had to be real. Mi chael Wolf sat close enough for her to see the thi ck, spi ky lashes that ri mmed hi s dark eyes. Close enough for her to detect the begi nni ngs of a fi ve o clock shadow darkeni ng hi s jaw. Close enough for her to reach out and touch hi m i f she dared. Before she could even thi nk about worki ng up the nerve, her dessert arri ved. She let out an i nvoluntary gasp when she saw the enormous sli ce of pi e on her plate. Oh my God. Somethi ng wrong? Mi chael sounded amused. There s no way I can eat all thi s by myself. She gave hi m a beseechi ng look. You have to help me. He chuckled. I don t thi nk No, really, I i nsi st. Can you bri ng another fork for your boss? she asked the wai ter.

After another set of si lverware had been suppli ed, Reese pushed the pi e plate to the center of the table, and she and Mi chael dug i n. Mmmm, she sai d appreci ati vely after her fi rst bi te. Deli ci ous. You li ke? Mmm-hmm. You are looki ng at one very sati sfi ed customer. That s good, Mi chael drawled, gazi ng at her. Your sati sfacti on i s our number-one pri ori ty. Reese s pulse thudded. The dark, i ntoxi cati ng ti mbre of hi s voi ce had her i magi ni ng a number of other ways he could sati sfy her. Ways that had nothi ng whatsoever to do wi th food. As i f Mi chael had read her mi nd, a shadow of a smi le li fted the corners of hi s mouth. He ate another forkful of pi e and chewed slowly, watchi ng her. Transfi xed, she stared at hi s full li ps, wonderi ng i f they were as soft as they looked, wonderi ng how exqui si te they d feel pressed agai nst her mouth, wrapped around a taut ni pple, sli di ng up her i nner thi gh toward her I know we just met, Mi chael sai d qui etly, i nterrupti ng her lasci vi ous thoughts, but I was wonderi ng i f I could call you someti me? I d li ke that, Reese responded, surpri si ng herself. In fact, i f you re free toni ght, I could use a ri de home.

Chapter 2
Mi chael di dn t make a habi t of pi cki ng up women at hi s restaurantthough not for lack of opportuni ti es. In the seven years he d been i n busi ness, he d recei ved more than hi s fai r share of proposi ti ons from customers. Some were subtle, whi le othersnot so much. He d had half -naked women sneak i nto the ki tchen where he was cooki ng, whi le others had tri ed to bri be hi s wai ters i nto di vulgi ng hi s home address and phone number. Yeah, Mi chael was no stranger to getti ng hi t on. But he d never beli eved i n usi ng any of hi s restaurants as hi s own personal hunti ng ground. Unti l he saw her. The moment he d stepped i nto the crowded di ni ng room that eveni ng, hi s gaze had been drawn to a lone woman seated at a table i n a pri vate corner of the restaurant. Flawless deep brown ski n gleamed under the recessed li ghti ng. Layers of sleek black hai r framed dark cat eyes, hi gh cheekbones and lush, pouty li ps that made hi m envy the fork she was sli di ng i nto her mouth. Full, voluptuous breasts beckoned to hi m from the low neckli ne of her dress. Mi chael had always made a practi ce of greeti ng hi s guests and maki ng them feel at home. But toni ght he d been di stracted as he played graci ous host, keepi ng one eye on the exoti c mystery woman as he slowly but surely worked hi s way toward her. When he fi nally reached her table, she d looked up at hi m wi th those sultry eyes and breathed hi s name i n a si ren s voi ce that sent a bolt of pure lust teari ng through hi s body. When she d i nvi ted hi m to joi n her at the table, refusi ng her never even entered hi s mi nd. He wanted her wi th a feroci ty that had i ntensi fi ed wi th every seducti ve smi le she gave hi m, every heated look they d exchanged. He wanted her li ke no other woman he d ever wanted before. As luck would have i t, she seemed wi lli ng to let hi m have her. After di nner, she excused herself to use the ladi es room before they left. Mi chael watched her go, admi ri ng the vi ew of her lushly rounded butt i n a whi te sarong dress that molded every ri pe, delectable curve. Once she d di sappeared from vi ew, he made a beeli ne for the ki tchen to tell hi s staff he was leavi ng. As he neared the back foyer he passed Gri ffi n Palmer, the restaurant s matre d . Eveni ng, Gri ff, he sai d. Eveni ng, boss. Gri ffi n gave hi m a sly smi le. You and Mi ss St. James seemed to be getti ng along rather well. Mi chael gri nned. You could say that. She s a beauti ful woman. That she i s. Gri ffi n wi nked at hi m. And I suppose i t never hurts to gi ve food cri ti cs the VIP treatment. Not t h a t you need to bri be anyone i nto gi vi ng the restaurant rave revi ews, he added qui ckly. Mi chael stared at hi m, hi s gri n falteri ng. What re you talki ng about, Gri ff? Who s a food cri ti c? Mi ss St. James. She called two weeks ago, sai d she d never been to the restaurant and thought i t was hi gh ti me she pai d us a vi si t. Gri ffi n frowned. Di dn t she i ntroduce herself to you? No. Once upon a ti me, food cri ti cs had pri ded themselves on thei r secrecy. They d conducted revi ews anonymously because they understood the value of experi enci ng a restaurant just li ke ordi nary patrons. But nowadays, many food cri ti cs di dn t hesi tate to reveal thei r i denti ti es. Mi chael had trai ned hi s staff to treat all customers the samewi th warmth, courtesy and respect. He di dn t beli eve i n ki ssi ng anyone s ass just to get a good revi ew. What paper does Mi ss St. James wri te for? he asked Gri ffi n. The Houston Chronicle. I spoke to her when she called to make the reservati on. Mi chael clenched hi s jaw. What di d she say her fi rst name was? You mean the whole ti me you were cozyi ng up to her, you di dn t ask for her fi rst name? Mi chael scowled. It wasn t i mportant.

Her name s Randi St. James. The name struck Mi chael as vaguely fami li ar. Then suddenly he remembered why. He d met Randi St. James two years ago at one of hi s book si gni ngs i n New York Ci ty. Whi le he d autographed multi ple copi es of hi s latest cookbookshe d bought enough for fami ly and fri endsshe d told hi m that she was a food cri ti c and had enthusi asti cally lobbi ed for a Wolf s Soul to be opened i n Houston. The beauti ful, alluri ng stranger he d encountered toni ght was not Randi St. James. So who the hell was she? And what was she up to? Noti ng Mi chael s thunderous expressi on, Gri ffi n heaved a deep si gh. Don t tell me that ni ce young lady i sn t who she says she i s. Mi chael sai d nothi ng, i nwardly seethi ng. He felt li ke a damn fool. He was used to women employi ng creati ve tacti cs to get hi s attenti on, but he d never i magi ned that one would go so far as to pose as a food cri ti c. The woman was ei ther the most aggressi ve fan he d ever met, or she was seri ously unbalanced for attempti ng such a scheme. Wai t a mi nute, Gri ffi n sai d. She di dn t i ntroduce herself to you. That doesn t make any sense i f she expected to recei ve preferenti al treatment. How di d she know you d fi nd out her i denti ty? She obvi ously assumed youd tell me, Mi chael muttered. Maybe Gri ffi n was unconvi nced. Bi ti ng back an i mpati ent oath, Mi chael sai d, Look, I ve met the real Randi St. James. Unless there are two wri ters by the same name revi ewi ng restaurants for the Houston Chronicle, the woman i s a damn li ar. He sent a dark glance toward the corri dor that led to the restrooms. Hi s mystery womanwhoever she washad just emerged. Despi te what he d just learned about her that she was a fraud, possi bly a deranged stalker hi s body sti ll sti rred at the si ght of her. Wi th her exoti c beauty and a body made for si n, she was a reci pe for temptati on that any red-blooded male would fi nd hard to resi st. Unfortunately, that i ncluded hi m. As Mi chael watched, she glanced around the foyer, searchi ng for hi m. When thei r gazes connected, she gave hi m one of those slow, entranci ng smi les that sent blood rushi ng strai ght to hi s groi n. Damn i t all to hell. Why di d she have to rui n everythi ng by lyi ng? They could have had such a good ti me together. Incredi bl e, he amended, mi ndful of the throbbi ng ache between hi s legs. But no matter how badly he wanted her, one thi ng Mi chael had never tolerated i n women was decei tfulness. It was an automati c deal breaker for hi m. Always had been. Always would be. I thi nk she s wai ti ng for you, Gri ffi n told hi m. I know, Mi chael murmured, holdi ng the woman s dark gaze. I m dri vi ng her home. He thought about calli ng her out on her li e and sendi ng her packi ng. But then a better i dea came to hi m. He d play along wi th her just to see how far she was wi lli ng to go. Then, when she least suspected i t, he d spri ng hi s trap. By the ti me he was through wi th her toni ght, the woman would thi nk twi ce about pulli ng another stunt li ke thi s. Reese s stomach was a vi ci ous tangle of nerves as she and Mi chael left downtown Atlanta and crui sed onto the freeway i n a sleek black Maybach. She stared out the passenger wi ndow, too preoccupi ed wi th her raci ng thoughts to regi ster the passi ng scenery. She couldn t beli eve she d asked Mi chael Wolf to dri ve her home. It was the most i mpulsi ve thi ng she d ever done i n her li fe. Her si ster, Rai na, had always teased her about bei ng the older, wi ser, sensi ble si sterone who was never ruled by her hormones or emoti ons. But that Reese had been nowhere to be found toni ght. In her place was a woman who d seen somethi ng she wanted and had gone after i t, consequences be damned. Boyfri end be damned. Reese bi t her li p, sufferi ng a sharp pang of gui lt at the thought of Vi ctor. They d only been apart for two days, and already he d been reduced to an afterthought. She defi ni tely hadn t been thi nki ng about hi m when she d i nvi ted Mi chael to keep her company over di nner. And she definitely hadn t been thi nki ng about Vi ctor when she d asked Mi chael to take her home, to whi ch he d responded i n a voi ce li ke dark velvet, Nothi ng would please me more. Reese shi vered at the memory of that steamy, tantali zi ng exchange. She couldn t beli eve she d been so bold, so reckless. Where are you from? Mi chael s deep voi ce snapped Reese out of her reveri e. Startled, she turned from the wi ndow to stare blankly at hi m. I m sorry. What di d you say? He gave her a si delong glance. I asked where you re from. Oh. She let out a breath. Houston. Mi chael nodded. Ri ght. Reese thought she detected a hi nt of mockery i n hi s expressi on. But, no, i t must have been a tri ck of the passi ng streetli ghts. I ve been thi nki ng about expandi ng to Houston, he told her.

Really? That d be wonderful! Reese gri nned, unable to contai n her enthusi asm. I ve been hopi ng you d open a restaurant i n my hometown. So have a lot of people I know. That s defi ni tely good to hear. I can t take credi t for the i dea, though. It was pi tched to me by someone I met at a book si gni ng. Reese nodded. I m no market analyst, but somethi ng tells me that Wolf s Soul would do extremely well i n Houston. My marketi ng and research team seems to thi nk so, too. He sli d her a lazy smi le. Maybe you d be the fi rst to revi ew the restaurant. Reese gri nned. I d be honored. I assure you, Mi ss St. James, the honor would be mi ne. Reese flushed wi th pleasure. Am I dreaming? she wondered, not for the fi rst ti me that eveni ng. Is any of this really happening? As Mi chael returned hi s attenti on to the road, she couldn t help admi ri ng hi s handsome profi le. The strong bri dge of hi s nose, the sculpted perfecti on of hi s square jaw, the curve of those full, masculi ne li ps she wanted so badly to ki ss and taste. Her gaze dri fted lower, li ngeri ng on the strong column of hi s throat before conti nui ng to the hands resti ng on the steeri ng wheel. They were bi g, broad and long fi ngered, the nai ls cli pped to the qui ck. Reese thought about the culi nary masterpi eces those talented hands had produced. She could only i magi ne the thi ngs they could do to a woman s body. To her body. At that moment Mi chael turned hi s head, meeti ng her gaze. Slowly he smi led, as i f he d read her mi nd. Her stomach fluttered. And to thi nk that I almost went home after the fundrai ser, he sai d softly. What a shame that would have been. A travesty. Reese smi led. Of course, thi s wasn t goi ng to be my only vi si t to your restaurant. I planned to keep returni ng unti l I d tasted everythi ng on the menu. Mi chael chuckled. Is that ri ght? Of course. She gri nned playfully. Any food cri ti c worth her salt knows that multi ple vi si ts to a restaurant are absolutely necessary i n order to provi de a fai r, accurate revi ew. But of course. Mi chael gave her a long, apprai si ng look. Do you enjoy what you do for a li vi ng? Reese s gri n faded at the remi nder of the hospi tal, and Dei dra Thomas. She turned away, stari ng out the wi ndow. I do enjoy my job, she sai d qui etly. I enjoy i t very much. But i f i t s all the same to you, I d rather not talk about work. Mi chael sai d nothi ng. She could feel hi s gaze on her, and could only speculate about what must be goi ng through hi s mi nd. She hoped to God that she hadn t offended hi m. Thi ngs had been goi ng so well between them. She di dn t want to rui n the eveni ng wi th depressi ng topi cs of conversati on. After a prolonged si lence, Mi chael murmured, You re qui te an i ntri gui ng woman, Mi ss St. James. Reese was about to tell hi m to call her by her fi rst name when she got si detracked by a gi ant i mage of hi m splashed across a bi llboard along the freeway. It was an adverti sement for hi s TV show. In i t Mi chael stood wi th hi s arms aki mbo, a whi te chef s hat slanted low over one eye and a wi ckedly sexy gri n curvi ng hi s mouth. Whos Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? the bold capti on declared. Very clever, Reese sai d, laughi ng. But what does the bi g bad wolf have to do wi th cooki ng? Mi chael chuckled. They couldn t resi st the play on my last name. Clearly. She stared wonderi ngly at hi m. Do you ever get used to i t? What? Bei ng famous. Seei ng your face plastered everywhereon TV, on bi llboards, on book and magazi ne covers. It took some getti ng used to at fi rst. But nowadays I don t gi ve i t much thought. Really? He glanced at her. Fame can be fleeti ng. Here today, gone tomorrow. It always helps to keep thi ngs i n perspecti ve. Reese felt her admi rati on for hi m go up another notch. Soon they exi ted off I-85 and headed i nto Buckhead, an affluent secti on of Atlanta renowned for beauti ful mansi ons, upscale shoppi ng and fi ne restaurants. Reese s fri end Layla li ved i n the hi stori c Buckhead Forest nei ghborhood, an eclecti c enclave of cottages, ranch houses and European stucco homes si tuated on wooded lots. As Mi chael pulled up to a Tudor-style bungalow, the butterfli es i n Reese s stomach returned. This is it, she thought. Once you invite him inside the house, therell be no turning back. As i f sensi ng her nervousness, Mi chael reached over and touched her hand, a subtle stroke that sent her pulse jumpi ng. Thei r eyes met and held i n the shadowy i nteri or of the car. Thank you for the ri de, Reese sai d softly. My pleasure. I m glad you enjoyed your di nner toni ght. Oh, I di d. Very much. She smi led demurely. Your company made i t even better. I must have been the envy of every woman i n the restaurant. Mi chael smi led wryly. Im the one who was getti ng di rty looks from all the guys who d been tryi ng to work

up the nerve to approach your table. Reese laughed. If that s true, I m glad you beat them to i t. Me, too, he murmured, hi s eyes roami ng appreci ati vely across her face. Reese s heart was hammeri ng. Never before had she been so powerfully aware of a man. But thi s wasn t just any man. Thi s was Mi chael Wolf, who, for the past three years, had had a starri ng role i n her steami est fantasi es. But thi s wasn t one of her fantasi es. Toni ght she di dn t have to settle for daydreami ng about Mi chael after watchi ng an epi sode of Howlin Good. Toni ght she could make her dreams a reali ty. So what are you waiting for? Drawi ng a deep breath to summon her courage, Reese gave Mi chael what she hoped was her most alluri ng smi le. Would you li ke to come i nsi de for a cup of coffee? Hi s eyes gli nted wi ckedly. They both knew what she was really offeri ng, and i t had nothi ng to do wi th the dark roast blend stashed i n the ki tchen cupboard. But Mi chael played along. I d love some coffee. Reese wai ted as he got out of the car and came around to her si de. Thank you, she sai d as he helped her out of the Maybach. The ni ght ai r was thi ck and sultry. Even the clouds dri fted sluggi shly across the moon. Is i t always thi s hot duri ng the summer? Reese asked as they started up the walk. Mi chael smi led lazi ly. They don t call i t Hotlanta for nothi ng. Ri ght. Of course. Bei ng from Houston, Mi chael drawled, I would thi nk you d be used to thi s ki nd of heat. Oh, I am. Im just making inane small talk to hide the fact that Im nervous as hell! Is that your fri end s car? Mi chael asked as they passed a si lver Lexus parked i n the dri veway. No, her car s i n the garage. That s mi ne. I took a cab to the restaurant toni ght. Hopi ng you d meet me and talk me i nto gi vi ng you a ri de home? Mi chael teased. Reese laughed. Not qui te. Once they were i nsi de the house, she set her handbag on the console table and turned on the small lamp. The soft amber glow spi lled through the foyer and i nto the li vi ng room. Layla wi ll be sorry she mi ssed you, Reese told Mi chael. She s eaten at your restaurant several ti mes, but she s never had the pleasure of meeti ng you. How long wi ll she be gone? Mi chael asked. Two months. So we ve got the place to ourselvesall ni ght long. Reese felt a qui ver of anti ci pati on at hi s words. Holdi ng hi s gaze, she murmured, All ni ght long. That was all the i nvi tati on Mi chael needed. Before Reese could react, he dragged her i nto hi s arms, bri ngi ng her flush agai nst hi s hard, powerful body. Her breath caught, and her heart rate tri pled. As she stared up i nto hi s eyes, he framed her face between hi s hands and slanted hi s mouth hungri ly over hers. Pleasure exploded i n her vei ns. She wrapped her arms around hi s neck, melti ng agai nst hi m wi th a low moan. Hi s li ps were even softer than she d i magi ned, movi ng sensually over hers. The taste and heat of hi m were unbearably arousi ng as he eased hi s tongue i nto her mouth slowly, deeply. She opened her mouth to hi m, shaki ng so hard she could barely stand. One of hi s arms went around her, holdi ng her ti ghtly. She ki ssed hi m back, li cki ng i nto hi s mouth the way he was doi ng to her. A dark, savage sound came from hi s throat. She di dn t reali ze he was backi ng her up unti l she felt the wooden edge of the foyer table di ggi ng i nto her backsi de. Wi thout warni ng an i mage of Vi ctor penetrated the i ntoxi cati ng haze of lust cloudi ng her brai n. Abruptly she tore her mouth from Mi chael s and buri ed her face agai nst hi s hard chest. W -we have to stop. He growled somethi ng that she could barely hear over the rampagi ng pulse i n her ears. I m sorry, she whi spered, but I can t do thi s. Why not? he demanded hoarsely. Because She trai led off, words fai li ng her. Beneath her burni ng cheek, she could feel hi s heart poundi ng as hard and fast as her own. She wanted hi m, craved hi m wi th every fi ber of her bei ng. But she couldn t have hi m. Despi te thei r recent problems, she owed Vi ctor her loyalty. Sti ll, i t took every ounce of her wi llpower to pull away from Mi chael, and almost at once she felt bereft. We really have to stop. Mi chael stared down at her wi th a mi xture of fasci nati on and wry amusement. Bravo, Mi ss St. James. I must admi t I di dn t see that comi ng. Reese frowned. What are you talki ng about? You. Playi ng hard to get to make me want you even more. He shook hi s head slowly. You re not the fi rst woman who s ever tri ed that tacti c, but you re defi ni tely the fi rst woman who s been successful. Congratulati ons. Reese bri stled. I don t know what you re talki ng about. I wasn t playi ng hard to get. Weren t you? Of course not.

A shadow of cyni ci sm twi sted hi s mouth. Ri ght. Reese scowled, her temper flari ng. Look, I m sorry i f I gave you the wrong i dea He laughed. If? She wi nced, an embarrassed flush heati ng her face. Okay, fi ne. I asked you to dri ve me home toni ght because I i ntended to seduce you. But I changed my mi nd. I m sorry i f I brui sed your ego Agai n hi s nasty bark of laughter cut her off. My ego i sn t what s brui sed, sweetheart. If that ki ss had lasted a second longer, you would ve had me beggi ng to make love to you. Trust me, that had nothing to do wi th my ego. Her face grew hotter. Look, the ki ss was a mi stake. Hi s jaw hardened. You re damn ri ght i t was, Mi ss St. James, or whatever the hell your real name i s. What s that supposed to mean? Reese demanded, frowni ng i n confusi on. That is my real name. Ri ght, Mi chael sai d mocki ngly. I suppose you re also goi ng to tell me that you re a food cri ti c. What? Why on earth would I tell you somethi ng li ke that? Oh, I don t know. Maybe because you re delusi onal. Or maybe because you re a damn li ar. Stunned, Reese gaped at hi m, feeli ng as though she d been transported to some alternate uni verse where all of the i nhabi tants spoke i n strange ri ddles. What Mi chael was accusi ng her of made no sense whatsoever. Stri vi ng for composure, she sai d evenly, Look, there must be some mi sunderstandi ng. I never clai med to be a food cri ti c My matre d seems to thi nk otherwi se. Then he s mi staken! Is he? Mi chael challenged, hi s eyes narrowi ng on hers. So what about that li ne you fed me i n the car? The one about any food cri ti c worth her salt knowi ng that multi ple vi si ts to a restaurant are necessary to wri te fai r revi ews. Weren t you i mplyi ng that you re a food cri ti c? No! I was just fli rti ng wi th you! Struck by a sudden reali zati on, Reese eyed hi m i ncredulously. Wai t a mi nute. Are you suggesti ng that I pretended to be a restaurant cri ti c just to get your attenti on? I thi nk that s obvi ous. No, i t s ri di cul ous. You must be out of your damn mi nd! Sai d the pot to the kettle. Reese glared at hi m. If you thi nk I m such a nutcase, why di d you agree to dri ve me home? What does that say about you? Hi s expressi on hardened. I plead temporary i nsani ty. Trust me, i t won t happen agai n. Wi thout another word, he spun on hi s heel and stalked out the front door. Reese charged after hi m, her chest heavi ng wi th fury. No way was she letti ng hi m have the last word! I know thi s may be hard for you to accept, you arrogant son of a bi tch, but you re not God s gi ft to women. Beli eve i t or not, there are a few of us who are perfectly capable of resi sti ng your charms. Pausi ng at hi s car door, Mi chael glared back at her, hi s eyes hard and gli tteri ng i n the ni ght. Reese wasn t fi ni shed. I m so glad I found out what an asshole you are before I wasted another second of my ti me watchi ng your damn show. And you wanna know somethi ng else? I ve always li ked Bobby Flay better, anyway! Before Mi chael could respond, she slammed the door hard enough to gi ve the nei ghbors somethi ng to talk about. As far as she was concerned, bei ng fodder for gossi p was a small pri ce to pay for the sweet sati sfacti on of havi ng the last word wi th Mi chael. After the abomi nable way he d treated her toni ght, she d take whatever vi ctory she could get.

Chapter 3
Mi chael was sti ll i n a foul mood when he woke up the next morni ng at hi s father s house, where he often spent the ni ght to keep Sterli ng Wolf company. To burn off steam, Mi chael threw on some sweats and went for a run through the i dylli c Stone Mountai n nei ghborhood. He couldn t get the woman from last ni ght out of hi s mi nd. Every ti me he replayed the encounter i n hi s mi nd, he grew more angry and di sgusted wi th hi mself. But what bothered hi m more than anythi ng was that he couldn t shake the naggi ng suspi ci on that he d been wrong about the woman. Maybe she d been telli ng the truth after all. Maybe her last name really was St. James, and somehow Gri ffi n had gotten her confused wi th the Houston food cri ti c. Mi chael s cell phone rang as he returned to the si lent house. He dug i t out of hi s pocket and checked the caller ID. It was Drew Corbett, the executi ve producer of hi s cooki ng show. Hey, Mi ke, Drew greeted hi m, bri sk and annoyi ngly upbeat even at such an early hour. How was the whi rlwi nd book tour? Great, Mi chael muttered, headi ng toward the ki tchen to start breakfast before hi s father woke up. I m already looki ng forward to the next tri p. Of course. We all know how much you love bei ng on the road. Drew paused. Not! Mi chael gri nned wryly. One of the drawbacks to bei ng a celebri ty chef was that he someti mes felt li ke he di d more performi ng than cooki ng. Although he understood that touri ng and promoti ng hi s brand were vi tal to hi s success, he often wi shed he could leave that stuff to someone else so he could focus on what he enjoyed most: cooki ng. He loved bei ng a chef. He

loved ri si ng to the challenge of creati ng uni que, deli ci ous meals that would sati sfy even the most fi ni cky eaters. He loved the pressure-cooker i ntensi ty of the ki tchen. He loved taki ng a new cook under hi s wi ng, and he thri ved on the camaraderi e he shared wi th hi s staff. Hell, he di dn t even mi nd the long hours. Bei ng a chef was physi cally, mentally and emoti onally demandi ng. And he wouldn t trade i t for the world. After taki ng a swi g of bottled water, he asked, What s up, Drew? You calli ng to tell me the meeti ng s been rescheduled? Not at all. Actually, I just wanted to make sure you hadn t forgotten about i t. I fi gured you d be sleepi ng off some jet lag thi s morni ng, so I deci ded not to call you too early. Thanks, Mi chael mumbled. Everyone at the studi o i s really exci ted about the new season of Howlin Good, Drew sai d. I thi nk our vi ewers are gonna get a real ki ck out of the apprenti ce seri es. As you mi ght i magi ne, we were i nundated wi th contest entri es from all over the country. We ve fi nally gone through all of them and selected our ten fi nali sts. That s good. Our test ki tchen favori te was a curry chi cken souffl submi tted by a woman from Houston, Drew conti nued. I thi nk even youd be i mpressed wi th the reci pe, that s how good i t was. Is that ri ght? And you say she s from Houston? Yeah. What s her name? Hang on a sec. The noi se of rustli ng papers could be heard i n the background. After another moment Drew came back on the li ne. Here s the fi le. Her name s Reese St. James. Mi chael bli nked. Come agai n? It s Reese St. James. Drew sounded puzzled. Is there a problem? No. A gri m smi le curved Mi chael s mouth. It s just i roni c. What s i roni c? I met a woman last ni ght who clai med her last name was St. James. Clai med? Long story. Anyway, tell me more about thi s fi nali st. Accordi ng to her entry form, she s an ob-gyn at Methodi st Hospi tal i n Houston. She enjoys cooki ng as a stress reli ever. She wrote that i f she weren t a doctor, she d probably be a food cri ti c. Mi chael went sti ll. Could Reese St. James be the same woman he d met last ni ght? What were the odds? I already called to noti fy her that she fi naled i n the contest, Drew sai d. You spoke to her? No, I left a message on her voi ce mai l yesterday. I was goi ng to try her agai n thi s morni ng. She s the only fi nali st I haven t spoken to, and I want to make sure she s avai lable to fly here for the audi ti ons on Fri day. Mi chael frowned as a new thought occurred to hi m. If Reese St. James was the woman he d met last ni ght, had she known that she was a fi nali st i n hi s contest when she showed up at the restaurant last ni ght? If so, why hadn t she menti oned i t to hi m? Had she planned to seduce hi m i n the hopes that he d choose her to be hi s apprenti ce? Only one way to fi nd out. Why don t you let me call her back? he suggested. You? Drew asked i n surpri se. Sure. Why not? After the way you raved about the reci pe she submi tted, I have to admi t I m a li ttle curi ous about her. She could be the one. Maybe, Drew hedged. But none of the other fi nali sts recei ved a personal phone call from you. It mi ght look fi shy, li ke we re playi ng favori tes. Why don t you let me worry about that? Mi chael sai d smoothly. What s her number? Sleep hadn t di mi ni shed Reese s anger. Not that she d actually gotten much sleep. She d tossed and turned throughout the ni ght, reli vi ng every embarrassi ng second of her confrontati on wi th Mi chael Wolf. She couldn t beli eve he d accused her of i mpersonati ng a food cri ti c i n order to lure hi m i nto bed. Of all the damn nerve! And to thi nk that she d spent the past three years admi ri ng the man and fantasi zi ng about hi m. She should have known better. She was thi rty-four years old, too damn old to have i doli zedand i deali zeda perfect stranger. Mi chael Wolf was a celebri ty chef, a TV personali ty who entertai ned people for a li vi ng. It shouldn t have shocked her to di scover that the man behi nd the charmi ng persona was arrogant, cruel and conni vi ng. Yet she was shocked. And humi li ated. Whi le shed been thi nki ng what a great guy he was, hed been secretly layi ng a trap for her, wai ti ng for the perfect opportuni ty to make a fool out of her. Bastard, Reese thought wi th renewed anger. If she never saw Mi chael Wolf agai n, i t d be too soon. Turni ng her head on the pi llow, she leveled a blearyeyed glare at the bedsi de clock. It was just after seven. Bars of sunli ght slanted through the shutters that covered the bedroom wi ndows. Reese couldn t have gotten more than two hours of sleep last ni ght, but she was too agi tated to stay i n bed any longer. She mi ght as well take a shower and go about her busi ness. Mi chael Wolf had already cost her one sleepless ni ght. She d be damned i f she let

hi m rui n her enti re day. Rememberi ng that she d turned off her cell phone at the restaurant last ni ght, Reese reached i nsi de her handbag on the floor. When her searchi ng fi ngers encountered the smooth surface of a hardcover book, she felt a fresh burst of anger. It was Mi chael s cookbook, whi ch she d taken to di nner hopi ng to get hi s autograph. Scowli ng, Reese yanked the book out of her purse and hurled i t across the room. It hi t the wall wi th a loud, sati sfyi ng thud and sli d to the floor. Maki ng a mental note to toss i t i nto the fi replace the fi rst chance she got, she pulled out her cell phone and pressed the button to retri eve her voi ce mai l messages. As expected, the fi rst one was from Vi ctor. Hi . It s me. I guess you re out havi ng di nner ri ght now. Alone, I hope. Reese bi t her bottom li p, gui lt gnawi ng at her consci ence as he conti nued. Look, I know I agreed to gi ve you ti me to settle i n before I called, butI mi ss you. I wi sh you d reconsi der stayi ng i n Atlanta for the whole summer. It s not fai r to ei ther one of us. I Catchi ng hi mself, he broke off and blew out a deep breath. I know I promi sed not to badger you about thi s. Justgi ve me a call as soon as you can. As the message ended, Reese fell back agai nst her pi llows and groaned. Why was Vi ctor maki ng thi s so di ffi cult? Why couldn t he gi ve her the breathi ng room she so desperately needed? Di dn t he understand that thi s separati on peri od could ulti mately help thei r relati onshi p? The next message rolled on. Hello, Dr. St. James. Thi s i s Drew Corbett, executi ve producer of Howlin Good with Michael Wolf. I was calli ng to congratulate you on bei ng a fi nali st i n our apprenti ce contest. I d li ke to i nvi te you to Atlanta to audi ti on for the show thi s Fri day. Please call me as soon as possi ble to di scuss the arrangements. As he rattled off hi s phone number, Reese sat up slowly, her eyes wi de wi th shock. Was someone playi ng a prank on her? Was Ashton Kutcher wai ti ng to jump out of her closet to smugly announce that she d just been punk d? Si x months ago, Reese had been watchi ng Howlin Good when Mi chael Wolf announced to vi ewers that he was launchi ng a nati onwi de search for an apprenti ce to appear on hi s show that fall. On a whi m Reese had entered the contest, never expecti ng anythi ng to come of i t. Between work, Vi ctor and helpi ng to plan her si ster s weddi ng, she d forgotten all about the contest. And now she learned that she was a fi nali st? Un-freaki ng-beli evable, she whi spered. If she d recei ved the news twenty-four hours ago, she would have been posi ti vely ecstati c. But after last ni ght s di sastrous encounter wi th Mi chael Wolf, Reese wanted absolutely nothi ng to do wi th the despi cable man. What a difference a night makes. Si nce she had no i ntenti on of audi ti oni ng for the show, she deci ded she d better return the producer s call so he could fi nd another sucker to replace her. She d just jotted down the man s number when her cell phone rang. She checked the caller ID and frowned. It was an unfami li ar number wi th a local area code. The only person Reese knew from Atlanta was Layla Chase, and she was halfway around the world i n Somali a. Reali zi ng that the caller mi ght be the televi si on producer, Reese answered the phone. Hello? Mi ss St. James? a deep, masculi ne voi ce rumbled i nto her ear. Her trai torous heart knocked agai nst her ri bs. That voi ce. She d recogni ze i t anywhere. Yes? Thi s i s Mi chael Wolf. Reese moi stened her dry li ps. What do you want? she asked curtly. It seems that I owe you an apology. Reese sat up strai ghter i n bed. It was the last thi ng she d expected to hear from Mi chael. Hell, she hadn t expected to hear from hi m at all! I m li steni ng, she sai d coolly. Last ni ght I accused you of lyi ng about your i denti ty, and I was wrong. So I m calli ng to apologi ze. Reese was si lent, caught off guard by the si nceri ty i n hi s voi ce. She knew she should accept hi s apology and leave i t at that, but she just couldn t let hi m off the hook that easi ly. Not after the way he d humi li ated her. What possessed you to accuse me of somethi ng so outrageous? It was a mi sunderstandi ng, Mi chael sai d evenly. My matre d must have gotten you confused wi th a food cri ti c who has a si mi lar name. Ever heard of Randi St. James? No. Apparently she also had di nner reservati ons. My guess i s that my matre d got your names and dates mi xed up. When the restaurant opens at ten, I ll call and have someone check the reservati on database for me. But I m pretty sure that s what happened. In the future, Reese sai d dri ly, you should probably get your facts strai ght before you go around mali gni ng i nnocent people. Especi ally when those people are payi ng customers. Poi nt taken. There was a note of wry amusement i n hi s voi ce. I understand congratulati ons are i n order. You re a fi nali st i n my apprenti ce contest. Imagi ne that, Reese sai d wi th as much enthusi asm as i f he d told her i t was goi ng to rai n. My producer tells me he called you yesterday. Yes, he di d. My cell phone was turned off, so I just recei ved hi s message thi s morni ng. She paused,

then added sarcasti cally, Just i n case you thi nk I had an ulteri or moti ve for not telli ng you last ni ght that I was a fi nali st. When Mi chael sai d nothi ng, Reese frowned. Wai t a mi nute, she sai d suspi ci ously. You di dn t actually think that, di d you? He hesi tated. The thought may have crossed my mi nd. I don t beli eve you! Reese burst out, i ndi gnati on launchi ng her from the bed. Just how concei ted are you? He made an i mpati ent sound. I m not Yes, you are! Only a concei ted jerk would concoct outrageous scenari os i n whi ch women are so desperate to be wi th hi m that they resort to lyi ng and i mpersonati ng others just to have hi m. She shook her head i n di sgust. Congratulati ons, Mr. Wolf. In one fell swoop, you ve gone from bei ng my favori te chef to the most arrogant, overbeari ng man I ve ever met. I thought Bobby Flay was your favori te chef, Mi chael sni dely remi nded her. He i s now! Good. Then why don t you go and audi ti on for his show? Oh, wai t, that s ri ght. You entered a contest to become my apprenti ce. I plead temporary i nsani ty, Reese jeered. Trust me, i t won t happen agai n. I m so glad you feel that way, Mi ss St. James That s Doctor to you, Reese snarled, though she d never been hung up on ti tles. Fi ne. As I was sayi ng, D r . St. James, Mi chael repli ed, bi ti ngly mocki ng, I m glad you reali ze that you made a mi stake by enteri ng the contest. Showi ng up for the audi ti on would have been a huge waste of your ti me and mi ne. It wouldn t have worked out between us. That s probably the understatement of the year! Good, Mi chael sai d tersely. I ll let my producer know that you ve deci ded to wi thdraw from the competi ti on. Goodbye, Dr. St. James. Have a ni ce li fe. Wai t a mi nute, Reese snapped. Where do you get off putti ng words i n my mouth? I never sai d anythi ng about wi thdrawi ng from the competi ti on. What the hell are you talki ng about? Mi chael growled. You just told me that enteri ng the contest was a mi stake. It was! But that doesn t mean I m about to cavali erly walk away from a chance to wi n one hundred thousand dollars. She paused, then couldn t resi st addi ng spi tefully, You di dn t thi nk I was only i nterested i n bei ng your lowly apprenti ce, di d you? I don t really gi ve a damn. There s not a chance i n hell you re wi nni ng that contest. Says who? Reese challenged. I say. Is that so? Well, i t s my understandi ng that the apprenti ce wi ll be chosen based on who has the strongest audi ti on. And who do you thi nk has the fi nal say on that? Trust me, i f I don t thi nk I can work wi th you, i t s a no-go. So do yourself a favor and stay home on Fri day. I don t thi nk so. I fi naled i n that contest fai r and square. You have no ri ght I have every ri ght. It s my show, my contest, my rules. Yeah? We ll see about that. Reese hung up on hi m, snatched up the prescri pti on pad where she d wri tten down the producer s contact i nformati on and qui ckly punched i n the number. When she got Drew Corbett on the phone, she sai d sweetly, Good morni ng, Mr. Corbett. Thi s i s Reese St. James. Hello! Thanks for returni ng my call. Fi rst thi ngs fi rst. Can you make i t to Atlanta for Fri day s audi ti on? I have my assi stant on standby to book your fli ght. Oh, that won t be necessary, Reese sai d smoothly. As luck would have i t, I m already i n town.

Chapter 4
Ei ght down, two to go. Reese smi led at the perky blonde seated next to her i n the televi si on studi o s green room. The woman had been chatteri ng nonstop ever si nce she and Reese, along wi th ei ght other apprenti ce hopefuls, had been herded i nto the room to awai t thei r turn to audi ti on. I m so nervous, the blonde confi ded. I love Mi chael Wolf. I can t wai t to meet hi m. Reese merely smi led. It wasn t that long ago she d felt the same way. Now she knew better. The only reason she d deci ded to show up for today s audi ti on was to spi te Mi chael. She had no i nterest i n shari ng a stage wi th hi m or wi nni ng any money. Her game plan was si mple: knock the judges socks off. If she won the competi ti on, she d poli tely decli ne the apprenti ceshi p by ci ti ng i rreconci lable di fferences wi th Mi chael, whi ch would put hi m i n the awkward posi ti on of havi ng to explai n hi mself to hi s colleagues. Revenge is a dish best served cold, Reese thought wi th wi cked sati sfacti on. When i t was her turn, she followed the producti on assi stant down a long, narrow corri dor and through an open doorway that brought them to the set of Howlin Good. Despi te her newfound loathi ng for Mi chael Wolf, Reese couldn t help feeli ng a rush of exci tement as she started down the ai sle toward the ki tchen at center stage. Wi th i ts gleami ng mahogany cabi nets, grani te countertops and modern stai nless steel appli ances, the set of Howlin Good had become as fami li ar to her as her own ki tchen. To be here i n person was surreal. Her fasci nated gaze took i n a kalei doscope of cameras, li ghts, moni tors and mi crophones. A

network of li ghts hung from the cei li ng, faci ng i n vari ous di recti ons and at di fferent angles. There were several techni ci ans mi lli ng around, checki ng li ghti ng, adjusti ng equi pment and gi vi ng i nstructi ons to one another. A small group of people stood chatti ng around a table that had been erected i n front of the stagethe judges, Reese reali zed when she spi ed another popular chef whose cable show she often watched. For the fi rst ti me si nce her arri val at the studi o two hours ago, she began to feel nervous. The feeli ng only i ntensi fi ed when she glanced around and saw Mi chael emerge from a doorway to the ri ght of the stage. He was followed by hi s executi ve producer, whom Reese had met that morni ng, and a man weari ng a headset and carryi ng a cli pboard. As Reese watched Mi chael stri de purposefully toward the stage, she wondered how anyone could look so mouthwateri ngly good i n a si mple black T-shi rt and jeans. But the shi rt clung enti ci ngly to hi s broad, muscular chest, and the jeans rode wi ckedly low on hi s hi ps. As i f sensi ng her hungry apprai sal, Mi chael turned hi s head, hi s dark eyes scanni ng the crowded set before homi ng i n on hers. Reese s breath caught. Her pulse thudded as hi s gaze swept over her, taki ng i n her whi te ruffle blouse and li nen slacks before easi ng back up to her face. Though hi s expressi on di dn t change, there was no mi staki ng the subtle challenge that gli nted i n hi s eyes. Reese li fted her chi n defi antly, answeri ng wi th her own si lent message: Bring it on! A smi le played at the corners of hi s li ps before he glanced away to fi ni sh conferri ng wi th hi s producer. You re on i n three mi nutes. The producti on assi stant led Reese onto the stage, where a cameraman cli pped a ti ny mi crophone to her lapel. For the audi ti on, you re goi ng to assi st Mi chael wi th prepari ng a basi c reci pe. As I told the other contestants, the judges are more i nterested i n your stage presence and the way you i nteract wi th Mi chael than your culi nary ski lls. So just relax and be yourself. Good advi ce, Reese murmured, tryi ng not to noti ce that dozens of strangers were watchi ng and cri ti qui ng her every move. She was reli eved that she di dn t have to audi ti on before a li ve studi o audi ence. Mi chael awai ted her at the large center i sland that was the focal poi nt of the ki tchen. It featured a restaurant-style electri c cooktop and enough counter space for hi m to spread out hi s i ngredi ents and di splay hi s culi nary masterpi eces at the end of each epi sode. As Reese took her place besi de hi m, he slanted her a fai ntly mocki ng glance. Thi nk you can keep up? She smi led sweetly at hi m. I was just about to ask you the same thi ng. Before he could respond, the di rector began hi s countdown. Fi ve, four, three, two On cue Mi chael flashed hi s trademark gri n i nto the camerathe slow, wi cked gri n that melted women the world over and kept thei r eyes glued to thei r televi si on sets. Today we ll be whi ppi ng up a classi c Southern favori teshri mp and gri ts. As any true Southerner knows, eati ng gri ts i s a way of li fe, and breakfast wi thout em i s downri ght sacri legi ous, as my father li kes to say. But gri ts aren t just for breakfast anymore, and today we re gonna show you why. But fi rst I d li ke to i ntroduce you to the lovely Reese St. James, who ll be assi sti ng me i n the ki tchen today. Reese smi led and waved as the people gathered around the set applauded loudly i n an effort to si mulate a li ve audi ence. Reese hai ls from the Lone Star state, Mi chael sai d, smi li ng so easi ly at her no one would have beli eved they were enemi es. Houston, ri ght? That s ri ght, Reese sai d cheerfully. It s a pleasure to be here wi th you, Mi chael. Feel free to put me ri ght to work. Mi chael gri nned at the onlookers. Doesn t waste any ti me, does she? he drawled wi th a suggesti ve wi nk that earned hi m a round of hearty laughter. Not to be outdone, Reese pi cked up a pi ece of chi lled shri mp from a bowl on the counter. So what re we worki ng wi th today, shri mp? Er, I mean chef. More laughter fi lled the room. That s ri ght, Reese, Mi chael sai d, plucki ng the shri mp out of her fi ngers and droppi ng i t i nto the bowl. Today we re worki ng wi th shri mp. I ve got some bi g, fat, jui cy Reese fanned herself wi th her hand, drawi ng another burst of raucous laughter. Someone even whi stled. Shaki ng hi s head, Mi chael muttered under hi s breath, Good help i s so hard to fi nd, whi ch eli ci ted some sympatheti c chuckles. What do you want me to do, Mi chael? Reese asked sweetly. He looked her up and down slowly, then rai sed hi s eyes heavenward. Lord, why do you tempt me so? More chortles and catcalls ensued. When the noi se had subsi ded, Mi chael sai d to Reese, Why don t you sti r those gri ts on the stove? As Reese moved to comply, he explai ned to the audi ence, Most folks use i nstant gri ts, and that s fi ne i f you re pressed for ti me. But I m a puri st who beli eves that the best gri ts are stone-ground and cooked slowly i n butter and cream for at least two hours. Two hours? Reese echoed i n surpri se. Absolutely. He met her gaze, hi s voi ce di ppi ng low. The slower, the better. Reese s belly fli p-flopped as the onlookers reacted

wi th wolf whi stles. Thi s ti me she really did need to fan herself. So whi le your gri ts are si mmeri ng on the stove, Mi chael conti nued, draggi ng hi s gaze from hers, you need to spi ce up your shri mp. Bei ng a Southern boy, I li ke mi ne really spi cy. So that means plenty of Cajun seasoni ng, as well as Itali an seasoni ng, papri ka, salt and pepper. You re gonna spri nkle the combi ned spi ces over the shri mp unti l they re good and coated. And then you re ready to saut them bad boys. As he pulled out a large pan and joi ned Reese at the stove, he sai d gruffly, Keep sti rri ng, woman. I don t want my gri ts sti cki ng to the bottom and burni ng. Reese gave a mock salute. Yes, si r. Under her breath she muttered, You can ki ss my gri ts. As laughter erupted around the set, Mi chael leaned close to her, hi s hand cupped to hi s ear. I di dn t hear that. Di d you say somethi ng? Reese batted her lashes i nnocently. I sai d, You re the boss. Hi s mouth twi tched. Yeah, I thought so. Turni ng on the burner next to hers, he sai d, In a large pan, you re gonna add two tablespoons of oli ve oi l and mi nced garli c. Heat i t up and sti r for about thi rty seconds, then throw i n your seasoned shri mp Throw? Reese i nterrupted skepti cally. Are you sure you should be telli ng vi ewers to throw anythi ng i nto a ski llet of hot oi l? When Mi chael just stared at her, she sai d gri mly, I m a doctor. I ve seen more than enough thi rd-degree burns caused by household cooki ng acci dents. Mi ght I suggest you fi nd another verb? He gaped at her a moment longer, then nodded ti ghtly. All ri ght, he agreed, addressi ng the camera. You re gonna ease the shri mp i nto the pan Oh, much better. I li ke ease. Mi chael looked at Reese as i f he wanted to clobber her over the head wi th the pan. Anythi ng else? he i nqui red through clenched teeth. She gri nned sheepi shly. Nope. I m good. The audi ence chortled as she hunched over the pot of gri ts and sti rred wi th renewed vi gor. As I was sayi ng, Mi chael conti nued wi th exaggerated pati ence, after you add the shri mp, saut them for about three mi nutesjust unti l they re tender. You don t wanna overcook them. When they re done, remove them from the pan and set em asi de i n a bowl. But not i n the same bowl that had the raw shri mp, ri ght? Reese i nterjected. At hi s blank look, she hastened to clari fy herself. I mean, I know seafood doesn t warrant the same cross-contami nati on concerns as poultry, but just to be on the safe si de Of course, Mi chael sai d wi th a steely smi le for the camera. You re goi ng to place the cooked shri mp i n a different bowl. Just li ke I di d. Wonderful. Mmm, those look deli ci ous, Reese breathed, eyei ng the mound of sauted shri mp. Can I have No, Mi chael snapped, movi ng the bowl out of her reach. The audi ence chuckled whi le Reese pretended to pout. Deli berately i gnori ng her, Mi chael conti nued, Now comes the roux, whi ch i s basi cally a cooked mi xture of flour and fat that s used to thi cken many Cajun di shes. So here s what you re gonna do, folks. He explai ned the next few steps, demonstrati ng as he went along. After you ve cooked the roux, add a teaspoon of Worcestershi re sauce and hot sauce. I usually make my own hot sauce, but i f you re looki ng for a shortcut, a good brand I recommend i s Texas Pete Hey, I thi nk I know hi m! Reese pi ped up bri ghtly. Thi s set off a new wave of laughter. Mi chael shook hi s head at the cei li ng, but hi s li ps were qui rki ng, as i f he wanted to smi le but wouldn t gi ve her the sati sfacti on. It di dn t matter, though. Reese knew he was havi ng as much fun as she was, even i f he d sooner eat stewed li zard guts than admi t i t. Gri nni ng, she removed the gri ts from the burner. What re you gonna do wi th those? she asked, poi nti ng to another bowl fi lled wi th neat cubes of sauted country ham. Watch and learn. Mi chael heaped a few spoonfuls of gri ts onto a plate and topped i t wi th several si zzli ng pi eces of shri mp. Next he poured a li beral amount of the roux sauce over the shri mp, added a spri nkli ng of ham, then presented the fi ni shed di sh wi th a dramati c, Booyah! Reese joi ned i n the vi gorous applause that swept around the room. Now may I have a taste? she entreated hi m. Pretty please? Mi chael gri nned lazi ly. Sure. Why not? He scooped up a forkful of shri mp and gri ts and brought i t to her mouth. Reese opened her mouth automati cally for hi m. As her li ps closed around the fork, hi s gaze darkened. She let out a soft groan. Mmmm. That i s sooo good. Watchi ng her i ntently, Mi chael sampled a bi te, li cki ng thei r shared fork i n a way that made Reese s ni pples harden and her pulse accelerate. Thei r gazes held for a long, charged moment. Cut! the di rector called out suddenly. In a voi ce laced wi th amusement, he added, And would someone please bri ng me a glass of cold water? It s hot i n here! An hour later, Drew Corbett was sti ll ravi ng about Reese St. James s audi ti on performance. And he wasn t the only one. From the producti on assi stant to the casti ng di rector, the consensus around the studi o

was that Reese should, and would be, Mi chael s new apprenti ce. He seemed to be the only one who thought otherwi se. She was bri lli ant, Drew declared to Mi chael and the four contest judges who d gathered i n the conference room to compare notes on the audi ti ons. She was totally at ease i n front of the camera, she seemed comfortable i n the ki tchen and she had great comedi c ti mi ng. The way she played comi c i ngenue to Mi ke s strai ght man remi nded me of somethi ng you d see o n I Love Lucy. And let s face i t, folks. She s not exactly hard on the eyes. The camera loves her. There were hearty murmurs of agreement around the table. Pai ge Somers, a leggy brunette who worked as a seni or edi tor at Food & Wine magazi ne i n New York, raved, Let me just add that I absolutely loved the sexual chemi stry between Reese and Mi chael. Chemi stry? echoed a peti te, pretty black woman named Lexi Austi n. That was a fi ve-alarm fi re! Everyone laughed. I ve judged a lot of cooki ng competi ti ons i n my career, Pai ge conti nued wi th a broad gri n, but I have never seen anythi ng hotter than when Mi chael fed Reese from hi s fork, then took a bi te hi mself. Whew! she exclai med, fanni ng her face. I thi nk we all wanted to jump i n a cold pool after that! Lexi snorted. Speak for yourself. I wanted to jump Michael! More uproari ous laughter fi lled the room. Even Mi chael, who d been heretofore si lent, couldn t suppress a low chuckle. Drew glanced around the table, a huge, sati sfi ed gri n on hi s face. These are the types of conversati ons women wi ll be havi ng at water coolers, on park benches and over coffee wi th thei r fri ends once Reese St. James makes her debut on the show. The chemi stry between her and Mi chael i s pure rati ngs gold. Thei r sharp repartee, the crackli ng sexual tensi onour vi ewers are gonna eat i t up. I agree, Pai ge sai d vi gorously, and the others nodded. We all seem to be on the same page, Lexi noted, but we haven t heard what the star of the show thi nks. Mi chael smi led as fi ve pai rs of eyes swung i n hi s di recti on. He d been sprawled i n a chai r at the head of the table, eyes hooded, arms folded behi nd hi s head, long legs stretched out i n front of hi m. Anyone observi ng hi s lazy posture mi ght have assumed he d tuned out the di scussi on long ago. But Mi chaelas everyone who worked wi th hi m knewnever mi ssed a thi ng. Sti ll, i t di dn t surpri se hi m that Lexi had been the fi rst to draw attenti on to hi s si lence. She knew hi m better than anyone else i n the room, as they d been fri ends for over twenty years. They d met as freshmen i n college; Mi chael had attended Morehouse whi le Lexi was a student at Spelman. They d hi t i t off ri ght away, bondi ng over thei r mutual love for good food and cooki ng. When they graduated, Lexi had followed her true passi on and gone to a French culi nary school i n New York whi le Mi chael went to work for a top engi neeri ng fi rma move Lexi sti ll teased hi m about to thi s day. As a master chef i nstructor at a culi nary i nsti tute i n Atlanta, she was hi ghly respected i n the world of culi nary arts. Mi chael consi dered her more than a fri end; she was also a trusted advi sor. You wanna know what I thi nk? he drawled, strai ghteni ng slowly i n the chai r. I thi nk that Howlin Good i s a fami ly-fri endly show, one that stay-at-home moms can watch wi th thei r young chi ldren wi thout havi ng to worry about bei ng bombarded wi th sexual i nnuendo. If we want to keep i t that wayand keep the show off the FCC s hi t li stwe d better choose someone other than Reese St. James to be the apprenti ce. A ri pple of laughter went around the table. Mi chael Sterli ng Wolf, Lexi sai d, fei gni ng a shocked tone. Are you suggesti ng that you wouldn t be able to control yourself around Reese? Mi chael gri nned sheepi shly, rubbi ng hi s jaw. It d be damn hard, I can tell you that. He d had a hard enough ti me keepi ng hi s hands off Reese duri ng the short ti me they d been on stage together. Her coquetti sh smi les had been di sarmi ng enough, but when she parted those lush li ps, took hi s fork slowly i nto her mouth and moaned, he d nearly lost hi s mi nd. He d wanted to make love to her ri ght then and there, spectators be damned. Apart from the fact that you don t trust yourself not to jump Reese s bones, Pai ge sai d, what other objecti ons do you have to worki ng wi th her? For a moment Mi chael consi dered comi ng clean about everythi ng that had transpi red between hi m and Reese. But he qui ckly changed hi s mi nd. It was bad enough that he d been forced to eat crow and apologi ze to her. If hi s colleagues ever found out what an ass he d made of hi mself, he d never li ve i t down. And somethi ng told hi m that was exactly what Reese wanted. He di dn t beli eve for one second that she was i nterested i n the pri ze money, or even fi fteen mi nutes of fame. She d come to the audi ti on for one reason and one reason only: to get back at hi m. So far, her plan was worki ng bri lli antly. She had everyone eati ng out of the palm of her hand, ensuri ng that Mi chael would be the bad guy i f he refused to work wi th her. But refuse he must. Look, I m not di sagreei ng that she gave a great performance. She di d. I just thi nk we should keep our opti ons open.

Pai ge s eyebrows shot up. Who else came close to bei ng as good as Reese? Mi chael racked hi s brai n tryi ng to recall the other contestants faces, but most of them were a blur. As much as he hated to admi t i t, the only one who d stood out was Reese. You have to admi t that the stars seem to be ali gned i n her favor, Drew sai d, pressi ng hi s advantage. Fi rst the reci pe she submi tted was our test ki tchen favori te. Then she just happened to be i n Atlanta when we noti fi ed her. As i t turns out she ll be here on sabbati cal for the next two months, whi ch means she ll be avai lable for tapi ng the apprenti ce epi sodes and attendi ng any publi ci ty events we ask of her. And i f that s sti ll not enough proof that she s the ri ght woman for the job, she just gave an audi ti on performance that was clearly head and shoulders above the rest. He cast an i mpati ent glance around the table. Qui te honestly, I m surpri sed we re even debati ng thi s. Well, Lexi argued di plomati cally, wi th all due respect, boss man, i t is Mi chael s show. And si nce he s the one who s goi ng to be worki ng closely wi th thi s apprenti ce for the next few weeks, i t s only ri ght that he get the fi nal say on who i t wi ll be. Mi chael smi led at hi s old fri end. Finally! A voice of reason. Thank you, Lexi . That sai d, she added, dark eyes twi nkli ng, I thi nk you d be out of your mi nd not to pi ck Reese St. James. Everyone laughed. Everyone but Mi chael. Leani ng back i n hi s chai r, he blew out a deep, frustrated breath. Well? Drew prompted, eyei ng hi m expectantly. What s the verdi ct? Is the doctor i n? Mi chael s jaw ti ghtened. Yeah, he muttered darkly, but i f we end up getti ng hate mai l from scandali zed stay-at-home moms, don t say I di dn t warn you.

Chapter 5
Reese was i n a daze. She d just gotten off the phone wi th Drew Corbett, who d called to tell her that she d won the apprenti ce competi ti on. He d prai sed her audi ti on performance as capti vati ng and bri lli ant. Reese had been floored, and undeni ably flattered. Perhaps that would explai n why, when she opened her mouth to poli tely decli ne the offeras she d plannedwhat came out i nstead was, Thank you so much for thi s i ncredi ble opportuni ty. I look forward to worki ng wi th you! After the call ended, she d stared i ncredulously at the phone i n her hand. She couldn t beli eve how easi ly she d abandoned her plan to get even wi th Mi chael. What on earth had gotten i nto her? Who are you kidding? her consci ence mocked. You never had any intention of turning down the opportunity to work with Michael Wolf. Who in their right mind would? Despi te everythi ng Reese had told herself, and despi te the fact that she d spent the past three days calli ng hi m everythi ng but a chi ld of God, she sti ll wanted Mi chael. He d awakened somethi ng deep i nsi de her. Somethi ng wanton, deli ci ous, i ntoxi cati ng. Somethi ng dangerously i rresi sti ble. She couldn t have stayed away from hi m i f her li fe depended on i t. Her cell phone jangled suddenly, jerki ng her out of her trance. When she saw Vi ctor s number, her face heated wi th shame, as though he d i ntercepted her trai torous thoughts from hundreds of mi les away. She consi dered i gnori ng the call, but she knew she couldn t avoi d hi m forever. Blowi ng out a deep breath that ruffled her long bangs, she answered the phone. Hello, there. Reese? Thank God you pi cked up. Vi ctor sounded both reli eved and exasperated. I was just about to call your si ster to see i f we needed to fi le a mi ssi ng person s report wi th the poli ce. Don t be so melodramati c, Reese sai d dri ly. Besi des, Rai na wouldn t have appreci ated bei ng awakened early i n the morni ng. What do you mean? She and Warri ck are attendi ng that conference i n Italy, remember? Oh, that s ri ght. I forgot. Reese had nearly forgotten herself. She d been dyi ng to call her si ster and tell her everythi ng that had happened i n the past four days. In fact, on the ni ght she d met Mi chael, she d excused herself after di nner and made a beeli ne for the restroom just to call Rai na. She d di aled her si ster s number before she remembered that Rai na was out of the country wi th her husband, Warri ck. Si nce returni ng from thei r honeymoon three months ago, the newlyweds had been i nseparable, and whi le thi s recent tri p was for busi ness, Reese had no doubt that they d spend as much ti me in bed as out of i t. We should have gone wi th them after all, Vi ctor sai d wi stfully. I could have shown you guys around Veni ce and taken you to some of the best places i n the world to eat. We could have had a wonderful ti me together. He si ghed. If only you and I weren t such workaholi cs. Reese refrai ned from poi nti ng out to hi m that he was the one who d ci ted thei r busy schedules when Rai na approached them wi th the i dea of accompanyi ng her and Warri ck on thei r overseas busi ness tri p. Reese had been wi lli ng to take ti me off from work for a romanti c excursi on to Italy, but Vi ctor had refused. Hi s remark was just another example of hi s selecti ve memory. Apparently he d also chosen to forget that

he d promi sed to gi ve Reese space. Calli ng her every day wasn t what she d had i n mi nd when she d asked for a breather. I ve left you several messages, he told her. Di d you get them? Yes. I haven t had a chance to call you back. You havent gi ven me a chance, Reese added si lently. So what have you been doi ng wi th yourself? Done any si ghtseei ng? A li ttle. Insi de the ki tchen, Reese walked to the refri gerator and removed a plate of thawed veal cutlets she d seasoned earli er to make veal parmi gi ana for di nner. She d made a pact wi th herself not to eat out more than twi ce a week, although i t was tempti ng wi th so many great restaurants to choose from. Why are you bei ng so vague? Vi ctor complai ned. I m not i nterrogati ng you. I just want to know what you ve been up to. Reese gave hi m a qui ck rundown of her week. Other than to menti on havi ng di nner at Wolf s Soul, she di dn t elaborate on her encounters wi th Mi chael Wolf, or the apprenti ceshi p. She di dn t feel li ke deali ng wi th Vi ctor s jealousy. How long are you goi ng to keep runni ng away, Reese? Here we go. Don t start. Damn i t, Reese, can t you see how crazy thi s i s, how i rrati onal you re behavi ng? If I ski pped town every ti me I lost a pati ent Anger slashed through her. Don t even go there. Vi ctor si ghed. Reese No, she snapped, her voi ce trembli ng wi th leashed anger. I don t want to have thi s conversati on wi th you. You made your feeli ngs perfectly clear before I left. There s nothi ng more to di scuss. Merda! Would you just li sten to me? I ve heard enough! she shouted. God, I can t beli eve you d be callous enough to throw Dei dra Thomas s death i n my face li ke that! The most awful day of my li fe was the day I had to look her husband i n the eye and tell hi m he had to rai se thei r three young chi ldren alone. I wi ll never forget Her voi ce broke, and she bli nked back tears. Reese Vi ctor began. I ve been tryi ng my damnedest not to thi nk about what that poor man and hi s fami ly must be goi ng through. It hasn t been easy, but I m tryi ng. She swallowed a hard knot of emoti on. Maybe I m not as strong as you are, Vi ctor. Maybe you would have handled Dei dra s death better. But I needed to get away for a whi le and clear my head, and I m not goi ng to apologi ze for that. I never asked you to, Vi ctor sai d defensi vely. Could ve fooled me, Reese shot back. He heaved a breath. Let s not argue anymore, cara mia. Please? There was a ti me Reese would have melted at the endearment. Now she just felt annoyed, as i f he were tryi ng to mani pulate her by speaki ng Itali an. It wouldn t be the fi rst ti me. She si ghed. Look, I should go. I want to fi ni sh maki ng di nner so I can catch a movi e later. Alone? Yes, she bi t off. Alone. Wi ll you call me tomorrow? No. Can I call you? I d rather you di dn t. When he started to protest, she sai d fi rmly, Gi ve me at least a week, Vi ctor. One week. I m seri ous. He si ghed harshly i n her ear. If that s what you really want It i s. Fi ne. Have i t your way. Thank you. Good ni ght. Reese hung up and dropped her cell phone onto the countertop wi th a loud clatter. She could feel the onset of a headache behi nd her eyeli ds, and as she surveyed the veal cutlets she d removed from the refri gerator, she reali zed she d lost her appeti te. Damn you, Victor, she thought rancorously. Abandoni ng her plans to make di nner, she strode to the butler s pantry and snagged a bottle of cabernet sauvi gnon from the wi ne rack. She poured herself a glass and headed i nto the li vi ng room. As she sank i nto a comfy armchai r, her gaze landed on Mi chael s Howlin Good cookbook on the fi replace mantel, where she d placed i t so she wouldn t forget to burn i t. That was three days ago. The rage she d felt toward Mi chael had lessened consi derably si nce then. Truth be told, she was angri er wi th Vi ctor at the moment than Mi chael. So angry, i n fact, that she was begi nni ng to thi nk that thei r relati onshi p couldn t be saved. It had been on li fe support for a long ti me. Maybe i t was ti me to fi nally pull the plug.

Chapter 6
Uncle Mi ke! Uncle Mi ke! Mi chael had just stepped out of hi s car when two mi ni ature tornadoes, i n the form of hi s three-year-old nephews, came hurtli ng down the dri veway toward hi m. By the ti me he closed the car door, the twi ns had launched themselves at hi s legs. Laughi ng, Mi chael reached down and scooped them i nto hi s arms, planti ng an affecti onate ki ss on top of each boy s head. Hey, pups, he greeted them. How was Di sney World? Fun! Matthew and Malcolm Wolf chorused, thei r i denti cal faces li t up wi th wi de, di mpled smi les. You shoulda come wi th us!

Mi chael chuckled, watchi ng as hi s brother, Marcus, sauntered toward hi m. I wi sh I could have, but I had to work. Maybe next ti me. You promi se? entreated Matthew, who d already establi shed hi mself as the more demandi ng twi n. Comi ng to Mi chael s rescue, Marcus sai d chi di ngly, Li ttle boy, your mother and I need to catch our breath before we even think about taki ng any more tri ps to Orlando. Mi chael gri nned at hi s brother. Ran you ragged, di dn t they? Marcus chuckled. Let s just say I ve never felt so old i n my li fe. That s because you are old. Hey, look who s talki ng! Though almost si x years apart, Mi chael and Marcus had often been descri bed as dead ri ngers of each other. Li ke Mi chael, Marcus was tall, broadshouldered and long-legged, wi th smooth mahogany ski n and the strong, masculi ne features they d both i nheri ted from thei r father. A promi nent tort attorney, Marcus had been enjoyi ng the carefree li festyle of a renowned ladi es manunti l he went to Washi ngton, D.C., four years ago and got tamed by Samara Layton. As Marcus plucked Matt out of hi s brother s arm, Mi chael swung Malcolm over hi s head and onto hi s shoulders, maki ng the boy squeal wi th deli ght. Marcus di d the same wi th Matt, lest he feel cheated. Where s Samara? Mi chael asked hi s brother as they started up the walk toward thei r father s house. Getti ng her hai r done. Marcus smi led. After a week of swi mmi ng and sweati ng out her hai r at one theme park after another, she sai d she was i n desperate need of a fresh relaxer. I told her to treat herself to a massage whi le she was at i t, so we mi ght not see her for a long ti me. Mi chael gave hi s brother an amused si delong glance. What a ki nd, thoughtful husband you are. Marcus shrugged. What can I say? Nothi ng but the best for my queen. If the comment had been made by anyone else, Mi chael mi ght have rolled hi s eyes i n laughi ng di sbeli ef. But he knew better than anyone how much Marcus loved Samara. He worshi pped the ground she walked on and would do anythi ng for her. So when he called her hi s queen, Mi chael knew he was speaki ng from the heart. Grandpa! Sterli ng Wolf was wai ti ng i n the doorway, an exci ted gri n wreathi ng hi s face at the si ght of hi s sons and grandchi ldren. As they drew nearer, he snapped a pi cture wi th the expensi ve di gi tal camera he d recei ved as a gi ft last month on Father s Day. Beauti ful, he pronounced, beami ng wi th pri de as he tucked the camera i nto the front pocket of hi s polo shi rt. You boys look just li ke your father and uncle di d at your age. Mi chael and Marcus had barely set down the twi ns before they rushed i nto thei r grandfather s wi de-open arms. Sterli ng hugged them ti ghtly, bellowi ng wi th laughter as they began babbli ng about thei r adventures at Di sney World. Whoa, Marcus called out, rai si ng hi s voi ce to be heard above the cacophony. Grandpa can t understand a word you boys are sayi ng. One at a ti me. Aw, leave em alone, Sterli ng sai d good-naturedly. Thi s i s musi c to my ears. Mi chael and Marcus exchanged amused glances. Do you ever remember hi m sayi ng that when we were growi ng up? Marcus asked. Mi chael gri nned. Nope. Poi ntedly i gnori ng them, Sterli ng whi spered conspi ratori ally to hi s grandsons, Ms. Fri zell has a speci al treat wai ti ng for you i n the ki tchen. Why don t you go see what i t i s? Wi th eager squeals, the boys took off down the hall i n a flash of matchi ng blue Tshi rts and whi te sneakers. Sterli ng smi led as he watched them go, the epi tome of the proud, doti ng grandfather. He d wept wi th joy the day the twi ns were bornthe fi rst ti me i n years Mi chael had seen hi s tough, hard-nosed father reduced to tears. Heavi ng a deep si gh of contentment, Sterli ng turned to Mi chael and Marcus. It s good to have the Wolf pack together agai n, he declared, drapi ng an arm around each son s shoulder as they started for the foyer. Thanks for comi ng over and spendi ng your Saturday wi th your old man. You don t have to thank us, Dad, Marcus sai d, taki ng the words out of Mi chael s mouth. You know you re the mai n reason Samara and I deci ded to move back to Atlanta. We wanted to be closer to you, and we di dn t want to depri ve the boys of growi ng up around thei r grandfather. I sure do appreci ate that, Sterli ng conceded earnestly. The day you called to tell me that good news made me as happy as the day I found out your brother had strong-armed the network executi ves i nto letti ng hi m tape hi s show here i nstead of New York. Mi chael chuckled. I di dn t strong-arm anyone. Actually, you di d, Marcus countered wryly. When i t was ti me to renegoti ate your contract after the fi rst year, you gave the producers an ulti matum. Ei ther they relocated your set to Atlanta, or you walked. But not only di d you threaten to walk, you told them you d approach Ted Turner wi th the i dea of usi ng your show to launch a ri val food network based i n Atlanta. Wi th Howlin Good bei ng such a huge rati ngs hi t, you knew

how badly your producers wanted to keep you, so you played hardball. Hi s tone was laced wi th admi rati on. And here I thought I was the ruthless lawyer i n the fami ly. Mi chael and Sterli ng laughed. When they reached the ki tchen, they found the twi ns perched on hi gh-backed stools at the center i sland, munchi ng happi ly on cupcakes decorated wi th mi ni ature Mi ckey Mouse ears. Thei r hands and mouths were smeared wi th purple frosti ng, and when they looked up and flashed chocolaty gri ns, everyone di ssolved i nto laughter. After settli ng down the twi ns wi th an ani mated movi e, Marcus joi ned hi s father and Mi chael on the veranda. Floppi ng i nto a chai r at the wrought-i ron table, Marcus reached for one of the glasses of i ced tea that had been poured for hi m. Good stuff, he declared after taki ng a long, appreci ati ve si p. He si ghed. Another thi ng I mi ssed about homesweet tea. They don t know the fi rst thi ng about brewi ng good Southern tea i n Washi ngton. One of these days I ll have to ask Ms. Fri zell what her secret i ngredi ent i s. Sterli ng grunted. Good luck wi th that. I ve already tri ed, and she won t gi ve i t up. Mi chael chuckled. She adds a li ttle baki ng soda. It acts as a preservati ve to keep the tea from becomi ng cloudy and bi tter. Marcus shook hi s head at Sterli ng. Shoulda known she d tell him. The chefs always sti ck together. Of course. Mi chael gri nned. So how s Lexi ? Sterli ng asked hi m. Talk to her lately? Doesn t he always? Marcus i nterjected wi th a gri n. Mi chael frowned. What s that supposed to mean? I beli eve your brother s tryi ng to i mply that you and Lexi never go a day wi thout talki ng to each other, Sterli ng explai ned. So? What s wrong wi th that? She s one of my closest fri ends. Ri ght, Marcus sai d dri ly. And i t never occurred to you that she mi ght want to be more than just a fri end to you. Mi chael rolled hi s eyes. Of course i t occurred to me. The fi rst ti me we met was at a party where everyone we knew was pai red off i nto couples. Inwardly he smi led at the memory of the sloppy, drunken ki ss he and Lexi had shared, the sparks that fai led to i gni te between them. In the ensui ng years, she d become that female fri end every guy should havethe one he went to for dati ng advi ce and to get a woman s perspecti ve on the female psyche. In all the ti me they d been fri ends, not once had Mi chael suspected that Lexi was secretly carryi ng a torch for hi m. He knew she wasn t. Marcus seemed hell-bent on provi ng otherwi se. She s never li ked any of your gi rlfri ends Nei ther has Dad. and she never mi sses an opportuni ty to tell you why she thi nks someone i s wrong for you. Agai n, nei ther does Dad. That s what people who care about you are supposed to do. All ri ght, Marcus sai d, pi nni ng hi s brother wi th a di rect gaze. Si nce you ve got an answer for everythi ng, here s somethi ng else for you to consi der. Lexi s marri age only lasted two years. Why do you thi nk that i s? Mi chael met hi s gaze steadi ly. Not everyone can be as lucky as you and Samara. Ai n t that the truth, Sterli ng murmured. Mi chael and Marcus fell si lent, suddenly remi nded of the way thei r parents marri age had ended i n bi tter di vorce after thei r mother was caught cheati ng on Sterli ng. Although Mi chael had made peace wi th her long ago, he d never forgotten how her i nfi deli ty had torn thei r fami ly apart. Seei ng thei r father reduced to a shell of hi s former self had taken such an emoti onal toll on Mi chael and Marcus that they d both vowed they would never get marri ed or have chi ldren. Marcus had had a change of heart. Mi chael di dn t thi nk he ever would. Leani ng back i n hi s chai r, Marcus sai d qui etly, You re ri ght, Mi ke. Samara s the best thi ng that ever happened to me, and not a day goes by that I don t count my blessi ngs. I guess what I ve been tryi ng to get at i s that i t s not too late for you. He glanced at hi s father. For ei ther of you. Sterli ng guffawed. I m too damn old to be bothered wi th all that. No, you re not, Marcus protested. Trust me, boy, I am. But your brother i sn t. Sterli ng cut a si deways gri n at Mi chael. Back to what we were di scussi ng before Mi chael held up a hand. There s nothi ng goi ng on between me and Lexi . We re just fri ends, and that s all we re ever gonna be. Seei ng the look that passed between hi s father and Marcus, Mi chael felt a surge of i rri tati on. Pushi ng back hi s chai r, he stood and walked over to the rai li ng that wrapped around the veranda. New vi si tors to the house always gushed over the sprawli ng backyard, whi ch boasted a gazebo, a guesthouse, a small pool and a seri es of garden beds that added vi brant splashes of color to the landscape. A surroundi ng canopy of trees kept out the scorchi ng summer heat and gave the yard an ai r of seclusi on. In a glowi ng feature arti cle publi shed several years ago, Better Homes and Gardens had descri bed the yard as an archi tectural paradi se and a sli ce of heaven to ri val Callaway Gardensli nes that Sterli ng

couldn t resi st quoti ng to anyone who vi si ted the house. Not surpri si ngly, the backyard was the fami ly s favori te gatheri ng place, playi ng host to summer cookouts, pool parti es, bi rthday parti es, scavenger hunts for the twi ns andmost memorable of all Marcus s weddi ng. Mi chael couldn t help smi li ng at a mental i mage of Samara, a vi si on i n whi te wafti ng down a rose-strewn ai sle i n the pi cturesque garden. If the day hadn t been so profoundly speci al, Mi chael mi ght have teased hi s brother about the tears that had streamed freely down hi s face as he d gazed upon hi s bri de. But the truth was that even Mi chael had gotten choked up duri ng the ceremony. And i n the deep, dark recesses of hi s heart, he d wondered i f he would ever get hi s own fai ry-tale endi ng. So what s goi ng on between you and that doctor you were argui ng wi th the other day? Sterli ng asked, breaki ng i nto Mi chael s thoughts. Mi chael frowned. Just when he d fooled hi mself i nto beli evi ng he could go an enti re hour wi thout thi nki ng about Reese St. James. He turned, arms folded across hi s chest as he glared balefully at hi s father. Undaunted, Sterli ng gri nned li ke the proverbi al cat that ate the canary. What doctor? Marcus demanded, looki ng from one to the other. What d I mi ss? Nothi ng, Mi chael grumbled. Plenty, Sterli ng sai d at the same ti me. A slow, knowi ng gri n crawled across Marcus s face. I ll take your word for i t, Dad. So what happened? Well, on Wednesday I overheard an argument between Mi chael snorted. Overheard? Pops, you were eavesdroppi ng. Sterli ng looked di sgruntled. It ai n t eavesdroppi ng i f the conversati on takes place under your roof, Mi chael and Marcus fi ni shed, then laughed. How many ti mes had thei r father used that li ne to justi fy eavesdroppi ng on thei r phone conversati ons when they were growi ng up? He d gi ven the same rati onale for snoopi ng through thei r belongi ngs to make sure they weren t hi di ng any drugs, though he d always assured them that someday they would thank hi m for hi s vi gi lance. The Wolf brothers were the only ki ds i n the nei ghborhood who d been subjected to random drug testi ng unti l they left home for college. As I was sayi ng, Sterli ng conti nued poi ntedly, I overheard an argument between Mi ke and a woman he d met at the restaurant. Apparently he d ti cked her off pretty good by accusi ng her of i mpersonati ng a food cri ti c. What ? Marcus s surpri sed gaze swung to hi s brother. Why d you do somethi ng li ke that? Bi ti ng back an i mpati ent oath, Mi chael qui ckly and succi nctly explai ned what had happened that Tuesday ni ght, glossi ng over the ki ss he and Reese had shared. When he d fi ni shed hi s account, Marcus shook hi s head i n amused di sbeli ef. Is she unattracti ve? he asked. Far from i t, Mi chael grudgi ngly admi tted. Then why would you even thi nk she d have to resort to a stunt li ke that? Li ke I sai d, Mi chael ground out, i t was an honest mi stake, one that could have happened to anyone. Anyway, i t doesn t matter now. She got her revenge. How so? Sterli ng and Marcus asked i n uni son. Mi chael smi led gri mly. She s goi ng to be my new apprenti ce. Hi s father and brother li stened wi th rapt attenti on as he told them about the ri veti ng audi ti on performance that had made Reese a shoo-i n to wi n the competi ti on. By the ti me he d fi ni shed descri bi ng her sassy comedi c shti ck, both men were laughi ng uproari ously. Man, I wi sh I could ve been there to see i t, Marcus sai d. Me, too, Sterli ng agreed. That young lady sounds li ke qui te a pi stol. Oh, she i s, Mi chael muttered as a memory of gli tteri ng, defi ant eyes flashed though hi s mi nd. And the mouth on her. He couldn t remember the last ti me he d been both i nfuri ated and aroused whi le sparri ng wi th a woman. She s defi ni tely goi ng to be a handful. Marcus gave hi m a knowi ng gri n. Thi nk you re up for the challenge? Of course, Mi chael sai d, thi nki ng, God help me if Im wrong!

Chapter 7
Reese drew a deep, forti fyi ng breath, then rai sed her hand and pressed the doorbell. As she wai ted for a response, her heart hammered so hard she thought i t mi ght bulldoze i ts way ri ght out of her chest. Not for the fi rst ti me that morni ng, she questi oned the sani ty of what she was doi ng. She must be crazy for comi ng here li ke thi s, uni nvi ted. Maybe she should just A scrape of movement i nsi de the apartment forestalled any thoughts of escape. Then suddenly the door opened. Mi chael stood there i n a sleeveless whi te T-shi rt and dark pajama bottoms, hi s long feet bare. Dark stubble covered hi s jaw, and hi s eyes were heavy li dded and bleary. He squi nted down at her for a long moment, then closed hi s eyes as i f he expected her to be gone when he reopened them. Whi ch, of course, she wasn t. Good morni ng, she sai d cheerfully. What ti me i s i t? Hi s voi ce was a low, husky rasp that made her stomach clench.

It s, um, ni ne o clock, she answered sheepi shly. He cursed under hi s breath and closed hi s eyes agai n, thi s ti me looki ng as i f he were tryi ng to fi nd hi s center of gravi ty. When he reached up and scrubbed hi s hands over hi s face, hi s thi ck, muscular bi ceps bunched and flexed wi th the movement. Reese gulped. Hard. After another i ntermi nable moment, those dark eyes slanted open and refocused on her face. He looked so bi g and menaci ng framed i n the doorway that for a moment Reese felt li ke a hapless camper who d wandered too far i nto the forest and awakened a bear from wi nter hi bernati on. What the hell, he growled, are you doi ng here? Unglui ng her tongue from the roof of her mouth, Reese thrust a covered cup at hi m. I brought you coffee. He stared at the cup i n her hand, maki ng no move to take i t. Coffee, he echoed flatly. She nodded. From a gourmet coffee shop near Layla s house. It s pretty good, though not as good as the coffee I make. Next ti me I ll bri ng you some of mi ne, she added, drawi ng hi s eyes from the cup to her face. One heavy brow wi nged upward. Next ti me? Sure. She smi led bravely. Hi s gaze roamed over her, from head to toe and slowly back up agai n. After another moment, he reached out and accepted the proffered cup from her hand. As thei r fi ngers brushed, heat si zzled through her vei ns. They stared at each other. Unconsci ously Reese li cked her li ps, and watched hi s hooded eyes follow the path of her tongue. Aren t you goi ng to i nvi te me i nsi de? she asked, a touch breathless. Mi chael hesi tated, then staggered asi de to open the door wi der for her. As she stepped past hi m, her shoulder grazed the i ron slabs of hi s chest. Her breasts ti ngled, and her pulse drummed errati cally. Ignori ng her body s reacti on to hi mno easy feat she advanced i nto the foyer and swept a look around. The stunni ng two-story penthouse featured Itali an marble floors, elegant crown moldi ng, ultramodern li ghti ng and soli d, contemporary furni shi ngs done i n masculi ne earth tones. Just off the mai n li vi ng area was a dramati c floati ng stai rcase that wound to an upper level. There were walls of nothi ng but wi ndows that revealed spectacular vi ews of Buckhead and, i n the di stance, downtown Atlanta. The luxuri ous penthouse transcended the defi ni ti on of a bachelor pad. It was a showplaceand i mmaculate to boot. Reese whi stled softly. Wow. Thi s i s qui te a cri b you have. Behi nd her, Mi chael grunted somethi ng uni ntelli gi ble. Smi li ng, she turned i n ti me to catch hi m checki ng out her butt i n the formfi tti ng jeans she wore. The hungry gleam i n hi s eyes sent another rush of ti ngli ng heat through her body. Pretendi ng not to noti ce what he d been doi ng, she gri nned playfully at hi m. I thought you mi ght li ve i n one of those McMansi ons that Buckhead i s famous for. A shadow of a smi le touched hi s li ps, softeni ng hi s features. I don t need all that space. I spend more ti me at the restaurant and my father s house than here. Whi ch would explai n why the place i s spotless. You re never home. Exactly. He rai sed the cup to hi s mouth and took a long si p. As he swallowed, hi s eyes closed i n an expressi on of ecstasy that made her envy the coffee. Good? There was a husky catch to her voi ce. He nodded slowly. Very. She cleared her throat. I di dn t take you for one of those artsy-fartsy gourmet coffee lovers. So I just stuck wi th somethi ng basi c. Somethi ng dark and strong. You done good, he drawled. Reese warmed wi th pleasure, whi ch made her feel li ke the world s bi ggest i di ot. I m sorry. It di dn t even occur to me that you mi ght be at church thi s morni ngor entertai ni ng company. Hi s eyes gli ttered wi th amusement. Are you aski ng me i f I had a woman over last ni ght? She shook her head qui ckly. Of course not. That s none of my busi ness. Yet she couldn t suppress a stab of jealousy at the thought of hi m spendi ng a long, steamy ni ght between the legs of some faceless female. You re ri ght. It s none of your busi ness. He shuffled past her, si ppi ng hi s coffee. But si nce you obvi ously want to know I don t I was at the restaurant unti l si x i n the morni ng fi nali zi ng preparati ons for an event I m cateri ng next week. I was hopi ng to sleep i n late, he added wi th a sardoni c glance over hi s shoulder. Oh. Reese bi t her bottom li p, feeli ng gui lty. Sorry. After less than three hours of sleep, Mi chael should have looked li ke death warmed over. Instead hi s bedrumpled appearance only added to hi s vi ri le sexi ness. And was there anything the man di dn t look good weari ng? As i f hi s powerful bi ceps weren t mouthwateri ng enough i n that sleeveless T-shi rt, now she couldn t take her eyes off the way hi s pajama bottoms clung to hi s round, well-toned butt. She

i magi ned di ggi ng her nai ls i nto those clenchi ng and unclenchi ng muscles, urgi ng hi m deeper as he thrust i nto her. The i mage was so vi vi d, so expli ci tly carnal, that her loi ns throbbed i n wanton response. Mesmeri zed, she followed hi m i nto the enormous li vi ng room, more than a li ttle di sappoi nted when he sank down heavi ly on the sofa, cutti ng off her vi ew of that amazi ng ass. Leani ng hi s head back agai nst the sofa, he regarded her ti redly for a moment, hi s li ds at half mast. Li ke he was fi ghti ng to keep hi s eyes open. Reese felt another pang of gui lt. She, who d never known the meani ng of the word impulsive unti l she met thi s man, had chosen the worst possi ble day to act on a spontaneous urge. You never di d answer my questi on, Mi chael murmured. Whi ch one? Reese asked, si tti ng on a chai r upholstered i n sumptuous brown leather. What, exactly, are you doi ng here? I told you. I wanted to bri ng you coffee. She smi led whi msi cally. I m tryi ng to get i nto my new role as your apprenti ce. Yeah? He sounded amused. You gonna pi ck up my dry-cleani ng, too? I wouldn t go that far. Hi s answeri ng smi le, the fi rst real one he d allowed si nce her arri val, made her heart lurch crazi ly. Can t blame a guy for tryi ng, he teased. Her smi le wi dened. No, I guess not. As he rai sed the cup to hi s mouth and drank more coffee, her gaze was drawn to hi s ri ght forearm, whi ch bore a di sti nct tattoo that i denti fi ed hi m as an Omega Psi Phi fraterni ty member. How d you fi nd my address and get i nsi de the bui ldi ng? Reese s eyes snapped back to hi s face, and she gri nned. Your address was on the contract I had to si gn for the show. As for getti ng i nto the bui ldi ng, I fli rted shamelessly wi th the doorman, made hi m thi nk I was one of your newest playthi ngs. She paused, archi ng a brow. He must get that a lot. It was almost too easy. Mi chael shook hi s head, mouth twi tchi ng. I plead the Fi fth. Reese laughed. I bet you do, Que-Dog. He glanced down at hi s tattooed arm, then laughed. Moments later, when they were sti ll smi li ng compani onably at each other, she murmured, See, i t s worki ng already. What i s? My plan. At hi s wary look, she elaborated, I came over here thi s morni ng hopi ng we could reach a truce. A truce, Mi chael repeated slowly. She nodded. I thought i t mi ght be good for us to spend some ti me getti ng to know each other better, so we won t be at each other s throats when tapi ng begi ns next week. I know how i mportant i t i s for us to have chemi stry. He looked amused. I thi nk we ve already establi shed that we have chemi stry. If we had any more, we d both have to be hosed down. Reese blushed, her belly qui veri ng at hi s words. I m not talki ng about that ki nd of chemi stry. Why not? It s the only ki nd of chemi stry worth talki ng about. If you don t beli eve me, I d be more than happy to remi nd you. He wi ggled hi s brows suggesti vely. Reese laughed, even as she felt a responsi ve twi tch between her thi ghs. That won t be necessary. Besi des, just a mi nute ago you were swayi ng on your feet and could barely keep your eyes open! A slow, wolfi sh gri n curved hi s mouth. I m wi de awake now. Just say the word, sweetheart, and I m all yours. Oh God. Reese nearly vaulted out of the chai r and i nto hi s lap. She wanted hi m, wanted hi m wi th every cell i n her body, every fi ber of her bei ng. It took a monumental act of wi llpower for her to remai n seated, to resi st the wi cked gleam i n hi s eyes that was pure temptati on. Si tti ng back and crossi ng her legsto stop the vi brati ons i n her cli tori s and to appear composed she tsk-tsked and wagged her fi nger at hi m. Now, Mr. Wolf, i s that any way to talk to your new apprenti ce? Depends on what ki nd of apprenti ce you wanna be, he drawled lazi ly. Instructi on doesn t have to be li mi ted to the ki tchen. Her i nsi des clenched at the unmi stakable i mpli cati on. Smi li ng coquetti shly, she purred, Who says I need i nstructi oni n or out of the ki tchen? Mi chael stared at her for an arrested moment, hi s gri n falteri ng. When she batted her eyelashes at hi m, he let out a low, rough chuckle and shook hi s head, looki ng sli ghtly dazed. You re gonna be the death of me, woman. Swallowi ng a gri n, Reese deadpanned, I hope not. I was just starti ng to li ke you agai n. He threw back hi s head and laughed, the sound so warm and i nfecti ous she couldn t help joi ni ng i n. When thei r mi rth had subsi ded, Mi chael set hi s coffee cup on a si de table and rose from the sofa, no longer unsteady on hi s feet. Where are you goi ng? Reese asked hi m. To take a showera very cold one. And then I m gonna get dressed and show you around my beauti ful ci ty. Her eyes wi dened as a wave of astoni shed pleasure swept through her. Really? You d gi ve up your Sunday to take me si ghtseei ng? Sure, why not? You brought me coffee. I can make you breakfast, too, Reese called after

hi m as he started from the room. He paused, glanci ng over hi s shoulder at her. He looked so surpri sed and touched by the offer that Reese wondered whether he d gotten so used to cooki ng for others that no one ever bothered to cook for hi m. You know what? he sai d softly. I m defi ni tely gonna take you up on that. But can I get a rai n check? Of course. She smi led shyly. Do you want to just stop somewhere on the way out? Yeah. And I know just the place. The Sunday jazz brunch at Wolf s Soul was the place to be. Locals and touri sts ali ke flocked to the restaurant every weekend for an award-wi nni ng buffet that i ncluded everythi ng from eggs Benedi ct to crawfi sh touffe, along wi th a toe-tappi ng dose of li ve jazz musi c served up by the Howlin Good band. Ki ds ate free, whi le college students and seni or ci ti zens enjoyed half-pri ce di scounts. All proceeds from the brunch helped to fund nonprofi t organi zati ons that benefi ted Atlanta s i nner-ci ty youth, who were near and dear to Mi chael s heart. He mentored at-ri sk teens, gave them jobs at hi s restaurant and regularly had them i n hi s studi o audi ence. Two years ago hi s alma mater, Morehouse College, had establi shed the Mi chael Wolf scholarshi p for economi cally di sadvantaged students. Gi ven Mi chael s commi tment to hi s communi ty, i t was no wonder Atlantans had proudly embraced hi m as thei r nati ve son. An hour after arri vi ng at Wolf s Soul wi th Mi chael, Reese pushed away her empty plate and si ghed deeply. That was absolutely wonderful. I m glad you enjoyed i t, Mi chael sai d, loungi ng across from her at a small table located on a secondstory balcony that overlooked Peachtree Street. Musi c from i nsi de the restaurant dri fted through the double French doors, a lazy blues i nstrumental. The morni ng sun hadn t cranked up the temperature yet, so si tti ng outdoors was tolerable, even pleasant. Reese si ghed agai n. Fi lled wi th good food and nursi ng her second mi mosa, she felt relaxed and deli ci ously content. She could have stayed there, wi th Mi chael, for the rest of the day. He smi led, watchi ng her wi th a look of qui et sati sfacti on, as he d done throughout thei r meal. Can I get you anythi ng else? Reese laughed. Are you ki ddi ng? I couldn t eat another bi te. Hi s dark eyes gli nted at her. Are you sure? Our chocolate fountai n i s very popular. She groaned, rubbi ng her full stomach. I m sure i t i s. But i f I go anywhere near i t, I m goi ng to explode. God knows I ve already eaten way more than I should have. She shot hi m an accusi ng look. I blame you. Hi s expressi on was one of exaggerated i nnocence. Me? Yes, you. You re the one who kept urgi ng me to try thi s, and try that. And everythi ng sounded so good I just couldn t resi st. Li ke that bri oche French toast, and the crab cake Benedi ct. And that sweet potato hash. Mmm, posi ti vely di vi ne. Anyway, she sai d poi ntedly, before she got off track, after all that food we just ate, you have no busi ness even mentioning that chocolate fountai n to me. What are youa sadi st? Mi chael laughed, lazi ly runni ng hi s fi nger around the ri m of hi s champagne glass. I li ke watchi ng you eat. You take pleasure i n food i n a way that any chef would appreci ate. There s nothi ng worse than pouri ng your heart and soul i nto a meal, only to watch someone pi ck over i t because they re on a di et, or they don t wanna mess up thei r li psti ck, or they re afrai d to look greedy i f they clean thei r plate and ask for seconds. Hi s eyes twi nkled wi th humor. You know how you women do. Reese gri nned. I would say you need to stop cooki ng for such ungrateful wenches, but I seri ously doubt you ve ever had to worry about anyone pi cki ng over food youve made. You d be surpri sed. Well, i f Im ever pri vi leged enough to have you cook for me, I promi se to bri ng a bi g appeti te. Mi chael smi led. And I promi se to leave you sati sfi ed. Reese s mouth went dry. For a moment she just stared at hi m, wonderi ng i f they were talki ng about food or lovemaki ng. Ei ther way, there was no doubt i n her mi nd that Mi chael knew hi s way around a woman s body the way he di d a gourmet ki tchen. Holdi ng hi s gaze, she reached for her glass and held i t up. A toast, she sai d. To good food. And endless possi bi li ti es, Mi chael added si lki ly, qui ckeni ng her heart rate. They cli nked glasses and si pped thei r dri nks, stari ng at each other li ke they were the only two people i n the world. They mi ght as well have been. Though the restaurant was fi lled to capaci ty, they were the only occupants of the small balcony. Reese di dn t know whether thi s was by acci dent or desi gn. She di dn t care. She li ked havi ng Mi chael to herself, though she d certai nly enjoyed watchi ng hi s i nteracti ons wi th customers when they d fi rst arri ved. He d gone out of hi s way to greet as many people as he could, shaki ng hands, answeri ng questi ons, huggi ng elderly grandmothers and coaxi ng smi les out of babi es. Watchi ng hi m i n acti on, Reese reali zed that money and fame had not changed hi m. He d never forgotten where he came from, and hi s customers loved hi m for i t.

Comi ng here for breakfast was a bri lli ant i dea, Reese murmured. I m glad you feel that way. Mi chael smi led ruefully. After the way I behaved the other ni ght, I was afrai d you d never want to come near thi s place agai n. I wasn t planni ng to, beli eve me. She chuckled. I was so mad at you, I even thought about burni ng your cookbook. He shouted wi th laughter. Damn, baby, that s cold! Reese gri nned wi ckedly. Hot, you mean. As i n, torched to ashes. Mi chael shook hi s head at her, hi s eyes gli mmeri ng wi th amusement and respect. You are one formi dable woman, Reese St. James. Remi nd me never to cross you agai n. She laughed, si ppi ng her mi mosa. As she crossed her legs under the table, Mi chael shi fted at the same ti me. Wi thout warni ng her foot colli ded wi th hi s fi rm, muscled calf, sendi ng jolts of sensati on shooti ng up her leg to her loi ns. Thei r gazes locked, a current of pure sexual awareness passi ng between them. So this i s where you re hi di ng! boomed a deep male voi ce threaded wi th laughter. Mi chael swore under hi s breath, stari ng past Reese wi th an expressi on of annoyance mi ngled wi th dread. Curi ous, she glanced around and saw a man comi ng toward them wi th a cocky swagger that could only be ri valed by Mi chael s. The stranger was dressed i n a well-tai lored charcoal sui t, hi s debonai r appearance offset by the toothpi ck dangli ng i nsolently from a corner of hi s mouth. As he reached thei r table, hi s speculati ve gaze took i nventory of Reese s flushed cheeks and Mi chael s scowl before a knowi ng gri n spread across hi s face. What s up, Wolfman? he greeted Mi chael, clappi ng hi m on the back. No wonder your wai ters were bei ng so ti ght-li pped about where you were. You re up here havi ng a hot date. And speaki ng of hot He eyed Reese wi th frank male i nterest, hi s full li ps curvi ng i n a smi le that had undoubtedly seduced more than a few women i nto parti ng wi th thei r panti es. Hello, beauti ful. Reese couldn t help smi li ng back. Hello. Grudgi ngly Mi chael performed the i ntroducti ons. Reese, I d li ke you to meet Quenti n Reddi ck. Q, thi s i s Reese St. James. It s a real pleasure to meet you, Reese. Quenti n held her hand a li ttle longer than was necessary, earni ng a scowl from Mi chael. Whi le both men were tall, wi de-shouldered and i ncredi bly good-looki ng, the si mi lari ti es ended there. Where Mi chael was dark and smolderi ng, Quenti n had a golden complexi on and bri ght hazel eyes that sparkled wi th i rrepressi ble mi schi ef. So tell me somethi ng, Reese, he drawled. Where s Mi ke been hi di ng you? She gri nned. Actually, he hasn t. I m vi si ti ng from Houston. Vi si ti ng Mi ke? Not exactly. She paused. I m goi ng to be hi s new apprenti ce on Howlin Good. Is that ri ght? Quenti n slanted a knowi ng gri n at Mi chael. You sly, sly dog. Mi chael glared at hi m. Don t you have someplace else to be? Hi s gri n wi dened. Not at the moment. I just came from church and deci ded to swi ng by my favori te restaurant to get my eat on. He wi nked at Reese. Best places to meet beauti ful si ngle womenthe Lord s house and Wolf s Soul. Reese chuckled. Good to know you ve got your pri ori ti es strai ght. Always. Hi s gaze roamed across her face. So, what do you do down there i n Houston? Mi chael rolled hi s eyes i n exasperati on. What s up wi th the i nterrogati on, Q? It s all ri ght. Reese smi led at Quenti n. I m a doctor. A doctor, huh? Hi s expressi on turned downri ght rogui sh. Maybe you can help me out wi th thi s li ttle problem I ve been havi ng. See, I She s an ob-gyn, Mi chael told hi m smugly. She is? Quenti n had the decency to look embarrassed. Damn. Never mi nd. Mi chael and Reese laughed. Deci di ng to turn the tables on Quenti n, Reese asked, So what do you do for a li vi ng? Nothi ng as noble as what you do, he answered, lazi ly di ppi ng hi s hands i nto hi s pockets. I m just a lawyer. Q i s a managi ng partner at my brother s law fi rm, Mi chael elaborated. Quenti n wi nked at Reese. Marcus was the only one i n thi s town crazy enough to hi re me. Mi chael chuckled dri ly, shaki ng hi s head at Reese. As much as I d li ke to agree wi th hi m, he s bei ng modestwhi ch i s rare. The truth i s, he was worki ng at one of the bi ggest law fi rms i n the country when my brother lured hi m away. Marcus consi ders Quenti n a real asset to hi s company. I m i mpressed. Reese smi led at Quenti n. Would you li ke to si t down? No, Mi chael sai d flatly. Sure, Quenti n repli ed at the same ti me. They stared each other down. Or rather, Mi chael glowered whi le Quenti n looked unabashedly amused. Bi ti ng the i nsi de of her cheek to keep from laughi ng at thei r standoff, Reese sai d, Don t mi nd hi m, Quenti n. Please pull up a chai r and joi n us. He di d, flashi ng a tri umphant gri n at Mi chael as he sat ri ght next to Reese. She deci ded not to read too

much i nto Mi chael s narrowed eyes and clenched jaw. How long have you guys known each other? she asked, di vi di ng a curi ous glance between both men. Mi ke and I go way back, Quenti n drawled, stretchi ng out hi s long legs as he settled more comfortably i nto the chai r. We grew up i n the same nei ghborhood, went to Morehouse together. Pledged the same fraterni ty. Another Omega man, huh? Reese gave hi m a whi msi cal smi le. So you re Q the Que. He gri nned. Yep, that s what they called me. A wi cked gleam li t hi s eyes. We called Mi ke the Wolfman, and not just because of hi s last name, ei ther. You know that howl he does on hi s TV show, the famous howl that hi s fans go crazy over? Well, he s been doi ng that for over twenty years. Wanna know how i t got started? She doesn t need to know that, Mi chael cut i n brusquely. Oh, but I want to, Reese countered. I happen to really enjoy that howl, and i f there s an i nteresti ng story behi nd i t, I d li ke to hear i t. Mi chael di dn t bli nk. No. Quenti n wi nked conspi ratori ally at Reese. I ll tell you later. Li ke hell you wi ll, Mi chael growled, leveli ng a glare at hi s fri end that promi sed vi olent retri buti on i f Quenti n defi ed hi m. On second thought, baby gi rl, i t s probably better that you dont know. Quenti n s grave tone was beli ed by the mi schi ef twi nkli ng i n hi s hazel eyes. I wouldn t want to offend your femi ni ne sensi bi li ti es. Reese laughed. That bad, huh? That good, you mean. Quenti n si ghed nostalgi cally, drawi ng a di rty look from Mi chael. Reese gri nned. She could easi ly envi si on the two fri ends ruli ng campus parti es, along wi th a pack of rowdy, hi gh-steppi ng fraterni ty brothers who rushed the dance floor every ti me Atomi c Dog blared over the speakers. Wi th thei r good looks and ki ller smi les, Mi chael and Quenti n must have had thei r way wi th the ladi es. No doubt they sti ll di d. Mi chael looked reli eved when one of hi s busboys appeared to clear thei r table and to tell hi m that hi s sous chef wanted hi s advi ce on wi ne pai ri ngs for toni ght s house speci alty. Go on and handle your busi ness, Quenti n urged, wavi ng Mi chael off. I ll keep Reese company whi le you re gone. Hell, no, Mi chael growled, roundi ng the table. Before Reese could react, he grabbed her hand, tugged her out of the chai r and dragged her downstai rs wi th hi m. They spent the rest of the day si ghtseei ng around Atlanta. Thei r fi rst stop was the Marti n Luther Ki ng, Jr. Nati onal Hi stori c Si te, where they toured the ci vi l ri ghts leader s bi rth home, former church and nei ghborhood. As they strolled the beauti fully landscaped grounds of Peace Plaza and walked around the Ki ng Center, people recogni zed Mi chael and poi nted hi m out exci tedly to thei r compani ons. But for the most part they kept a respectful di stance, perhaps i n deference to the solemn locale. Later, as Reese and Mi chael stood besi de the clear reflecti ng pool that surrounded Dr. Ki ng s marble tomb, she was so moved that tears welled i n her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Wordlessly Mi chael pulled a handkerchi ef from hi s pocket and passed i t to her. She let out a teary laugh as she dabbed at her eyes. Only a true Southern gentleman would carry around a hanki e i n hi s jeans. Mi chael smi led softly. I came prepared. She sni ffed. So you knew I d be reduced to a blubberi ng i di ot i f we came here? You wouldn t be the fi rst. As many ti mes as I ve been here, I m always moved by the experi ence. Beli eve me, you have nothi ng to be embarrassed about. Hi s gentle words earned hi m a grateful, albei t wobbly smi le. Reese held up the damp wad of handkerchi ef. I m gonna hang on to thi sjust i n case. Mi chael chuckled softly. It s yours. He reached out, hi s knuckle gently ski mmi ng her cheek as he tucked an errant strand of hai r behi nd her ear. Reese stared up at hi m, arrested by the tender expressi on on hi s face. When thei r eyes caught and held, her heart thundered. After a prolonged moment Mi chael stepped back, cleari ng hi s throat and glanci ng around at everythi ng but her. Ready to go? She let out a shaky breath, then nodded. They left the hi stori c black nei ghborhood and returned to Mi dtown to vi si t the Hi gh Museum of Art. The popular museum was housed i n a stri ki ng contemporary bui ldi ng that featured four floors of European and Ameri can pai nti ngs, decorati ve arti facts, photography, graphi cs and an i mpressi ve collecti on of Afri can art. Unli ke Vi ctor, Mi chael di dn t si gh i mpati ently or complai n as Reese wandered from one exhi bi t to another, someti mes li ngeri ng for long stretches of ti me. He seemed to take qui et pleasure i n her spi ri ted enjoyment of the museum. When they stopped for an early di nner i n the pi azza, he gave her hi s undi vi ded attenti on as she enthused about her favori te arti sts and explai ned how a college professor had turned her on to the Renai ssance peri od. That s another reason I m dyi ng to vi si t Italy, she told Mi chael. To see the works of Mi chelangelo and da Vi nci , to vi si t Florence Cathedral and St. Peter s Basi li ca. She si ghed wi stfully. One of these days.

What s stoppi ng you? Mi chael asked curi ously. You re a doctor, so i t can t be the money. No, i t s not that. She bi t her li p, rememberi ng wi th renewed i rri tati on that were i t not for Vi ctor, she could be i n Veni ce ri ght now. So what i s i t? Mi chael probed, watchi ng her wi th a qui et, focused i ntensi ty that made her wonder i f he d somehow di scerned her thoughts. She heaved another si gh. I don t know. Growi ng up, I d always i ntended to travel a lot, see the world. But after college there was med school, then my resi dency. Once I started worki ng at the hospi tal, ti me just got away from me. She shrugged. I guess we all have to make sacri fi ces to achi eve our goals. That s true, Mi chael murmured, and she wondered about the personal sacri fi ces he must have made along the way to becomi ng an i nternati onal celebri ty. Before she could ask, he sai d suddenly, Why are you on sabbati cal? Reese tensed. What do you mean? You re only thi rty-four. So I m guessi ng you haven t been practi ci ng medi ci ne long enough to be burned out. So what would make you take a two-month hi atus from a job you obvi ously love? Reese stared i nto hi s keen dark eyes, di smayed by hi s percepti veness. She thought of not answeri ng hi m, but somehow she knew he wouldn t let her get away wi th that. I lost one of my pati ents i n chi ldbi rth, she sai d dully. Hi s expressi on softened. I m sorry to hear that. When di d i t happen? Two months ago. He nodded slowly. You blame yourself. At her surpri sed look, he gently explai ned, You di dn t say one of your pati ents had di ed i n chi ldbi rth. You sai d you lost a pati ent, as i f i t were your fault. Reese swallowed hard, wanti ng to close her eyes agai nst hi s i ntense scruti ny. I di d everythi ng I could to save her. Of course. He wasn t patroni zi ng her. He d spoken wi th absolute certai nty, as though there was no room for doubt regardi ng her i nnocence. So what happened? It was the tender concern i n hi s voi ce that broke her. The raw emoti ons she d been holdi ng i n check welled up i nsi de her and spi lled out: the gri ef, the gui lt, the frustrati on over her i nabi li ty to convi nce Dei dra Thomas that she had too many ri sk factors to have another baby. By the ti me Reese fi ni shed blurti ng out everythi ng, Mi chael had brought hi s chai r around to hers and pulled her i nto hi s arms. As she qui etly sobbed i nto hi s chest, he stroked her back and murmured soothi ngly to her. It di dn t matter to Reese that they were i n publi c. Hi s arms were strong, hi s voi ce was understandi ng and she d needed a good shoulder to cry on for far too long. Sti ll, she felt a li ttle embarrassed when she fi nally pulled away and met the sympatheti c stares of several other di ners, many of whom had asked for Mi chael s autograph when he and Reese fi rst arri ved. What must those people be thi nki ng now? Reese fumbled out the handkerchi ef Mi chael had gi ven her earli er and mopped at her streami ng eyes. I knew thi s would come i n handy agai n, she joked wi th a whi spery laugh. Mi chael smi led, ki ssi ng the top of her head. God, I di dn t mean to cause a scene. She blew her nose, glanci ng around furti vely. I hope there aren t any paparazzi around. They ll run an expos about a woman reduced to hysteri cal tears after you broke up wi th her. Mi chael chuckled. I never do breakups over a meal. It s sacri legi ous. He ran a thumb under her eye, wi pi ng at the moi sture she d mi ssed. She gave hi m a rueful smi le. I assure you that I m not always thi s weepy. There s nothi ng wrong wi th havi ng a good cry. And you defi ni tely needed one. He put a fi nger under her chi n and li fted i t. Hi s gentle eyes searched hers. Feel any better? I do, Reese admi tted, surpri sed. That was very catharti c. In a moment of clari ty, she d deci ded to donate her grand pri ze money to Dei dra Thomas s fami ly. It wouldn t bri ng back Dei dra, but the hundred thousand dollars would help cover the fami ly s medi cal expenses and would enable Ian Thomas to start a college fund for li ttle Fai th. Reese touched Mi chael on the shoulder. Thank you for loani ng thi s to me. He smi led i nto her eyes. Anyti me. Seeki ng to li ghten the mood, she pi cked up her wi neglass and smi led at hi m. So getti ng back to our ori gi nal conversati on. How many ti mes have you been to Italy? He chuckled, not leavi ng her si de. How do you know I have? She gave hi m a look. Any chef worth hi s kni ves has been there. So come on, Mi chael. Tell me all about i t. Let me li ve vi cari ously through you. He smi led agai n, and she li stened wi th rapt absorpti on as he told her about hi s forays to Italy over the years. When he casually menti oned owni ng a small cottage i n Tuscany, Reese groaned wi th envy and joki ngly lobbi ed to have the apprenti ce epi sodes shot from that locati onwhi ch Mi chael di dn t thi nk was such a bad i dea. When they left the museum, he surpri sed her by aski ng, Have you ever played pai ntball? She laughed. Not si nce chi ldhood. He flashed a wi cked gri n. Then you re long overdue. Reese snorted. You re ki ddi ng, ri ght?

Nope. And I know just the place. It s usually closed to the publi c on Sundays, but they re runni ng a summer speci al. Great, Reese sai d weakly. He wi nked at her. It ll be fun. He took her to a place called Pai ntball Atlanta. In exchange for two ti ckets to a li ve tapi ng of Howlin Good, the manager gave Mi chael and Reese thei r own pri vate fi eld, and they spent the next two hours chasi ng each other around wi th loaded pai ntball guns. Mi chael was fast, hunti ng Reese down wi th a stealth that any Navy SEAL would admi re. She found herself alternately squeali ng wi th laughter and howli ng wi th frustrati on every ti me she got hi t whi ch was often. Whenever she did manage to pi ck hi m off, she was so ecstati c that she di dn t even care that he d probably let hi s guard down just to level the playi ng fi eld. It was the most fun she d had i n years. Afternoon stretched i nto ni ght, and all too soon Mi chael was dri vi ng her home and walki ng her to the front door. I had a wonderful ti me, Reese sai d warmly, her sandals dangli ng from her fi ngerti ps. On the way to the pai ntball complex, they d stopped at an outlet mall so she could get more appropri ate footwear. Before she could even think about pulli ng out her credi t card, Mi chael had pai d for the new sneakers and strolled out the door, whi stli ng cheerfully to drown out her protests. He d pai d for everythi ng, maki ng thei r day together feel almost li ke adate. By far the best date she d ever had i n her li fe. She blushed at the thought. Thank you for gi vi ng up your enti re Sunday to take me si ghtseei ng. I know you probably would ve preferred to stay home and catch up on sleep, she added ruefully. Mi chael smi led down at her. Sleep i s overrated. Ignori ng the way her heart fluttered, she gave hi m a teasi ng gri n. You probably won t thi nk so toni ght when you re knocked out cold and drooli ng i nto your pi llow. He chuckled softly. I don t drool. Speak for yourself, Reese mused, stari ng at hi s full, sensual li ps and rememberi ng how i ncredi ble they d felt agai nst her own. The memory of that seari ng, soulshatteri ng ki ss they d shared would haunt her long after she d returned to Texas. Inexpli cably, the thought of goi ng home made her throat ti ghten. So, Mi chael drawled, what re you doi ng tomorrow? Sleepi ng. They both laughed qui etly, calmly, never taki ng thei r eyes off each other. A sultry breeze ki cked up, caressi ng Reese s ski n. She wi shed i t were Mi chael s hands, hi s mouth. She wanted nothi ng more than to i nvi te hi m i nsi de, to spend the ni ght maki ng love to hi m. But she knew she couldn t. Not unti l she d deci ded what to do about Vi ctor. When you re done sleepi ng tomorrow, Mi chael sai d, smi li ng, maybe I could pi ck you up and take you to the studi o. You know, to gi ve you a tour and i ntroduce you to the crew before we start tapi ng next week. Reese nodded qui ckly, so exci ted at the prospect of spendi ng more ti me wi th hi m that she would have agreed to accompany hi m anywhere. I d li ke that very much. Good. He hesi tated, then reached out and brushed hi s thumb across the pulse beati ng at the base of her neck. Reese shi vered. Everythi ng i nsi de her went hot and sensi ti ve. Hi s eyes met hers. Pai nt, he explai ned. She nodded. She had to fi ght the i ntense urge to capture hi s hand and draw hi s thumb slowly i nto her mouth. And she di dn t want to stop at hi s thumb. Good ni ght, Reese, he sai d huski ly. She swallowed hard. Good ni ght, Mi chael. Wi th one last li ngeri ng look at her, he turned and sauntered to hi s car, whi ch he d parked besi de hers i n the dri veway. She stood watchi ng as he cli mbed i nsi de the low-slung Maybach and closed the door. The engi ne purred to li fe. He met her gaze through the wi ndshi eld. Go inside, he mouthed. Reese obeyed wi thout hesi tati on. After closi ng and locki ng the front door, she sagged agai nst i t and li fted a trembli ng hand to her throat, where her ski n sti ll burned from Mi chael s whi sper-soft touch. When she closed her eyes, she swore she heard her relati onshi p wi th Vi ctor flatli ni ng.

Chapter 8
T he next morni ng, Mi chael was awakened by hi s ri ngi ng cell phone. He grabbed i t off the ni ghtstand and checked caller ID. When he saw Reese s number, hi s heart gave an i nvoluntary bump. He pressed the talk button more eagerly than he d have preferred. Hey, you. Good morni ng. That soft, smoky voi ce spi lled i nto hi s ear li ke sun-warmed honey. I know i t s only seventhi rty. Di d I wake you? He smi led. For the second day i n a row, sunshi ne. Uh-oh. She sounded amused. Has anyone ever told you that you re posi ti vely terri fyi ng fi rst thi ng i n the morni ng? He chuckled softly. I m not a morni ng person. Especi ally i f I m operati ng on less than three hours of sleep, he added poi ntedly. She laughed. Touch. Hi s smi le wi dened. He was enjoyi ng thi s too damn much. Actually, Reese, I was goi ng to call you as

soon as I woke up. You were? Yeah. I wanted to see what Hello? The li ne had gone dead. Mi chael held the phone away from hi s ear and stared at i t i n bewi ldered di sbeli ef. Had she just hung up on hi m? Or had they gotten di sconnected? Frowni ng, he qui ckly di aled her number. When she answered the phone laughi ng, he had hi s answer. Sorry, she sai d, soundi ng anythi ng but apologeti c. I just couldn t resi st. Of course you couldn t, Mi chael murmured, humor tuggi ng at the corners of hi s li ps. I sai d I was goi ng to call you, so you fi gured you d let me do i t. Clever. I thought so. She si ghed contentedly. He gri nned wryly. I see that youre a morni ng person. She chuckled. I m a doctor. I m used to getti ng calls at all hours of the ni ght. Babi es who deci de to be born at 2:00 a.m. don t care whether or not I m a morni ng person. So I ve learned to adapt my moods. Any who, she conti nued cheerfully, the reason I was calli ng was to fi nd out what ti me you wanted to go to the studi o. I have to run a few errands. Run them tomorrow, Mi chael thought. Ive been dreaming about you all night and I cant wait to see you again. The sooner, the better. Aloud he sai d smoothly, Take your ti me. We can go around eleven. Are you sure? I don t want to mess up your schedule. Nah, i t s all good. I need to hi t the gym for a couple hours, anyway. She groaned. That s what I should be doi ng. I need to burn off all that food you let me gorge on yesterday. Mi chael gri nned. He could thi nk of at least one way he d li ke to help her burn off calori esand i t had nothi ng to do wi th the use of Nauti lus equi pment. You must spend a lot of ti me i n the gym, she sai d appreci ati vely. You re veryi n shape. He chuckled at the subtle compli ment. I played basketball i n hi gh school and college. So, yeah, keepi ng fi t i s i mportant to me. Especi ally si nce I m surrounded by food all the ti me. Good poi nt. Where do you work out? she asked. I mi ght as well fi nd a gym whi le I m i n town. There s a fi tness center i n my bui ldi ng. You re more than welcome to joi n me anyti me. You re allowed guests? Sure. At the thought of seei ng her voluptuous body gli steni ng wi th sweat after a good workout, hi s mouth watered and blood rushed strai ght to hi s groi n. You wanna come today? Well she hedged. He held hi s breath. No, that s okay. I d better go ahead and take care of my errands. Besi des, she added as an afterthought, between si ghtseei ng and playi ng pai ntball yesterday, we di d a lot of walki ng and runni ng. So that should ti de me over for another day or two. Excuses, excuses, Mi chael teased. She laughed. I know, I know. But I ll be there wi th you i n spi ri t. She d been there wi th hi m for the past si x days. He couldn t get her out of hi s mi nd. I ll call you when I m on my way, he told her. Sounds good. See you soon. Not soon enough, Mi chael thought as he hung up the phone and set i t on the ni ghtstand. Smi li ng, he clasped hi s hands behi nd hi s head and gazed up at the cei li ng as i mages from yesterday tumbled through hi s mi nd. He remembered thei r i ncredi bly romanti c breakfast on the balcony at hi s restaurant. When he had i ntroduced her to hi s staff afterward, he d been fasci nated by the way she d laughed and chatted easi ly wi th everyone, charmi ng the apron off hi s temperamental pastry chef and graci ously accepti ng Gri ffi n s profuse apologi es for the mi x-up wi th the food cri ti c. Reese had a way about her, an i nfecti ous warmth coupled wi th an earthy sensuali ty that was utterly bewi tchi ng. As the day progressed, Mi chael had found hi mself falli ng deeper under her spell. By the ti me they d fi ni shed shooti ng up each other wi th pai ntball gunsthe most fun he d ever had wi th a woman, bar nonehe knew he was i n trouble. In the span of one day he d gone from wi shi ng he d never lai d eyes on her, to lamenti ng any ti me spent apart from her. Whoa, Mi chael whi spered, shaken by the turn of hi s thoughts. He couldn t beli eve what was happeni ng. Here i t was barely ei ght o clock i n the morni ng, and he was lyi ng i n bed wi th a goofy smi le on hi s face, obsessi ng over some woman he hardly even knew. What the hell? It was crazy. Totally out of character for hi m. He d lost hi s damn mi nd. Yet as he untangled hi mself from the covers and swung out of bed, he knew the extra spri ng i n hi s step had everythi ng to do wi th the fact that he d be seei ng Reese agai n soon. And the sooner, the better. But three and a half hours later when he pulled up to the now-fami li ar bungalow and saw a flori st s deli very truck parked at the curb, he got a si nki ng feeli ng i n hi s gut. And that was before he saw Reese standi ng i n the doorway, her cell phone cradled between her ear and shoulder as she si gned for the deli very. When the dri ver handed her a long whi te box ti ed wi th a red sati n bow, she beamed wi th pleasure. It was li ke a blow to Mi chael s chest.

He wai ted unti l the deli very truck had rumbled off before he cli mbed out of the car and slowly started up the walk. By the ti me he reached the front door, hi s good mood had completely di si ntegrated, replaced by a dark, seethi ng emoti on he di dn t want to i denti fy. Mi chael. Reese looked surpri sed to see hi m. Or maybe guilty was a better word. I thought you were goi ng to call when you were on your way. He d been so eager to get there that he d forgotten. Not that he was about to tell her that. Si nce I sai d we could go around eleven, he sai d mi ldly, I fi gured you d be ready. I am. I just Never mi nd. She opened the door wi der and nervously gestured hi m i nsi de. As he stepped i nto the foyer, hi s gaze went i mmedi ately to a box of two dozen long-stemmed red roses that lay open on the table. Ni ce, Mi chael murmured, slowly removi ng hi s sunglasses. Roses were the ki nd of gi ft a guy sent to get hi mself out of the doghouseor i nto a woman s bed. Unori gi nal, but hi ghly effecti ve. Reese wouldn t meet hi s gaze. Yes, they are ni ce. For you? Please say no. Please say they came for your friend Layla. Reese hesi tated, then reluctantly nodded. Yes. They re mi ne. Hi s heart sank, though he should have known better than to get hi s hopes up. So my hunch was ri ght about you, he sai d, hi s voi ce pi tched low. Her hand fluttered to her throat. What hunch? I suspected that you mi ght have a boyfri end. And you do. She met hi s gaze then, but only for a moment before her eyes sli d gui lti ly away. Coward, he si lently mocked her. Instead of answeri ng hi m, she walked qui ckly to the table, sayi ng, I m, uh, goi ng to put these i n water, then we can go. As she scooped up the box of roses, a small whi te card floated to the floor. She di dn t see i t, so i ntent was she on beati ng a hasty retreat. As she conti nued to the ki tchen, Mi chael bent down and pi cked up the card. Unable to resi st, he read the typed message. You didnt say I couldnt send roses. I miss you. Come back to me. Love, Victor. Mi chael clenched hi s jaw as some strange new emoti on washed over hi mraw, fi erce, pri mi ti ve. Enti rely forei gn, enti rely unwelcome. He got slowly to hi s feet as Reese returned to the foyer, sucki ng her thumb where she d presumably been pri cked wi th a thorn. Okay, she sai d bri skly. I m ready to go. Mi chael held up the card, and watched as a deep, embarrassed flush swept across her face. It fell out of the box, he told her. Oh. Thanks, she muttered, practi cally snatchi ng i t out of hi s hand. She tapped i t agai nst her open palm for a moment, then looked up at hi m wi th an unspoken questi on i n her eyes. Mi chael di dn t have to guess what she was aski ng. She wanted to know whether he d read the card. He just looked at her, letti ng the tense si lence hang between them. Not surpri si ngly, she was the fi rst to glance away. We should probably go, she mumbled. You di dn t answer my questi on, Mi chael sai d flatly. She started away from hi m. I left my handbag i n the Di d your boyfri end send the roses? I don t Did he? Mi chael demanded. Yes! She rounded on hi m, those dark eyes flashi ng wi th fi ery defi ance. Yes, the roses are from my boyfri end! Hi s name i s Vi ctor. We ve been together for over a year. We work at the same hospi tal. He loves my cooki ng. Anythi ng else you want to know? Yeah. Mi chael smi rked, surpri sed by the strength of the jealousy he felt. How does your boyfriend feel about you ki ssi ng other men? It was a low blow, and he knew i t. Reese fli nched, hurt and anger flari ng i n her eyes. She took a step backward, glari ng at hi m. Maybe you should just leave, she sai d coldly. No, Mi chael snarled, hi s heart beati ng so savagely he thought he mi ght go i nto cardi ac arrest at any moment. I came to take you to the studi o, and that s what I m doi ng. Fi ne, she snapped. Then I m getti ng my damn purse. Fi ne. I ll wai t i n the damn car. He turned and stalked out of the house. Reese joi ned hi m i n the Maybach a few mi nutes later, slammi ng the door hard enough to make hi s teeth snap together. Wi thout spari ng her a glance he turned the i gni ti on and gunned the accelerator, pi nni ng her agai nst the seat wi th a ti ght-knuckled gri p on the door handle that gave hi m a perverse twi nge of sati sfacti on. He knew he was bei ng i rrati onal, that he had no ri ght to feel so possessi ve over her. Yet he couldn t help hi mself. He wanted her, damn i t. Wanted her li ke no other woman he d ever wanted before. But as long as she had a boyfri end, she was completely off-li mi ts to hi m. Because as much as Mi chael enjoyed playi ng the fi eld, he d always drawn the li ne at sleepi ng wi th women who were already taken. There were too many other fi sh i n the sea for hi m to poach on another man s terri tory. For years he d despi sed Grant Rutherford for luri ng hi s mother away from Sterli ng. Grant hadn t respected Celeste s marri age or her

responsi bi li ty to her fami ly. He d seen somethi ng he wanted and had gone after i t, consequences be damned. As far as Mi chael was concerned, real men di dn t go around steali ng other people s wi ves. They found thei r own. Gi ven hi s personal convi cti ons, i t would be hypocri ti cal of hi m to pursue Reese when he knew she was i n a relati onshi p. And i f she cheated on her boyfri end, how could Mi chael ever trust her to be fai thful to him? Halfway to the downtown televi si on studi o, a burst of song from hi s cell phone cut through the fri gi d si lence i n the car. Out of the corner of hi s eye, Mi chael saw Reese rai se a brow at the ri ng toneFi ght the Power by Publi c Enemy. It was hi s personal theme song for hi s brother, Marcus, the crusadi ng lawyer. In no mood for small talk, Mi chael snatched up the phone and growled, Let me call you back later. Whoa. Marcus was taken aback. Damn, what s wrong wi th you? Mi chael i mpati ently swi tched lanes. Thi s i sn t a good ti me, li ttle man. I m sorry to hear that, because I need a favor. What? Can you pi ck up Mom and Grant from the ai rport? Toni ght? No. Marcus sounded puzzled. What re you talki ng about? They re not arri vi ng toni ght. Mi chael frowned. When does thei r fli ght get i n? In an hour. What? Si nce when? They changed thei r fli ght a couple weeks ago. Oh, yeah, that s ri ghtyou were on your book tour. I thought Dad told you. He must have forgot. Anyway, I m on my way to the studi o. Why can t you pi ck them up from the ai rport? I had planned to, Marcus sai d gri mly, but I m sti ll at the offi ce. Why? I thought you and Samara took another week off from work to spend ti me wi th the fami ly. We di d. But I had to come i n to help put out a fi re i nvolvi ng one of our bi g cli ents. What about Samara? Samara Wolf was a publi c relati ons consultant, so her schedule was more flexi ble. She s out runni ng around wi th her mother, fi nali zi ng preparati ons for the recepti on next Monday. Asha s already i n town? Mi chael asked i n surpri se. Her grand openi ng wasn t for another week. Yeah. She flew i n yesterday afternoon. She was hopi ng to meet wi th you to di scuss the recepti on menu, but you never answered your cell phone. I was out, Mi chael muttered wi th a si deways glance at Reese. She sat ramrod strai ght, her hands clasped ti ghtly i n her lap as she stared through the wi ndshi eld, si mmeri ng wi th hosti li ty. You turned off your phone yesterday? Marcus asked. Mi chael grunted an affi rmati ve. He hadn t wanted the outsi de world to i ntrude on hi s ti me wi th Reese. What a joke. That must have been one helluva date, Marcus sai d slyly. Mi chael scowled. It wasn t a date. He felt rather than saw Reese sti ffen even more i n her seat. Whatever you say, bro. Marcus chuckled. So can you swi ng by the ai rport, then drop Mom and Grant off at Dad s house? Yet another surpri se. Why aren t they stayi ng wi th you and Samara li ke they always do? Marcus heaved a si gh. You know Mom and Asha don t get along. It s li ke they re i n competi ti on wi th each other to see who can be the best grandmother. They re always one-uppi ng each other wi th gi fts for the twi ns, and Mom thi nks Asha purposely scheduled the grand openi ng of her bouti que to coi nci de wi th Mom s summer vi si t so she could steal the spotli ght. Mi chael rolled hi s eyes i n exasperati on. Women and thei r drama. Tell me about i t, Marcus agreed wi th a wry chuckle. Needless to say, Samara and I di dn t thi nk havi ng them under the same roof was such a good i dea. So si nce Asha arri ved fi rst, she got di bs on accommodati ons. Mi chael gri nned. Gi ven the way she and Dad are always at each other s throats, stayi ng wi th hi m was out of the questi on. Marcus laughed. You got that ri ght. They d probably ki ll each other before the week was over. A low murmur of voi ces could be heard i n the background. Li sten, Mi ke, I gotta run. My cli ent just arri ved. Thanks for pi cki ng up Mom and Grant for me on such short noti ce. I owe you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mi chael hung up and returned the phone to the center console, then glanced over at Reese. We have to make a detour to the ai rport to pi ck up my mother. She looked stri cken. You re taki ng me wi th you? I don t have ti me to turn around and dri ve you back home. We d never make i t to the ai rport i n ti me. Not i n thi s traffi c. Bi ti ng her li p, she glanced down at her snug T-shi rt, deni m capri pants and pi nk fli p-flops. Interpreti ng her thoughts, Mi chael sai d i mpati ently, Relax. You look fi ne. And even i f you di dn t, so what? It s not li ke you re bei ng i ntroduced as her future daughter-i n-law. Reese bri stled. You should be so lucky. What the hell s that supposed to mean? I ll let you fi gure i t out. Fumi ng, she turned away to glare out the passenger wi ndow, addi ng under her breath, Jerk. Mi chael scowled.

So much for thei r truce.

Chapter 9
Celeste Rutherford was a typi cal mother i n that every ti me she came for a vi si t, she reacted as though i t had been years si nce she d last seen her chi ldren, when i n her case i t had only been four months. She d flown to Atlanta earli er that year to spend Easter wi th the fami ly, and before that she d stayed for two weeks followi ng Chri stmas. She would have remai ned longer i f her husbandafter enduri ng one too many wi nter ni ghts alonehadn t begged her to return home to Mi nnesota. When Mi chael saw hi s mother standi ng alone i n the bustli ng ai rport termi nal, he wondered i f she d left Grant behi nd agai n. At the si ght of Mi chael, she beamed wi th such radi ant joy that he couldn t help aski ng hi mself how he d ever doubted her love for hi m. Darli ng! she cri ed warmly, rushi ng forward and wrappi ng hi m i n one of those ri b-crushi ng embraces that beli ed her slender, peti te frame. Mi chael smi led, holdi ng her close. Hey, Mom. How are you? Couldn t be better, now that you re here. She clung a moment longer, then drew back and cradled hi s face between her hands, her ci nnamon-brown eyes shi ni ng wi th tender adorati on. I swear you get handsomer every ti me I see you. How i s that even possi ble? I don t know. Mi chael gri nned crookedly. Are you sti ll refusi ng to wear your bi focals? She laughed, lovi ngly stroki ng hi s cheek. You look just li ke your father. It s li ke steppi ng back i n ti me. Mi chael smi led. And speaki ng of that, you look really good, Mom. All your fri ends must hate you. Oh, go on wi th you, boy, she guffawed, blushi ng pretti ly. At si xty-fi ve, Celeste s smooth caf-au-lai t ski n glowed wi th an age-defyi ng health and vi tali ty. Her hai r was li berally woven wi th si lver and cropped i n short, sleek layers that accentuated the serene beauty of her face. Si nce becomi ng a frequent flyer i n recent years, she d learned to dress for comfort rather than style, though she sti ll managed to epi tomi ze casual elegance i n a breezy summer top, pleated li nen slacks and jeweled sandals. Mi chael glanced around curi ously. Where s Grant? In the restroom. He ll be ri ght out. Celeste s gaze suddenly landed on Reese, who d hung back a li ttle to gi ve mother and son pri vacy. Wi th a di screet glance at Reese s hourglass body poured i nto snug deni m, Celeste undoubtedly reached the conclusi on that she was one of her son s latest conquests. Hello, Celeste murmured poli tely. Mi chael turned as Reese stepped shyly forward. Mom, I d li ke you to meet Reese St. James. Reese, thi s i s my mother, Celeste Rutherford. Celeste offered a fri endly, i f not di stant, smi le. How ni ce to meet you, Reese. It s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Rutherford, Reese sai d warmly. Di d you have a good fli ght? Celeste looked pleasantly surpri sed, as i f she hadn t expected Reese to sound so graci ous or arti culate. Damn, Mi chael thought wi th a pang of i rri tati on. What kind of women does she think I date? Im not Quentin! Yes, I di d enjoy the fli ght, Celeste answered smoothly. Thank you for aski ng, Reese. Noti ng the speculati ve gleam i n hi s mother s eyes, Mi chael hastened to explai n. Reese just won my apprenti ce contest. Oh! Congratulati ons! Celeste exclai med, claspi ng both of Reese s hands between hers. You must be so exci ted. Ecstati c, Reese enthused. It s an opportuni ty of a li feti me. I m a huge fan of your son s. Celeste beamed wi th pleasure, completely mi ssi ng the sardoni c glance that passed between Mi chael and Reese. I can t tell you how many fri ends and coworkers tri ed to bri be me i nto putti ng i n a good word wi th Mi chael, Celeste confi ded. After the contest was announced, you won t beli eve the number of cards, gi fts and baked goods I recei ved. And every ti me I turned around, someone was droppi ng by for a surpri se vi si t. She gri nned, shaki ng her head at Reese. You re goi ng to be the envy of a lot of heartbroken women. Reese si ghed dramati cally. Better them than me, I suppose. Celeste laughed, amused and deli ghted. Mi chael had never been more reli eved to see hi s stepfather approachi ng. Grant Rutherford was of medi um hei ght and bui ld, wi th a recedi ng thatch of curly gray hai r and sharp green eyes that revealed hi s bi raci al roots. Dressed i n a cri sp polo shi rt and neatly pressed khaki trousers, he looked li ke he d just strolled off hi s favori te golf course. He gri nned broadly and greeted Mi chael wi th a qui ck bear hug. Good to see you, Mi chael. Your mother has been looki ng forward to thi s tri p ever si nce she returned from the last one. Mi chael smi led. I m glad you both could make i t. Turni ng to Reese at hi s si de, he qui ckly performed the i ntroducti ons. As Reese shook Grant s hand, she sai d, You wouldn t happen to be Dr. Grant Rutherford of the Mayo Cli ni c, would you? Grant nodded. That would be me. Reese s face li t up wi th exci tement. Oh my goodness! It s such an honor to meet you, Dr. Rutherford. I ve been followi ng your studi es on stem cell research i n the New England Journal of

Medicine. Is that ri ght? Grant beamed, hi s chest swelli ng wi th pri de as he eyed her wi th keen i nterest. Young lady, are you a physi ci an? Reese nodded. Obstetri cs and gynecology. I work at The Methodi st Hospi tal i n Houston. You don t say? Grant s brows arched wi th obvi ous approval. Methodi st i s a very good faci li ty. I understand i t was recently recogni zed as one of the nati on s best hospi tals by U.S. News & World Report. Reese gri nned. Yes, si r. We re very proud of that accompli shment. As you should be. Where di d you go to medi cal school, Reese? Johns Hopki ns. Grant and Celeste traded looks of such unconcealed deli ght, you d have thought Reese had just announced she d found the cure for cancer. As they left the busy ai rport termi nal and headed toward the parki ng garage, Grant and Reese talked shop whi le Celeste fell i n step besi de Mi chael, sli ppi ng her arm compani onably through hi s. Reese seems li ke such a wonderful young woman, she gushed. It looks li ke you really struck gold wi th your apprenti ce search. Mi chael di d a mental eye roll, wonderi ng i f there was anyone Reese couldn t charm and i mpress. Hi s only hope was Sterli ng, who d hated practi cally every woman Mi chael had ever dated. Though he d never admi t i t to the old man, Mi chael had always valued hi s father s opi ni on above anyone else s. Not only di d Sterli ng genui nely have hi s best i nterests at heart, but after thi rty years as a homi ci de detecti ve, he d acqui red an uncanny abi li ty to read people. He knew bullshi t when he smelled i t, and he never hesi tated to call a spade a spade. If anyone could resi st Reese s charms, Sterli ng Wolf could. Mi chael only wi shed he could say the same for hi mself. Recli ni ng i n the luxuri ous backseat of the Maybach wi th Celeste Rutherford, Reese fi elded questi ons about work, her fami ly and growi ng up i n Houston. She asked Grant Rutherford about hi s latest cli ni cal research study and chatted about everythi ng from the weather to the bad economy. But i f asked later to recall speci fi c detai ls of the conversati on, she would have been at a complete loss. She d been unable to concentrate on anythi ng si nce argui ng wi th Mi chael that morni ng. She was sti ll reeli ng wi th shock, anger and confusi on over the way he d lashed out at her for havi ng a boyfri end. He d reacted li ke a scorned lover. Whi ch was absurd, consi deri ng that he and Reese had hated each other s guts just yesterday. If she hadn t shown up at hi s penthouse seeki ng a truce, they d sti ll be bi tter enemi es today. He had no ri ght to be jealous of her relati onshi p wi th another man. But he had been jealous, and that reali zati on left her shaken and more confli cted than ever. When she d recei ved a call that morni ng from a local flori st noti fyi ng her that a dri ver was en route to her house, Reese had known ri ght away that Vi ctor had sent her roses. Exasperated by hi s stubborn persi stence, she d thanked the flori st and called Vi ctor, i ntendi ng to gi ve hi m another earful about not respecti ng her boundari es. But he d masterfully deflected her i re, and by the ti me the doorbell rang, he d had Reese laughi ng and remi ni sci ng about the fi rst ti me they d ever met. Before the conversati on ended he d told her that he loved her and mi ssed her, but he was wi lli ng to gi ve her the space she d asked for. And then Mi chael had arri vedand all hell broke loose. If Reese were bei ng honest wi th herself, she would admi t that Mi chael wasn t enti rely i n the wrong. The admi t that Mi chael wasn t enti rely i n the wrong. The truth was that she d been gi vi ng hi m mi xed si gnals ever si nce they d met. Fi rst she d asked hi m to dri ve her home wi th the i ntent of seduci ng hi m, then she d spent an enti re day wi th hi m, laughi ng and bondi ng wi th hi m. From Mi chael s perspecti ve, she was acti ng li ke a tease, sayi ng one thi ng and doi ng another. It wasn t fai r to hi m, and i t sure as hell wasn t fai r to Vi ctor. So i t had to stop, Reese vowed. No matter how powerful the attracti on between her and Mi chael, she had to resi st temptati on and keep thei r relati onshi p stri ctly platoni c. It was the only way she d get through the next two months wi th her i ntegri tyand sani tyi ntact. But when she glanced up and caught Mi chael s dark gaze i n the rearvi ew mi rror, i nstant heat swamped her body. Swallowi ng hard, she jerked her eyes away and smi led bri ghtly at hi s mother. No one ever sai d resi sti ng temptati on was easy. Thi rty mi nutes later, Reese found herself leani ng toward the wi ndow as the car gli ded down a wi ndi ng country road flanked by huge magnoli a trees. She stared, ri veted by the si ght of a sprawli ng redbri ck house that boasted tall wi ndows overlooki ng ri otously bloomi ng flowers. Mi chael turned i nto the dri veway, passi ng an expanse of mani cured lawn and a small lake i n the center of the property before he came to a stop behi nd a si lver Bui ck. Wow. The si ngle word escaped Reese i n a hushed whi sper. Besi de her, Celeste Rutherford smi led. Amazi ng,

i sn t i t? Mi chael and hi s brother bought thi s house for thei r father several years ago. The fi rst ti me I came here, I was si mply blown away. Wai t unti l you see the backyard. The garden wi ll leave you breathless. They cli mbed out of the car, and whi le Mi chael and Grant retri eved the luggage from the trunk, the two women started toward the house. They were met at the front door by a mi ddle-aged woman who i ntroduced herself to Reese as Fri zell Randolph, Sterli ng s personal chef. Where s Sterli ng? Celeste asked the woman as they entered the house. He s i n the backyard wi th Ms. Duboi s. Last I checked, they were di scussi ng seati ng arrangements for the recepti on di nner. Samara just left to pi ck up the twi ns from day care. She promi sed to hurry back as soon as she can, along wi th Marcus. Reese glanced around the house, taki ng i n the double-hei ght foyer, butterfly stai rcases and chandeli er li fts. Thi ck Aubusson rugs were spread across glossy hardwood floors, and fresh-cut flowers were arranged i n crystal vases on gleami ng mahogany tables. Let me show you the backyard whi le Mi chael and Grant carry the bags upstai rs, Celeste sai d, drapi ng an arm compani onably around Reese s shoulders. As they started from the foyer, Grant could be overheard grumbli ng to Mi chael, I don t know why your mother i nsi sted on packi ng so much clothes. We re only stayi ng for two weeks. Mi chael chuckled. Or so you thi nk. Celeste ushered Reese through the house to a pai r of double French doors that opened onto an enormous veranda. As they stepped outsi de and crossed to the rai li ng, Reese saw that Celeste had not exaggerated about the backyard, whi ch was huge and nothi ng short of breathtaki ng. But before she could take i t all i n, her attenti on was di verted by a burst of loud, angry voi ces. Celeste muttered under her breath as a man and a woman suddenly emerged from a dense thi cket of trees and began marchi ng toward the house. Reese stared i n i ncredulous di sbeli ef. What shocked her wasn t the si ght of two grown adults squabbli ng li ke chi ldren on a playground. Rather, i t was the si ght of the tall, dark-ski nned man who bore such a stri ki ng resemblance to Mi chael that Reese wondered whether she d unwi tti ngly stumbled i nto a ti me warp projected twenty years i nto the future. Her gaze moved to the woman next. She was tall, voluptuous and stunni ngly beauti ful. Dressed i n a styli sh whi te pantsui t and sti letto heels, she strode down the flagstone walkway wi th the i cy hauteur of a seasoned runway model. As Reese stared at the woman, recogni ti on dawned. Her eyes wi dened. Wai t a mi nute. Is that Asha Duboi s, Celeste fi ni shed sourly. Yes, i t i s. Judgi ng by her tone and the gri m set of her mouth, i t was obvi ous that Celeste was no fan of Asha Duboi s, a world-renowned fashi on desi gner who was i n town to celebrate the grand openi ng of her Lenox Square bouti quean event that was garneri ng as much buzz on local radi o stati ons as Mi chael s return home the week before. In her youth, Asha had been a supermodel whose exoti c beauty had graced countless magazi ne covers. After reti ri ng from the runway, she d gone on to successfully launch her own clothi ng empi re, becomi ng one of the fi rst Afri canAmeri can desi gners to conquer the cutthroat world of haute couture. Reese, whose own closet was fi lled wi th House of Duboi s fashi ons, couldn t help feeli ng a li ttle starstruck at the prospect of meeti ng Asha Duboi s. Though barely fi fty, the woman was already a li vi ng legend. My son Marcus i s marri ed to her daughter, Celeste volunteered. Really? Reese si lently marveled at the odds of her meeti ng a celebri ty chef, a promi nent neurosurgeon and a famous fashi on desi gner i n less than a week. And astoni shi nglythey were all i n the same extended fami ly. As Sterli ng Wolf and Asha Duboi s drew nearer to the house, Reese couldn t help noti ci ng what a stri ki ng pai r they made. But based on the way they were quarreli ng wi th each other, i t was abundantly clear there was no love lost between them. I don t even know why I bothered to consult wi th you, Asha was venti ng. Even i n her anger, her voi ce was cool and cultured. You don t know the fi rst thi ng about hosti ng a classy affai r. My God, i f i t were up to you, we would have served pork ri bs and beans at our chi ldren s weddi ng recepti on! And what the hell s wrong wi th that? Sterli ng fi red back. In case you haven t noti ced, woman, we re i n the South. And we Southerners happen to enjoy our barbecue! Asha shuddered. Not at a weddi ng. Even at a weddi ng! He snorted deri si vely. Hell, i f you weren t such a stuck up wi tch Asha glared at hi m. Who re you calli ng a wi tch, you old Celeste cleared her throat loudly, and the two combatants looked around i n surpri se. When they saw Celeste and Reese watchi ng them from the rai li ng, thei r expressi ons turned sheepi sh. We have company, Celeste announced sweetly. So I see. Sterli ng Wolf stepped onto the veranda, hi s dark eyes homi ng i n on Reese. Well, hello there. And who mi ght you be?

Reese smi led, suddenly nervous about comi ng faceto-face wi th Mi chael s father. He cut an i mposi ng fi gure wi th hi s neatly tri mmed saltand-pepper hai r, keenly i ntelli gent gaze and tall, robust bui ld. Seei ng that Reese was momentari ly tongue-ti ed, Celeste came to her rescue. Sterli ng, thi s i s Reese St. James, Mi chael s new apprenti ce. Sterli ng s heavy brows shot up, and a wi de gri n swept across hi s ruggedly handsome face. It s a pleasure to make your acquai ntance, Mi ss St. James, he sai d, hi s large, callused hand envelopi ng hers i n a fi rm handshake. Welcome to Atlanta. Reese smi led shyly. Thank you, Mr. Wolf. You have a beauti ful home. Thank you ki ndly. I ve learned to appreci ate i t. Hi s eyes twi nkled, gi vi ng her a gli mpse of the devi li sh charm that obvi ously flowed i n the Wolf gene pool. Reese i s a doctor, Celeste told hi m proudly. So I ve heard. Sterli ng smi led, leavi ng Reese to wonder what else he knew about her. Wi ll you be joi ni ng us for di nner thi s eveni ng? Before Reese could respond, an amused voi ce drawled, Doesn t waste any ti me, does he? Both Celeste and Sterli ng turned to glare at Asha, who sat at a whi te wrought-i ron table i dly si ppi ng from a glass of wi ne that had materi ali zed out of nowhere. Her long, shapely legs were crossed, and her black hai r was sli cked back i nto an elegant chi gnon that accentuated her hi gh cheekbones, sultry dark eyes and lush, sensual mouth. Asha, Celeste murmured, forci ng a smi le that looked as i f she had a li p full of Novocai n. You re looki ng well. Asha i ncli ned her head. Merci. She di dn t return the compli mentdeli berately, Reese suspected. Before Celeste could even regi ster the sli ght, Asha s eyes traveled to Reese s face, gi vi ng her a swi ft, evaluati ve once-over. You have excellent bone structure. Please tell me you ve done some modeli ng before. No, ma am. I haven t. Reese smi led, not i mmune to recei vi ng such a compli ment from the legendary fashi on desi gner. Asha shook her head. What a shame. Maybe. Reese shrugged. But even i f I wanted to model, I m too old to do anythi ng about i t now. Asha gave a low, i ndulgent laugh. A word of advi ce, darli ng. Never admi t to bei ng too old for anythi ng. Isn t that ri ght, Celeste? Celeste bri stled, her face reddeni ng at the vei led i nsult. Sterli ng leveled a narrow glance at Asha. Woman, don t you have places to go? People to see? Not at the moment, she sai d blandly. Besi des, after runni ng around wi th Samara all morni ng, I need a break from thi s suffocati ng heat. I don t know how you people can stand i t. No one told you to schedule your grand openi ng at the hei ght of summer, Celeste sni dely poi nted out. True enough. Asha took a langui d si p of wi ne. And no one told you to move to the frozen tundra of Mi nnesota. But I suppose your personali ty i s better sui ted to fri gi d weather. Celeste sputtered wi th i ndi gnati on. How dare Sterli ng lai d a gentle, restrai ni ng hand upon her arm. We have company, remember? She darted a glance at Reese then clamped her jaw shut, seethi ng wi th suppressed fury as she glared at Asha. Sterli ng gave Reese a conci li atory smi le. You have to excuse us old folks. We get cranky when we haven t had our nap. Speak for yourself. Asha si pped more wi ne, her gaze returni ng to Reese. Have you been i nvi ted to my recepti on on Monday? Um, no, I Then consi der thi s your i nvi tati on. Asha looked at Sterli ng. You don t mi nd, do you? When Mi chael told me you d agreed to let me use your home to host the event, he gave me free rei n to i nvi te as many people as I wanted. I don t mi nd at all. Sterli ng smi led ti ghtly at Reese. I would have i nvi ted you myself i f she hadn t beat me to i t. Who beat you to what? Four pai rs of eyes swung around to fi nd Mi chael standi ng at the entrance to the veranda. He took one look at hi s parents strai ned faces, then Asha s smug expressi on, and slowly shook hi s head. Never mi nd, he muttered. I don t want to know. Reese couldn t help noti ci ng the way he d deli berately avoi ded looki ng at her. Fine, she thought crossly. If he wants to pretend Im invisible, two can play that game! Hello, Mi chael, Asha murmured. I was just begi nni ng to wonder i f you d ever show up. Asha. Mi chael bent to ki ss her upturned cheek. It s good to see you agai n. Ready for next Monday? I m always ready. She smi led. Darli ng, I hope you ll forgi ve me for scheduli ng my grand openi ng on the same day as your show s season premi ere. I di dn t reali ze the dates coi nci ded unti l i t was too late. You know the last thi ng I want to do i s steal your spotli ght. Li ke hell, Celeste muttered under her breath. Ignori ng hi s mother, Mi chael sai d smoothly, Don t worry about i t, Asha. We always tape the show i n the morni ng, so there won t be a confli ct wi th your

recepti on that eveni ng. And the studi o usually throws a small party to celebrate the season premi ere, so ei ther way, I m gonna have a good ti me that ni ght. Wonderful. Asha beamed wi th pleasure. If you have some ti me, Mi chael, I thought we could go over the recepti on menu and seati ng arrangements, maybe take another tour of the garden to fi nali ze the layout. Absolutely, he agreed. We can meet now, i f you d li ke. Absolutely. Asha uncrossed her legs and gli ded to her feet wi th a sensual, feli ne grace that would make any man drool. I m dyi ng to see how your staff wi ll decorate the garden, Asha told Mi chael. They di d such a fabulous job for Marcus and Samara s weddi ng. It s hard to i magi ne them toppi ng themselves. Mi chael flashed a gri n. Then you re i n for a real treat. I met wi th them on Saturday, and I thi nk you ll be very pleased wi th what they have i n mi nd. I don t doubt i t, Asha sai d wi th a lazy smi le. Reese si lently berated herself for feeli ng a sharp stab of jealousy when Asha li nked her arm through Mi chael s. Mi chael, Celeste sai d ti ghtly, where s Grant? He had to make a few phone calls. SorryI meant to tell you when I fi rst came out. That s okay. You were obvi ously di stracted. Shooti ng one last wi theri ng look at Asha, Celeste muttered an excuse about havi ng a headache and stalked back i nto the house. Mi chael cocked a brow at hi s father. Di d I mi ss somethi ng? Chuckli ng dri ly, Sterli ng waved hi m off. Go on wi th Asha. Reese and I are gonna si t out here, si p lemonade and get better acquai nted. I hope that s okay wi th you, Reese? She gave hi m her sunni est smi le. I d li ke that very much. Mi chael looked from one to the other, eyes narrowed. We won t be long, he sai d curtly, and strode off wi th Asha.

Chapter 10
Mi chael was sti ll i n a foul mood that eveni ng. Nursi ng hi s second glass of Merlot, he cast a surly glance around the long mahogany di nner table, whi ch had been set wi th Sterli ng s best chi na and decorated wi th fresh flowers from the garden. Ms. Fri zell, wi th mi nor i nput from Mi chael, had prepared a lavi sh fi vecourse feast fi t for royalty. Everyone seemed to be havi ng a good ti me. Presi di ng at the head of the table, Sterli ng engaged Grant i n a spi ri ted debate about the best golf courses i n Georgi a versus Mi nnesota. Marcus and Samara had thei r hands full wi th the twi ns, alternately cajoli ng the boys to eat thei r vegetables and laughi ng at thei r anti cs. Even Celeste and Asha were bei ng ci vi l to each other, honori ng thei r unspoken agreement never to argue i n front of thei r grandchi ldren. And then there was Reese. Reese, whose radi ant smi les and engagi ng personali ty made i t i mpossi ble for anyone to treat her as an outsi der. In broodi ng resi gnati on, Mi chael watched her work her charm on hi s fami ly, laughi ng and banteri ng wi th that natural ease he d grown to admi re. Even hi s nephews fell under her spell, gi ggli ng at the goofy faces she made at them and vyi ng for her attenti on. Mi chael couldn t take hi s eyes off her. In contrast, Reese had barely spared hi m a glance all eveni ng. Earli er, he d returned from meeti ng wi th Asha to fi nd Reese and hi s father ri ght where he d left them on the veranda, si ppi ng lemonade and shari ng a laugh li ke old fri ends. Mi chael had known the verdi ct even before Sterli ng met hi s gaze and mouthed: Shes a keeper, Mike. Those four unforgettable words, never before uttered by hi s father, had plunged Mi chael i nto an even blacker mooda volati le cocktai l of anger, frustrati on and longi ng. And the more Reese i gnored hi m over di nner, the worse hi s mood became. After di nner, everyone gravi tated to the backyard as dusk approached. Whi le the others roamed the landscaped grounds, Mi chael stayed on the veranda seated at a table under the pretext of maki ng some phone calls. He checked hi s voi ce mai l messages, then di aled the restaurant to see how thi ngs were goi ng. After speaki ng to hi s sous chef for a few mi nutes, he hung up just as he recei ved a text message from Lexi . Hows the family visit going? she wrote. Is the diva still breathing? Mi chael couldn t suppress a wry chuckle. Lexi knew all about hi s parents acri moni ous relati onshi p wi th Asha Duboi s. She d often had Mi chael i n sti tches as she concocted slapsti ck scenari os i n whi ch Sterli ng and Celeste plotted to get ri d of Asha, only to be thwarted at every turn by the di va who wouldn t di e. Smi li ng, Mi chael typed back, The divas alive and well. And fine as hell. A moment later Lexi responded. You sound just like Q. Mi chael scowled. Low blow, he shot back. So r r y, came her amused reply. Couldnt resist. Anyway, some friends and I are meeting Q for drinks. Wanna come? You can keep your boy in line. Mi chael paused, hi s gaze strayi ng to where Reese was playi ng hi de-and-seek wi th the twi ns. The boys

were gi ggli ng hysteri cally, thei r short, sturdy legs pumpi ng as they tri ed to evade capture, a task made easy by Reese s exaggeratedly slow runni ng. Mi chael watched them, hi s chest squeezi ng as he envi si oned Reese pregnant. Holdi ng hi s baby i n her arms. Chasi ng their chi ld around the yard. Shaken by the i mages, he jerked hi s gaze back to the phone, where Lexi was awai ti ng hi s response to her i nvi tati on. He wondered what she would say i f she knew about hi s growi ng feeli ngs for Reese, the very same woman he d vehemently objected to havi ng on hi s show just three days ago. He d always sought Lexi s advi ce about women, but for some reason he di dn t want to tell her about Reese. Hi s feeli ngs for her were too new, too confusi ng, too powerful. Too damn scary. Are you there? Lexi prompted. Mi chael cleared hi s throat and qui ckly typed, Cant meet for drinks. But how about lunch on Thursday? Your treat? Of course. Then youre on, baby. Mi chael gri nned. Have fun tonight and tell Q to behave, or else. He sent the message, then stuffed hi s phone i nto the back pocket of hi s jeans. As hi s broodi ng gaze wandered back to Reese, Marcus cli mbed onto the veranda and cauti ously approached, eyei ng Mi chael as i f he were a feral ani mal who mi ght pounce at any moment. When Marcus had nearly reached the table, he stopped and asked, Is i t safe to proceed? Mi chael just looked at hi m. Remember when we were younger, and I d take stuff from your room and forget to put i t back before you noti ced i t was mi ssi ng? Remember when I was si x and I acci dentally tore your autographed Domi ni que Wi lki ns poster? Well, the way you re looki ng at me now i s the way you looked at me that day. Man, I was so scared you d beat the crap out of me that I peed on myself. Remember that? Mi chael tri ed, but couldn t sti fle hi s laughter. Marcus gri nned, looki ng reli eved as he pulled out a chai r at the table and ni mbly straddled i t. Dad was so mad that I d rui ned a new pai r of pants that he whi pped my butt, anyway. Beli eve i t or not, li ttle man, you got off lucky that day. I was mad enough to strangle you. I loved that poster. I know. But at least I made i t up to you. Yeah, you di d, Mi chael agreed, thi nki ng of the way Marcus had i nvi ted the NBA legend to hi s forti eth bi rthday bash. Mi chael s gi ft from Domi ni que Wi lki ns, of course, had been an autographed poster to replace the one Marcus had ri pped years ago. Mi chael smi led at the memory, feeli ng some of the tensi on ebb from hi s body. It di dn t last. So what s up wi th you and Reese? Marcus demanded, droppi ng all pretenses of maki ng small talk. Mi chael frowned. Nothi ng s up wi th us. Li ke hell, Marcus snorted. You ve been sulki ng all ni ght, and she s been goi ng out of her way to treat you li ke the Invi si ble Man. What the hell happened between you two? I don t wanna talk about i t, Mi chael bi t off. Undaunted, Marcus pressed, What changed between yesterday morni ng and today? Q says you and Reese looked mi ghty cozy together when he saw you at the restaurant. Mi chael glared at hi s brother. He told you about that? Marcus gave hi m a come-on-now look. Mi chael swore under hi s breath. Of course Quenti n had run hi s mouth to Marcus. He always di d. On second thought, Mi chael groused, maybe i t wasnt such a good i dea for you to hi re Q. The two of you have way too much ti me on your hands at the offi ce. Marcus smi led. Actually, I thi nk we re pretty producti ve. And you haven t answered my questi on. How di d you and Reese go from bei ng lovey-dovey to not even speaki ng to each other? Scowli ng, Mi chael shoved to hi s feet and stalked over to the rai li ng. Stri vi ng for calm, he stared out across the sprawli ng yard, mentally catalogui ng the i dylli c scene before hi m. Hi s mother and Grant lounged i n the gazebo, whi le Sterli ng and Asha strolled along the walkway swi ngi ng thei r grandsons between them. Reese and Samara now sat talki ng by the small pool, thei r bare legs dangli ng i n the shi mmeri ng water. As Mi chael watched Reese, a deep ache of longi ng washed through hi m. He recogni zed i t as the same feeli ng he d experi enced at Marcus s weddi ng, a feeli ng that had resurfaced i n recent days. The day after he met Reese, to be exact. Marcus joi ned hi m at the rai li ng. Followi ng the di recti on of hi s brother s gaze, he smi led. Those two look li ke they ve been fri ends for years. Mi chael grunted i n agreement. Marcus si ghed. I ve always hoped that whenand i f you ever get marri ed, our wi ves wi ll be as close as we are. Mi chael slanted hi s brother a look that would have sent a lesser man scurryi ng under the table. But Marcus merely gri nned. Don t go planni ng any weddi ngs just yet, Mi chael grumbled. Reese has a boyfri end. Ahh. Marcus nodded wi sely. That explai ns the tortured expressi on on your face every ti me you look

at her. I don t have a tortured expressi on. But even as the swi ft deni al left Mi chael s mouth, i t rang hollow i n hi s ears. Marcus gave hi m an almost pi tyi ng look. I can defi ni tely see how you got bli ndsi ded. Reese i s a beauti ful woman. Smart as hell, too. He chuckled. Mom can t stop menti oni ng that she s a doctor. Yeah, Mi chael sai d, hi s mouth twi sti ng cyni cally, and we all know how Mom feels about doctors. It was an ugly thi ng to say, a barbed reference to the way Celeste had deserted them i n favor of Grant Rutherford, the ri ch, handsome surgeon at the hospi tal where she d worked. For years Mi chael had despi sed doctors so much that he couldn t even watch them on TV. And now here he was maki ng a fool of hi mself over, of all thi ngs, a doctor. Oh, the i rony. So, what re you gonna do about i t? Marcus asked, resti ng hi s arms on the rai li ng. Do about what? Your feeli ngs for Reese. What re you gonna do about i t? Mi chael frowned at hi s brother. Di dn t you hear what I just sai d? She has a boyfri end. Is i t seri ous? How the hell should I know? Mi chael snapped. He d i d n t want to know. The thought of Reese wi th another man made hi m feel downri ght homi ci dal. So that s i t, then. Because she s already i n a relati onshi p, you re backi ng off. Just li ke that. Damn strai ght. Marcus nodded thoughtfully. Interesti ngly enough, I di dn t see a ri ng on any of her fi ngers. Doesn t matter. You know my rule. Ri ght. The rule. Marcus s tone was fai ntly mocki ng. You know what they say about rules, don t you? What? There s always an excepti on. That shut Mi chael up. He faltered for a moment, then blew out a harsh, exasperated breath. He could feel a vei n throbbi ng i n hi s neck and he flexed hi s fi ngers, fi ghti ng a vi ci ous urge to punch Marcus i n the mouth. Mi chael loved hi s brother to death and would do anythi ng for hi m, but ever si nce he d gotten marri ed, Marcus had become way too i nterested i n Mi chael s love li fe. It was as i f he d made i t hi s personal mi ssi on to get Mi chael hi tched so that he d be as deli ri ously happy as he was. Marcus released a dramati c si gh. If you re not i nterested i n goi ng after what you want, Q says he d be more than happy Li ke hell he wi ll, Mi chael growled, skeweri ng Marcus wi th a lethal glare. If Q goes anywhere near Reese, you re gonna have one less lawyer on your damn payroll. Get what I m sayi ng? Marcus chuckled, edgi ng sli ghtly away from hi m. Loud and clear. Mi chael clenched hi s jaw, hi s nerves stretched dangerously taut. After a prolonged si lence, Marcus sai d offhandedly, Samara and I are gonna crash here for the ni ght. Why don t you and Reese do the same? You know Dad s got plenty of room, and qui te frankly, you don t look li ke you should be get ti ng behi nd the wheel toni ght. Mi chael bri stled. I only had two glasses of wi ne wi th di nner. Marcus gri nned. Your alcohol i ntake i sn t what I m worri ed about. Gi ven your rotten mood, do you really thi nk i t s a good i dea for you to be alone i n a car wi th Reese? Before Mi chael could respond, a hi gh-pi tched squeal from one of the twi ns drew hi s gaze across the yard to Sterli ng and Asha. As he and Marcus watched, thei r father tossed Matt i nto the ai r and caught hi m wi th a deep, rolli cki ng laugh. Balanci ng Malcolm on one hi p, Asha laughi ngly admoni shed Sterli ng to be careful. Instead of scowli ng or flaggi ng her off, Sterli ng smi led and brushed a wi ndblown strand of hai r off her face. Mi chael and Marcus exchanged startled glances. Di d you see that? Marcus asked. Hell, yeah. They watched i n di sbeli ef as Asha smi led shyly at thei r father before averti ng her eyes to ki ss Malcolm s thei r father before averti ng her eyes to ki ss Malcolm s forehead. Sterli ng gazed at her a moment longer, then bli nked and qui ckly glanced away. Mi chael gave hi s brother a si deways look. You don t thi nk? They went sti ll, stari ng alertly at each other. Nah, they scoffed i n uni son, and laughed.

Chapter 11
Around mi dni ght, Reese found herself wi de awake and stari ng up at a dark cei li ng. Despi te bei ng enveloped i n Egypti an cotton sheets, and despi te the fact that she d drank three glasses of wi ne over di nner, sleep eluded her. And she knew the reason. She was spendi ng the ni ght under the same roof as Mi chael. The knowledge that he was asleep somewhere i n thi s bi g house had proved to be too much for her overacti ve i magi nati on. Every ti me she closed her eyes, her mi nd conjured an i mage of hi s hard, muscular, naked body sprawled across a bed. A bed that was calli ng her name. It was no wonder her throat was parched and her body burned wi th a fever that had nothi ng to do wi th the swelteri ng temperature outsi de. Wi th a muffled groan of frustrati on, she flung back the covers and sli d out of bed. What she needed was a tall glass of water and

maybe some fresh ai r to clear her head. Before leavi ng the guest bedroom, she fi ngercombed her tousled hai r just i n case she ran i nto anyone downstai rs. Glanci ng down at herself, she surveyed the si lk ni ghtshi rt Samara Wolf had loaned to her before bedti me. Samara was an i nch or two taller, so the ni ghtshi rt caught Reese just below the knee. Though she would have preferred the added layer of a robe, she fi gured she looked decent enough to venture out. Crossi ng to the door, she crept from the room and started down the wi de corri dor. Her footfalls were absorbed by the thi ck Aubusson rug that ran the length of the floor. As she passed the bedroom shared by Marcus and Samara, she thought she heard soft si ghs and moans comi ng from wi thi n. She gri nned to herself, rememberi ng the i nti mate looks the couple had exchanged throughout the eveni ng. Despi te havi ng thei r hands full wi th two rambuncti ous toddlers, i t was clear that thei r passi on for each other had not abated. Reese hoped that she and her future husbandi f she ever got marri edwould share that same ki nd of sexual chemi stry, the ki nd that stood the test of ti me. Descendi ng the curved stai rcase, she headed toward the ki tchen. The house was dark and si lent. Thankfully, i t appeared that she was the only i nsomni ac wanderi ng around late at ni ght. Her steps slowed as she neared the double French doors that led to the veranda. Moonli ght poured i n through the tall wi ndows and washed over her. As i f drawn by some i nvi si ble force, she dri fted forward and gazed out i nto the dark, starry ni ght. There was a full moon, and she could feel the sultry nocturnal heat pressi ng agai nst the glass. Heedless, she reached for the doorknob and slowly eased the door open, prayi ng she wouldn t tri gger a securi ty alarm that would awaken the enti re household. When no alarm sounded, she breathed a si gh of reli ef and stepped outsi de, qui etly pulli ng the door closed behi nd her. The wood was smooth and warm beneath her bare feet as she padded across the veranda to reach the rai li ng. She closed her eyes, i nhali ng the fragrant mlange of roses, azaleas, hydrangeas and ni ght-bloomi ng jasmi ne from the garden below. Already she could feel some of the tensi on melti ng from her body. Couldn t sleep? Reese gasped and whi rled around, heart lodged i n her throat. At the si ght of Mi chael si tti ng alone i n a shadowy corner of the veranda, her knees went weak and she sagged agai nst the rai li ng. You scared me half to death! Are you tryi ng to gi ve me a heart attack? Not qui te. Hi s voi ce was a deep, smoky rumble i n the dark ni ght. Heat curled through her vei ns, fueli ng the restless ache between her thi ghs. She swallowed, strai ghteni ng from the balustrade. W -what re you doi ng si tti ng out here i n the dark? Howli ng at the moon? she joked lamely. She thought she detected the ghost of a smi le on hi s face. As she stared at hi m, he ti pped back hi s head and howled ever so softly. She shi vered wi th arousal, her ni pples hardeni ng and her cli tori s swelli ng. Si lently cursi ng her body s reacti on to hi m, she cleared her throat and shi fted from one foot to another. I, uh, hope I m not di sturbi ng you. You are, came hi s lazy drawl, but what else i s new? Unnerved, Reese made a move toward the house. In that case, I ll just Stay, Mi chael sai d, a low, husky command. She obeyed wi thout questi on. Why couldn t you sleep? he asked her. Who says I couldn t sleep? she retorted defi antly. You re out here, aren t you? She shrugged, fei gni ng nonchalance. Maybe I just wanted some fresh ai r. So you roused yourself from a deep sleep just to come outsi dewhere i t s ni nety-fi ve degreesand get some fresh ai r. Hi s voi ce was heavy wi th amused skepti ci sm. Reese sai d nothi ng. She was glad he couldn t see the deep flush suffusi ng her cheeks. Wanna know what I thi nk? he asked softly. She swallowed. Not parti cularly. I thi nk you re out here for the same reason I am. Her pulse hammered at the base of her throat as he stood and came toward her, a slow, deli berate advance. She felt a fri sson of fear mi ngled wi th exci tement. Resi sti ng the urge to bolt, she held her ground as he stopped just i nches from her. She could feel the heat radi ati ng from hi s bi g body, could smell a li ngeri ng trace of hi s cologne underlai d by warm male ski n. Her mouth watered, and i t was all she could do not to pounce on hi m and tear off hi s clothes. Hi s gaze raked over her, taki ng i n her si lk ni ghtshi rt and bare feet i n one hot, encompassi ng sweep. Hi s eyes gli ttered li ke a wolf s i n the moonli ght. I thi nk you couldn t sleep because you were thi nki ng about me, he sai d i n that si nfully i ntoxi cati ng voi ce. I know, because I was thi nki ng about you, i magi ni ng you warm and naked between the sheets, your body calli ng out for mi ne. I got so damn hard that I couldn t take i t anymore. If I hadn t gotten out of the house when I di d, you would ve found me i n your bed. Oh God, Reese thought as a rush of li qui d heat bloomed between her thi ghs. She started to sway toward hi m before she caught herself and stepped backward, holdi ng up a hand as i f to ward hi m off.

Mi chael Tell me you weren t thi nki ng about me, he taunted, dari ng her. I wasn t thi nki ng about you. Liar. They faced each other i n the moonli t darkness, the ai r between them vi brati ng wi th a potent combi nati on of tensi on, frustrati on, anger and lust. Needi ng to put some di stance between them, Reese si destepped Mi chael and strode to the other end of the veranda, reli eved when he let her go. Impulsi vely she grabbed the beer bottle he d been nursi ng, shook i t, then rai sed i t to her mouth and downed the rest of the contents. When she d fi ni shed, she slammed the bottle down on the table wi th a metalli c thud. Feel better? Mi chael murmured, fai ntly amused. No, she snapped, keepi ng her back to hi m. Truth be told, I probably won t feel better unti l I m back home i n Texas. Safely far away from you! Are you homesi ck, Reese? Hi s voi ce was decepti vely mi ld. She hesi tated. He d mi si nterpreted her words, but i nstead of telli ng hi m that, she sai d, Yes, as a matter of fact, I am feeli ng a li ttle homesi ck. As soon as the ri di culous li e left her mouth, she i nsti ncti vely knew he d make her pay for i t. She heard a whi sper of movement behi nd her. And then suddenly he was ri ght there, reachi ng her wi th a predatory stealth that made her wonder i f he really was a wolf i n di sgui se. She let out a startled cry as he sei zed her, hauli ng her agai nst hi m, bri ngi ng her backsi de i nto electri fyi ng contact wi th hi s thi ck, ri gi d arousal. Desi re exploded i n her vei ns. Her heart thundered furi ously. He surrounded her, scorchi ng her wi th hi s heat and vi ri le i ntensi ty. Reese, he whi spered, hoarse wi th need and longi ng as he tenderly stroked her hai r and brushed hi s li ps across her temple. Beauti ful, beautiful, Reese. What are you doi ng to me? Di sarmed by hi s unexpected gentleness and the achi ng vulnerabi li ty i n hi s voi ce, she let her body relax agai nst hi s. She trembled as hi s mouth wandered to the edge of her jaw, seeki ng the corner of her li ps. Closi ng her eyes, she turned her face i nto hi s and opened to the exqui si te taste of hi m, powerless to resi st. He ki ssed her as i f thei r bodi es were already joi ned, deep, hungry ki sses she felt down i n her wet, throbbi ng loi ns. The pleasure was so i ntense i t was almost unbearable. Suddenly hi s hands were everywhere on her body, stoki ng the flames i nsi de her. When he cupped her bottom, she moaned and gyrated her hi ps, gri ndi ng agai nst the hot, bulgi ng pressure of hi s erecti on. He groaned, low and guttural. I want you. Want you so bad i t s all I ve tasted for days, he whi spered raggedly agai nst the curve of her neck. Hi s teeth sank i nto her tender flesh, sendi ng waves of eroti c sensati on crashi ng through her. She shuddered uncontrollably, her head falli ng back agai nst hi s hard chest. Now she wanted to howl at the moon. He bi t her gently, raspi ng hi s tongue agai nst her hammeri ng pulse whi le he reached for the hem of her ni ghtshi rt and slowly dragged i t up her bare thi ghs. Reese shi vered at the cool ki ss of si lk agai nst her fevered ski n. Hi s bi g, callused hands sli d over her belly and past her heavi ng ri b cage before cuppi ng her swollen breasts. She cri ed out, raw pleasure ri ppli ng through her. Mmm, he rumbled huski ly. I ve dreamed about these every ni ght si nce we met. Reese groaned, wri thi ng agai nst hi m as hi s fi ngers teased and stroked her erect ni pples, deepeni ng the sweet, pulsi ng ache i n her womb. Her cli tori s was engorged, and her panti es were completely soaked. She wanted hi m to drag her down to the floor and take her, any and every way he pleased. Please she begged, tryi ng desperately to remember why what they were doi ng was so wrong. We can t We shouldn t be doi ng thi s. Why not? Hi s voi ce was rough wi th leashed fury. Because of hi m? She swallowed and bobbed her head weakly. Well, he s not here, Mi chael snarled. Im here. And I m not goi ng anywhere. So you d better get damn used to i t. Her heart thumped vi olently. Mi chael He slanted hi s mouth over hers, si lenci ng her wi th a fi erce, plunderi ng ki ss that left her quaki ng from head to toe. Does he want you the way that I do? he whi spered savagely, hi s hands ti ghteni ng over her breasts, kneadi ng and caressi ng them. Can he sleep? Can he breathe? Can he think about anythi ng other than bei ng buri ed deep i nsi de you? Reese moaned as her knees threatened to buckle. When he makes love to you, Mi chael relentlessly demanded, does he worshi p your body? Does he know when you want i t hard and fast, or when you want to be taken ni ce and slow? Does he know you? A patheti c whi mper escaped her. Gri ppi ng her by the wai st, Mi chael sank to hi s haunches behi nd her. Her pulse thudded, a fi ne sheen of sweat breaki ng out on her ski n. She li cked her li ps, di zzy wi th desi re and anti ci pati on as he reached under the ni ghtshi rt and grasped the wai stband of her panti es. The damp scrap of lace rubbed her swollen cli tori s as he dragged the underwear down her legs, the fri cti on maki ng her mewl i n wanton response.

Trembli ng, she braced her hands on the table and bowed her head, her hai r hangi ng over her face as he caressed the swell of her bottom, crooni ng softly i n masculi ne appreci ati on. What about now, Reese? Sti ll feeli ng homesi ck? Hi s words were taunti ng, but she heard the unmi stakable arousal i n hi s deep voi ce, felt the coi led tensi on i n hi s body. He was as close to losi ng i t as she was, and just knowi ng that whi pped her i nto a near frenzy of lust. He sli pped hi s hands between her shaki ng thi ghs, coaxi ng them apart. She was so sensi ti zed that the fai ntest brush of hi s knuckles almost made her come ri ght then and there. Slowly, provocati vely, he ran hi s fi nger down the cleft of her bottom, tormenti ng her as he i nched ever closer to her drenched, pulsi ng sex. Just when she was on the verge of cli mbi ng out of her ski n, he parted the sli ck folds of her labi a and sli d hi s long fi nger i nsi de her. She cri ed out wi ldly, archi ng her back and rai si ng her butt hi gher agai nst hi m. Hi s low, rumbli ng groan of pleasure thri lled and i nflamed her. You re so wet, he purred i n ruthless sati sfacti on. You re wet for me, aren t you, Reese? Not hi m me. She couldn t thi nk, couldn t speak, her mi nd and body completely turned over to hi s wi ll. As hi s fi nger pushed deeper i nsi de her, she let out a shudderi ng moan and undulated her hi ps agai nst hi s hand, cravi ng more of the eroti c, gli di ng fri cti on. He murmured softly i n approval and eased another fi nger i nsi de her, stretchi ng her. A broken sob caught i n her throat. Her thi ghs trembled as he expertly worked her tender flesh. Her i nner muscles ti ghtened and clutched around hi m, strai ni ng for release. And then he pressed hi s hot mouth to her sex. A strangled cry erupted from her throat. She bent low over the table, gri ppi ng the edge so hard she broke a nai l. He tasted her, stroki ng hi s tongue up and down her labi a before pulli ng her cli tori s between hi s li ps. It was too much for her. She shot to her ti ptoes and came wi th a vi olent shudder, bi ti ng her li p to sti fle the keeni ng wai l that rose up i n her throat. A wai l that would have awakened the enti re nei ghborhood. It was the most earth-shatteri ng orgasm she d ever had. She rode i t out hard, her body convulsi ng for what seemed an eterni ty. It was only when she d grown sti ll that Mi chael took hi s tormenti ng mouth from her and moved back. As the fog of lust gradually cleared from her brai n and sani ty returned, a wave of shame engulfed her. Her newfound resolve to resi st temptati on hadn t even lasted a day. When Mi chael si lently held out her lace panti es, her cheeks flamed wi th humi li ati on. Wi th as much di gni ty as she could muster, she took her underwear from hi s hand and turned away to sli de them back on. Her hands shook as she pulled down her ni ghtshi rt and smoothed i t over her thi ghs. After taki ng a deep, steadyi ng breath, she turned to face hi m. He had ri sen to hi s feet. He seemed even taller as he towered over her, though she di dn t know whether i t was a tri ck of the moonli ght or a percepti on contri ved by her shattered nerves. She swallowed hard, resi sti ng the urge to step backward i n cowardly retreat. Squari ng her shoulders, she sai d evenly, Look, I understand what just happened here. After the way I i gnored you toni ght, you wanted to prove to both of us that I m sti ll attracted to you. Fi ne. Mi ssi on accompli shed. But that doesn t change anythi ng between us, Mi chael. As you confi rmed today, I am i n a relati onshi p, and unti l that changes, you and I have to keep our handsand mouthsoff each other. Deal? A shadow of a smi le curved hi s li ps, and he shook hi s head slowly at her. You don t understand, sweetheart. She si ghed i mpati ently. Don t call me That was just an appeti zer, he conti nued huski ly, hi s dark eyes gli tteri ng wi th i lli ci t promi se. It s only a matter of ti me before I ll have you for the mai n course. Reese s stomach bottomed out. They stared at each other for a long, electri fi ed moment. And then, wi thout another word, she turned and fled back i nto the house li ke the coward she was. Sterli ng Wolf consi dered hi mself the lucki est man i n the world. He had hi s health, he li ved i n a beauti ful house that was the envy of hi s nei ghbors and he enjoyed more of an acti ve soci al li fe than many men half hi s age. But what Sterli ng was most grateful for, what he treasured most i n the enti re world, was hi s fami ly. Not only had he been blessed wi th two of the best sons any father could ever ask for, but he now had a wonderful daughter-i n-law and two grandchi ldren he absolutely adored. The Lord had blessed hi m i ndeed. So he di dn t need a woman by hi s si de to make hi m feel complete. After the way hi s marri age had ended nearly thi rty years ago, Sterli ng fi gured he was better off alone, anyway. Not that he lacked for female compani onshi p. Even a man hi s age sti ll had needs, and he i ndulged them di screetly whenever possi ble. But i n the years si nce hi s di vorce, no woman had ever made hi m consi der taki ng another stab at marri age. Unti l today. The strangest thi ng had happened whi le he and Asha

were playi ng wi th thei r grandsons that eveni ng. One moment he d been tossi ng Matt i nto the ai r; the next moment he was stari ng i nto Asha s laughi ng eyes and feeli ng li ke he d been sucker punched i n the gut. And Ashawho oozed more sex appeal than any woman he d ever knownhad gi ven hi m the shy smi le of a vi rgi n on her weddi ng ni ght. Hours later, Sterli ng was sti ll scratchi ng hi s head, tryi ng to make sense of that odd li ttle exchange. It was no secret to anyone that he and Asha detested each other, to the extent that i f Sterli ng ever did fi nd hi mself i n the market for a wi fe, Asha would be the last person on earth he d ever consi der marryi ng. She was bourgeoi s, selfi sh, mani pulati ve and too damn used to getti ng her own way. Her world revolved around hosti ng ri tzy fashi on shows, runni ng her clothi ng empi re and jet-setti ng to Pari s at the drop of a di me, whi le the hi ghli ght of Sterli ng s soci al calendar was the annual fi shi ng tri p he took wi th hi s reti red poli ce buddi es. Asha li ked champagne and cavi ar, whi le Sterli ng couldn t fathom why any sane person would wi lli ngly eat fi sh eggs. They were as opposi te as any two people could be, and had absolutely nothi ng i n common. Wi th one excepti on. They both doted shamelessly on thei r grandsons. Whi le Asha would be the fi rst to admi t that she d been a lousy mother to Samara, no one could di spute what an excellent grandmother she was. The boys couldn t ask for a more lovi ng, attenti ve grandma. So i t shouldn t have surpri sed Sterli ng to fi nd Asha si tti ng qui etly i n a corner when he crept i nto the twi ns bedroom late that ni ght. Matthew and Malcolm had been born premature, requi ri ng a monthlong hospi tal stay that had put everyoneespeci ally Marcus and Samarathrough the wri nger. Though both boys were now as strong and healthy as could be, Sterli ng had taken to checki ng up on them i n the mi ddle of the ni ght whenever they came for a vi si t. Apparently he wasn t the only one. The tender expressi on on Asha s face as she gazed upon thei r sleepi ng grandsons made somethi ng ti ghten i n Sterli ng s chest. When she glanced up and thei r eyes met, a strange current of awareness passed between them. He froze, stari ng at her i n the warm glow of the li ghtni ng-bug ni ght-li ght. She sat i n the bi g rocki ng chai r Sterli ng had bought for the nursery after the twi ns were born. She wore a si lk ki mono and matchi ng sli ppers, and her thi ck black hai r fell i n soft di sarray about her shoulders. Wi th her face scrubbed clean of expensi ve cosmeti cs, she looked even younger than usual. Softer, almost wholesome. Sterli ng thought she d never looked more beauti ful. As he stepped i nto the room, she rai sed her fi nger to her li ps, si gnali ng hi m to be qui et. He scowled. As many ti mes as he d snuck i nto the twi ns bedroom, he d never woken them up. Stealth was practi cally part of hi s DNA. Feeli ng Asha s gaze on hi m, he walked over to the matchi ng fi re-truck toddler beds where hi s grandsons slept peacefully. Normally he stayed and watched them for a whi le, baski ng i n the adorable li ttle noi ses they made i n thei r sleep. But wi th Asha watchi ng hi m from across the room, he suddenly felt too selfconsci ous to li nger at the boys bedsi de. So he settled for ki ssi ng thei r foreheads and adjusti ng thei r bri ghtly patterned blankets. Asha followed hi m out of the room, shutti ng the door qui etly behi nd them. I thi nk Matthew does karate i n hi s sleep, she whi spered wi th a soft smi le. Sterli ng chuckled. Mi chael was the same way. That boy slept so wi ld we could never keep a blanket on hi m. Hmm. That s the si gn of a restless spi ri t. Thi nk so? Sterli ng pondered hi s fi rstborn son, who changed gi rlfri ends the way he changed underwear. If that di dn t quali fy as restless, nothi ng di d. He needs a good woman, Asha murmured. Someone to keep hi m grounded. Sterli ng s eyes narrowed. I hope to hell you re not volunteeri ng yourself. Her chi n li fted i n defi ance. And i f I were? Woman, have you lost your damn mi nd? Keep your voi ce down! Asha hi ssed, glanci ng up and down the darkened corri dor. Gri tti ng hi s teeth, Sterli ng sai d i n a low, controlled voi ce, You d better not have any crazy i deas about si nki ng your claws i nto Mi chael. You re not ri ght for hi m. Says who? Me! Wi thout reali zi ng i t, they d walked toward the master sui te on the opposi te wi ng of the second floor. If I were i nterested i n dati ng Mi chael, Asha sai d seethi ngly, that would be none of your damn busi ness, Sterli ng Wolf. You have no say Somethi ng snapped i nsi de Sterli ng. Before he could stop hi mself, he cupped her face i n hi s hands and ki ssed her. Hard and possessi vely. After several momentsthe sweetest, most pleasurable moments he d enjoyed i n agesAsha broke the ki ss and staggered back, stari ng at hi m i n wi de-eyed shock. Morti fi ed by hi s acti ons, Sterli ng hung hi s head i n sheepi sh contri ti on. Aw, hell. I m sorry. I don t know what came over Asha lunged at hi m, throwi ng her arms around hi s neck and crushi ng her soft mouth to hi s. Wi th a muffled groan of hunger, Sterli ng swept her i nto hi s arms and carri ed her to hi s bedroom.

Chapter 12
T he scene at the breakfast table the next morni ng would have been good materi al for a soci ologi cal study on human dynami cs. In an i roni c role reversal from last ni ght, Reese was sullen and subdued whi le Mi chael bantered cheerfully wi th hi s fami ly. Hi s upbeat mood rankled her, taunti ng her wi th memori es of thei r i lli ci t moonli ght encounter an encounter that had left her body thrummi ng wi th sexual tensi on and frustrati on for the rest of the ni ght. Every ti me Mi chael laughed or flashed one of hi s ki ller gri ns, Reese wanted to stab hi m wi th her fork. Once, when he d caught her glari ng at hi m, he d smi led and wi nked at her. If small chi ldren hadn t been present, she mi ght have gi ven hi m the fi nger. But Mi chael wasn t the only one i n an excepti onally good mood. Marcus and Samara were back to steali ng pri vate smi les at each other, whi le Sterli ng was so jovi al and relaxed that i f Reese di dn t know better, she would thi nk Marcus wasn t the only member of the Wolf pack who d gotten lai d last ni ght. In sharp contrast, Celeste was si lent and gri m faced, shooti ng di rty looks at Asha throughout the meal. But Asha seemed unconcerned, exudi ng an aura of sereni ty that repelled any and all daggers thrown her way. Only Grant, buri ed behi nd a newspaper, seemed obli vi ous to all the undercurrents at the table. When Celeste di screetly nudged hi m at one poi nt, he set asi de the paper wi th a sheepi sh gri n and reached for hi s coffee mug. As he drank, he appeared to be casti ng about for somethi ng to contri bute to the conversati on. Fi nally, he blurted the fi rst thi ng that obvi ously came to mi nd: That sure was a beauti ful full moon last ni ght. Sure was, Mi chael agreed, hi s wi cked gaze meeti ng Reese s. She hated herself for blushi ng. Marcus smi led lazi ly. You know what they say. Strange thi ngs happen when there s a full moon. Sterli ng chuckled i nto hi s coffee. Ai n t that the truth. Asha choked on the orange jui ce she d been si ppi ng. Are you okay, Mom? Samara asked i n concern. Asha nodded qui ckly, her dark eyes gli mmeri ng wi th mi rth as she set down her glass and deli cately fanned her face wi th her hand. Celeste frowned. Marcus gri nned at hi s father and brother. Hey, remember what we used to do on our campi ng and fi shi ng tri ps? When ever there was a full moon, we d all si t around the campfi re and howl at the moon, Sterli ng and Mi chael fi ni shed, laughi ng. Is that where Mi chael got hi s famous howl from? Reese asked curi ously, sti ll not addressi ng hi m di rectly. Sterli ng gri nned. If anythi ng, we got i t from hi m. Starti ng from the ti me he was fi ve years old, he d always howl after eati ng somethi ng he really li ked. So we started putti ng food i nto two categori esthere was good, and then there was howlin good. Reese smi led at Mi chael, so charmed by the anecdote that she temporari ly forgot she was supposed to be mad at hi m. So that s how you came up wi th the name of your show. He nodded, hi s eyes gli nti ng wi th amused sati sfacti on. As i f he, too, reali zed that she d let her guard down. Needless to say, Celeste chi med i n, bri ghteni ng for the fi rst ti me all morni ng, whenever my cooki ng recei ved one of Mi chael s coveted howli n good rati ngs, I strutted around for the rest of the day li ke I was Juli a Chi ld. Everyone laughed. Reese di dn t mi ss the smug glance Celeste shot at Asha, whi le Grant looked pleased that hi s i nnocuous comment had generated such a li vely di scussi on. Unable to resi st an opportuni ty to make Mi chael squi rm, Reese sai d ever so i nnocently, Someday I d love to hear the other story behi nd the howl. What other story? Sterli ng asked. Everyone looked i nqui ri ngly at Mi chael, whose expressi on had gone carefully blank. Oh, come on, Mi chael, Reese prompted i n a decepti vely puzzled voi ce, as i f she couldn t understand why he was playi ng dumb. You know the story I m talki ng about. Remember? The one Quenti n sai d would offend my femi ni ne sensi bi li ti es? Celeste gasped. Mi chael Sterli ng Wolf, she scolded, as only a scandali zed mother could. As Mi chael ducked hi s head, laughter erupted around the table. From beneath the thi ck vei l of hi s lashes, he gave Reese a look that promi sed retri buti on. She responded wi th a huge, tri umphant gri n. She d already learned that when i t came to besti ng thi s man, she d take whatever vi ctori es she could get. Because she knew they d be few and far between. Reese s cell phone rang as she stepped through the front door that eveni ng, her arms laden wi th shoppi ng bags. Bumpi ng the door closed wi th her hi p, she di vested herself of her baggage and fumbled the phone out of her handbag on the fi nal ri ng. Hello? she answered breathlessly. Hey. Mi chael s deep voi ce poured i nto her ear. And just li ke that, her knees went weak. Draggi ng her fi ngers through her hai r, she made her way i nto the li vi ng room and sank i nto the nearest chai r. I just got home, she sai d i n li eu of a greeti ng. I know. You know? She glanced around, half expecti ng to fi nd hi m lurki ng i n the shadows wi th hi s phone pressed to hi s ear.

Mi chael chuckled, as i f he d i ntercepted her paranoi d thoughts. I just spoke to Marcus. Samara had called to tell hi m that they were droppi ng you off and would be home soon. I see. And had you already i nstructed Marcus to call and gi ve you a heads-up? Pretty much. There was a smi le i n hi s voi ce. How was the shoppi ng tri p? She si ghed. Fun. Exhausti ng. I see why Lenox Square Mall i s consi dered the Shoppi ng Mecca of the South. And Asha wore me and Samara out. Mi chael chuckled. And she s the older one. What s wrong wi th that pi cture? Reese gri nned. What can I say? The woman was i n her element. I can i magi ne. So, di d you get somethi ng pretty? I got a lot of somethi ng pretty, Reese sai d laughi ngly, surveyi ng the mountai n of bags beari ng the emblems of gli tzy, upscale shops. Not only had Asha handpi cked every outfi t for herthe woman knew fashi on li ke nobody s busi nessshe d also footed the bi ll for the enti re shoppi ng excursi on. Though Reese had vi gorously protested, Asha had refused to take no for an answer. And, as expected, they d recei ved red-carpet treatment everywhere they went, greeted by gushi ng salespeople who d tri pped over themselves to do Asha s bi ddi ng. The fi rst ti me they were served champagne, Reese had gaped at Samara, who d shrugged and gri nned, sayi ng, It s a pai n i n the ass, but you get used to i t. Reese di dn t see how that was remotely possi ble. Though she d thoroughly enjoyed shoppi ng wi th Asha, the di zzyi ng pace of the experi ence had left her cravi ng a hot, relaxi ng bath and a glass of chi lled wi ne. But fi rst she had to get Mi chael off the phone. She opened her mouth to tell hi m good-ni ght, but what came out i nstead was Where are you, anyway? At the restaurant. You ve been there all day? Yeah. She sli pped off her flat sandals and rubbed her sore feet, thi nki ng of thei r subli mely sensual mi dni ght encounter. It alarmed her to reali ze that thi s man, whom she hardly knew, could possess such mastery of her body. If they ever made love, she d be rui ned forever. I don t hear a lot of noi se i n the background, she observed. That s because I m si tti ng on the balcony, Mi chael murmured. At our table. Our table. The words reverberated i n her mi nd as a melti ng warmth spread through her, a deep longi ng. She forced out a laugh that sounded strangled to her own ears. So now we have a table? Yeah, he sai d huski ly. We do. Come on, she scoffed. Do you really expect me to beli eve you ve never taken another woman up to the balcony? You re the fi rst, Reese. God help her, she beli eved hi m. Closi ng her eyes, she drew a deep, shaky breath and slowly exhaled. Mi chael I need you Michael. to come down to the restaurant. Her eyes snapped open. That was the last thi ng she d expected hi m to say. You need me to do what? Come to the restaurant. That s actually the reason I was calli ng. If you want to be my apprenti ce, you should fami li ari ze yourself wi th the i nner worki ngs of a restaurant. So toni ght I m gi vi ng you a front-row seat to our busy ki tchen. Reese groaned. That sounds lovely, Mi chael, but does i t have to be tonight? Toni ght s perfect. Tuesdays are generally our slowest ni ghts, so i t won t be a complete madhouse. Besi des, aren t you the one who sai d you were tryi ng to get i nto your new role as my apprenti ce? The man remembered everythi ng, damn hi m. I di d, and I am. But toni ght doesn t work for me. Toni ght, Reese. Oh, come on, Mi chael, she wheedled. It s already after seven. And Asha ran me ragged today. My feet are killing me. He laughed. Don t ever whi ne to a chef about havi ng sore feet after a lei surely afternoon of shoppi ng. Trust me, you won t get any sympathy. She bi t her li p, feeli ng a pang of shame. I guess you have been on your feet all day, slavi ng i n a hot ki tchen. That s ri ght, and you don t hear me complai ni ng. So suck i t up, buttercup. Reese heaved a dramati c si gh of resi gnati on. All ri ght. I m comi ng, I m comi ng. Mmm, came hi s low, husky rumble. Now that s what I li ke to hear. Heat stung her cheeks at the sexual i nnuendo. Down, boy. Too late. He chuckled. Anyway, your cab should be there i n a few mi nutes. What? You already called me a cab? Yeah. I ll dri ve you home afterward. Her hackles rose. Don t you thi nk i t was a bi t presumptuous of you to call a cab before you d even spoken to me? Absolutely. He was i nfuri ati ngly unapologeti c. Look, babe, I have to go. I ll see you when you get here. Reese sputtered i n protest, but he d already hung up on her. When she arri ved at the restaurant thi rty mi nutes later,

Mi chael met her outsi de, looki ng good enough to eat i n hi s cri sp whi te chef s jacket. He helped her out of the cab, then pai d and ti pped the dri ver so generously that the man s eyes li t up li ke he d just won a mi lli ondollar jackpot. As the taxi lurched off down the street, Mi chael and Reese li ngered on the si dewalk, gazi ng at each other. He touched her face, smi li ng warmly i nto her eyes. Hi . Her i nsi des melted. Hi . Glad you came. She made a wry face. You di dn t gi ve me much of a choi ce, slave dri ver. Chuckli ng, he took her by the hand and led her i nsi de. Reese glanced around the crowded restaurant i n di sbeli ef. I thought you sai d Tuesdays are slow. Mi chael slanted her a gri n. Thi s is slow. He hung a ri ght, usheri ng her down a short corri dor to the ki tchen. Just beyond the swi ngi ng door was a fastpaced world of sweat, stress and chaos punctuated by the noi sy clang of pots and pans. Mi chael escorted Reese through the bustli ng labyri nth of work spaces to a semi pri vate area parti ti oned off by a long, stai nless steel table. From there she d have an up-close-and-personal vi ew of the acti on wi thout getti ng i n the way. Moments after she d sat down, Mi chael set a steami ng plate before her. Reese s mouth watered as the most heavenly aroma wafted up her nostri ls. What s thi s? she breathed, eyei ng the appeti zi ng meal. Another house speci alty. Bourbon-glazed pork tenderloi n wi th carameli zed plantai ns. Oh my. When was the last ti me you ate? Eons ago. We stopped for an early lunch. Good. Then I expect you to clean your plate. Don t have to tell me twi ce, Reese sai d, already sei zi ng her fork. Mi chael smi led as he poured her a glass of wi ne. Ri esli ng, she sai d wonderi ngly. You remembered. Of course. Hi s smi le deepened. I remember everythi ng. She gri nned. Don t I know i t. He wi nked at her. I ll be back to check up on you later. Enjoy the show. And what a show i t was, a ri veti ng choreography of cui si ne that was unli ke anythi ng Reese had ever seen before. As a self-professed foodi e, she d always assumed she knew what went on behi nd the scenes of a busy restaurant. Now, wi th a front-row seat to one of the most famous ki tchens i n the country, she reali zed how li ttle she d understood about the level of coordi nati on that went i nto prepari ng an entre before i t was served to customers. And everyone, from the li ne cooks to the sous chef, knew thei r roles and executed them wi th bri sk effi ci ency. It came as no surpri se to Reese that Mi chael s ki tchen ran li ke a well-oi led machi ne. Though he was clearly i n charge, he di dn t yell at hi s crew li ke some obnoxi ous, foulmouthed tyrant. He barked orders, but he was never obscene. He scowled when mi stakes were made, but he never spared prai se. He was i ntensely focused, but he could di sarm wi th a sudden gri n and a joke that drew raucous laughter. He di dn t have to resort to bullyi ng for hi s commandi ng presence to be felt throughout the ki tchen. Hi s employees understood that he demanded perfecti on, and they di d thei r damnedest to deli ver i t. What did surpri se Reese was how handson Mi chael was. He made a fi nal i nspecti on of every plate that went out and usually added fi ni shi ng touchesa garni sh of celery leaves on lobster, an artful dri zzle of sauce over a chi cken di sh. Unli ke many other celebri ty chefs who owned restaurants, Mi chael was no fi gurehead. He was the heart and soul of Wolf s Soul. The hours flew by. Before Reese knew i t, i t was eleven o clock and the restaurant was closed. Whi le Mi chael was out front seei ng off the last of hi s customers, she shocked the staff by pi tchi ng i n to clean up the ki tchen, overri di ng thei r protests. Mi chael returned to the si ght of her elbow deep i n a si nk full of di shes, laughi ng i n response to someone s off -color joke. When hi s employees glanced around and saw hi m frozen i n the doorway wi th an arrested expressi on on hi s face, they sobered at once, no doubt afrai d they d get i n trouble for allowi ng hi s guest to wash di shes. Undaunted, Reese met Mi chael s gaze wi th a look of haughty defi ance, si lently dari ng hi m to repri mand anyone. Wi thout a word he went to work emptyi ng a trash bi n, and the clean-up efforts conti nued i n cheerful camaraderi e unti l the ki tchen was spotless. After everyone had gone home, Reese and Mi chael collapsed i nto chai rs at the prep table, exhali ng si ghs of happy exhausti on. What a day, Reese declared, ki cki ng off her sandals. Mi chael gri nned, proppi ng hi s bi g, booted feet on the table and loungi ng back. Nothi ng li ke an honest day s work. Wellat least for one of us. Hey! Reese laughi ngly protested, slappi ng hi m playfully on the leg. Shoppi ng wi th Asha Duboi s is work! Ri ght, he drawled, mouth twi tchi ng. I m sure i t was really strenuous for you, li fti ng those glasses of champagne to your li ps and luggi ng around all those heavy boxes of desi gner shoes. Poor baby. You re

gonna need weeks to recover. Reese tri ed to glare at hi m, but the amusement won out. Throwi ng back her head, she laughed so hard that tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Watchi ng her, Mi chael couldn t help laughi ng. Long moments later, they were sti ll gri nni ng and shaki ng thei r heads at each other. All ki ddi ng asi de, Mi chael sai d, soberi ng. Thanks for helpi ng out toni ght. That was totallyunexpected. Reese shrugged di smi ssi vely. I fi gured i t was the least I could do, after I sat around all ni ght stuffi ng my face whi le everyone else busted thei r asses. He smi led a li ttle. Seri ously though, Reese. It was a very thoughtful gesture, and I could tell i t really meant a lot to my staff. Sothank you. You re welcome. The earnestness i n hi s voi ce made her heart do a wei rd flutteri ng thi ng. Gazi ng at hi m, she blurted i mpetuously, I thi nk you re amazi ng. Somethi ng soft fli ckered i n hi s dark eyes. Her face flushed, and she hastened to elaborate. I mean, uh, the way you i nteract wi th your crew i s amazi ng. You guys have such amazi ng chemi stry. Cohesi on. It was li ke watchi ng a beauti fully choreographed balletexcept wi th noi se and shooti ng flames from a gri ll. Mi chael chuckled. I don t thi nk anyone s ever put i t qui te that way before. No? She gri nned. Maybe I should be a restaurant cri ti c. They looked at each other, then laughed. Reese marveled that they could fi nd humor i n somethi ng that had nearly led to bloodshed just a week ago. Hey, she sai d, struck by a sudden reali zati on. I ate here for the fi rst ti me last Tuesday! I know. Mi chael smi led lazi ly at her. I thought you d remember that when I told you Tuesdays were slow. She gri nned ruefully. I wasn t thi nki ng about that. I was too busy tryi ng to weasel my way out of leavi ng the house. Aren t you glad I di dn t let you? I am. I thoroughly enjoyed myself toni ght. Bei ng able to watch you guys at work was a real treat. And speaki ng of treats, everythi ng was absolutely deli ci ous, Mi chael. The bourbon-glazed pork tenderloi n was to di e for. And that Kahlua mousse made by your pastry chef was di vi ne. I have to get the reci pe. Mi chael chuckled dri ly. Consi deri ng that Gerard has a crush on you, he d probably gi ve you any reci pe you wanted. In all the years he s worked here, I ve never seen hi m make a speci al dessert for anyone. Reese si ghed. After one taste of that mousse, I thi nk I fell a li ttle i n love myself. Well, hell, i f thats all i t takes, wai t ti ll you try my tri ple chocolate cheesecake. Mmmm. She gave hi m a demure smi le. Are you tryi ng to make me fall i n love wi th you, Mi chael? Hi s gaze darkened. Maybe I am. Reese stared at hi m, her heart thuddi ng. Slowly, one by one, he removed hi s feet from the table and sat up i n the chai r. She di dn t know who moved fi rst. It must have been her, for the next thi ng she knew, she was straddli ng hi s lap as they ki ssed deeply and feveri shly. She locked her fi ngers behi nd hi s nape and sucked hi s lush bottom li p i nto her mouth, maki ng hi m groan hoarsely. He shoved her fli rty summer ski rt up her thi ghs and ran hi s hands up to her hi ps, where he held her ti ghtly agai nst hi s ragi ng erecti on. She moaned and wri thed desperately agai nst hi m. Breaki ng the ki ss, he yanked off her halter top and deftly unfastened the front hook of her bra. Her full breasts spi lled i nto hi s hands, her ni pples already di stended wi th arousal. He made a feral sound deep i n hi s throat and cupped her, massagi ng and caressi ng. She cri ed out wi th shocked pleasure as hi s mouth came down to suck i n a ni pple. Heat pooled between her legs. Abruptly he surged to hi s feet and li fted her onto the hi gh table. She spread her thi ghs eagerly and he stepped between them. She shrugged off her bra, let i t fall away. Gazes locked, they both attacked the knotted buttons on hi s chef s jacket. There were double rows of them. Way too damn many. Reese cursed i n frustrati on, her fi ngers fumbli ng i n her urgency to get at hi s ski n. Even wi th hi s own hands flyi ng over the buttons wi th practi ced effi ci ency, i t wasn t fast enough for her. Hurry, she pleaded i n a breathless, lusty voi ce she hardly recogni zed as her own. Hurry. Mi chael laughed, dark and wi cked. She crooned wi th exhi larati on as he tore the jacket off hi s broad shoulders and tossed i t asi de. Seei ng that he wore a whi te T-shi rt underneath, she scowled at yet another barri er. Together she and Mi chael tugged the shi rt up and over hi s head. And then he was on di splay for her, hi s wi de, powerful chest ri dged wi th muscle beneath glori ous mahogany ski n. In helpless fasci nati on, she ran her hands over hi m, her fi ngers grazi ng the i ntri cate tattoo that curled around hi s muscled bi cep. He watched her through heavy-li dded eyes, a fai nt tremor passi ng through hi m as she slowly traced the i nk outli ne of Greek letters. He lowered hi s head and took her mouth i n a deep, hungry ki ss, whi speri ng, I love the way you touch me. And I love to touch you, she whi spered back. He groaned, hi s eyes gli tteri ng wi th fi erce arousal as he pushed her ski rt out of the way. She rai sed her hi ps a li ttle as he pulled her panti es down over her hi ps and off her legs. She watched as he brought the

scrap of black lace to hi s nose and i nhaled, hi s eyes rolli ng closed as he savored her scent. It was such an eroti c gesture that she nearly came out of her ski n, her blood heated so fast. He set her panti es down on the table, as i f he wanted to keep them wi thi n easy reach. Holdi ng her gaze, he trai led hi s mi ddle fi nger up her i nner thi gh, leavi ng a path of scorched nerve endi ngs. She gasped as he stroked her cli tori s, whi ch was as hard and erect as her ni pples. He di dn t taunt her thi s ti me about the hot ri ver of need that flowed between her thi ghs. Toni ght wasn t about scori ng poi nts. Toni ght was about heedi ng raw ani mal i nsti nct. Reese di dn t want a gentle seducti on. She wanted hard, fast poundi ng, a dri vi ng rhythm that would quench the fi re ragi ng i n her blood. And she knew that thi s man could and woulddeli ver. She went for hi s belt at the same ti me he di d, thei r fi ngers tangli ng i n thei r haste to get hi m unbuckled and unzi pped. She shoved down hi s dark trousers and bri efs, gaspi ng as hi s peni s sprang free. It was i mpressi vely long, thi ck and hard. The swollen head gli stened wi th pre-come, and a soli tary vei n bulged beneath the grani te-smooth dark ski n. It was the most beauti ful thi ng Reese had ever seen. Her loi ns contracted i n hungry response. But before she could reach down to stroke hi m, he dug i nsi de hi s pants pocket and fi shed out hi s wallet. She almost sobbed wi th reli ef when she saw the flash of a foi l packet. He ri pped i t open wi th hi s teeth and qui ckly smoothed the condom over hi s erecti on. She moaned and shamelessly rubbed her hi ps agai nst hi m, desperate to have hi m i nsi de her. She d wai ted long enough, past the poi nt of endurance. As he dragged her to the very edge of the table, she wrapped her arms around hi s neck and clamped her thi ghs around hi s hi ps. They stared i nto each other s eyes as he sli d slowly i nto her. She cri ed out at the exqui si te fullness of hi m, stretchi ng her as he seated hi mself to the hi lt. A shudder ri pped through hi s bi g body and he groaned. Braci ng hi s arms on ei ther si de of her on the table, he closed hi s eyes i n an expressi on of unadulterated ecstasy. Reese ti ghtened her thi ghs around hi m, savori ng the profound i nti macy of the moment. A moment unli ke anythi ng she d ever experi enced before. Slowly hi s eyes opened and he began movi ng i nsi de her, a deep, languorous gli de that hei ghtened her anti ci pati on and promi sed unspeakable pleasures. She moaned and gri pped hi s shoulders, her fi ngerti ps di ggi ng i nto the hard pad of muscle. As hi s strokes deepened, he stared i nto her eyes wi th a burni ng feroci ty that i ntensi fi ed the ache i n her womb. I knew i t d be thi s way between us, he whi spered thi ckly. We both knew i t the moment we saw each other for the fi rst ti me. Reese could only manage a whi mper, beyond any and all rati onal thought. Soon the tempo of hi s thrusts i ncreased, sendi ng her breasts bounci ng up and down. He bent, sucki ng them i nto hi s mouth i n hot, greedy pulls. She mewled and ground her pelvi s agai nst hi s, her nai ls raki ng hi s broad back. He rai sed hi s head and sei zed her li ps. They ki ssed i n raw urgency, thei r mouths fusi ng, tongues twi ni ng. She was franti c wi th need, a slave to hi s masterful possessi on of her body. He owned her, and he knew i t. He grasped her bottom and li fted her off the table, forci ng her to absorb the full i mpact of hi s heavy body poundi ng i nto hers. Over hi s shoulder, she caught si ght of hi s taut, round butt i n a mi rror on the opposi te wall. The i mage of hi s muscles clenchi ng and unclenchi ng as he thrust i nto her was somethi ng strai ght out of her most eroti c fantasi es. She grew aroused beyond all beari ng. She grabbed hi s butt, her hi ps pumpi ng wi ldly as she met the dri vi ng force of each stroke. He groaned, throwi ng back hi s head and closi ng hi s eyes. A fi ne sheen of perspi rati on coated hi s dark ski n. Her gaze was ri veted to a tri ckle of sweat that rolled down hi s qui veri ng stomach muscles and di sappeared between thei r joi ned bodi es. They rocked and gli ded agai nst each other, thei r guttural cri es and moans echoi ng around the large ki tchen. Reese s heart thundered, her ski n burned everywhere. A full, deli ci ous pressure was gatheri ng veloci ty i n her loi ns. Mi chael set her back down on the table and drew her legs hi gher around hi s torso, as hi gh as they could go wi thout wrappi ng around hi s neck. Hi s eyes blazed black as coal as he drove i nto her ruthlessly, plungi ng so deep she felt the vi brati ons i n the back of her womb. She keened wi th pleasure. Her body soared hi gher, the pressure bui ldi ng to fever pi tch. Wi th one last powerful thrust, he sent her hurtli ng i nto an orgasm of cataclysmi c proporti ons. She threw back her head and screamed hi s name as her i nner muscles pulsed and contracted wi th the explosi ve spasms. A moment later Mi chael came wi th a pri mal shout, hi s hi ps bucki ng furi ously as he rode her through hi s vi olent release. They clutched each other ti ghtly, hi s face buri ed i n the damp curve of her neck, thei r bodi es shaki ng, thei r breath sawi ng i n and out of thei r lungs. Reese di dn t know how much ti me passed. She di dn t

care. Wrapped i n Mi chael s strong arms, wi th hi s throbbi ng peni s sheathed i nsi de her and hi s heart drummi ng agai nst hers, she could have clung to hi m forever. At length they drew apart and stared at each other wi th i denti cal expressi ons of awe. Reese trembled as he stroked a hand over her hai r and brushed a tender ki ss across her cheek, then her mouth. Beauti ful Reese, he murmured i n a voi ce that reached deep i nto her soul. There s no turni ng back now. Her heart swelled to achi ng. She closed her eyes agai nst a hot sti ng of tears. Then, and only then, di d she remember Vi ctor. God help me, she thought. What have I done?

Chapter 13
When Mi chael awoke the next morni ng, the fi rst thi ng he became aware of was the lush, si lky warmth of Reese s body curved snugly agai nst hi s, as i f they were i nterlocked pi eces of a puzzle. A perfect fi t. As he came more fully awake, he made another stunni ng di scovery. He was i n the same spot he d been i n when he d dri fted off to sleep after maki ng love to Reese last ni ght. The exact same spot. He knew because the covers weren t twi sted around hi s legs or hangi ng off the bed, as he usually found them i n the morni ngs. No, they were sti ll resti ng at hi s wai st, undi sturbed. Whi ch could only mean one thi ng. He hadn t moved all ni ght. But thats impossible, hi s mi nd rebelled. For as long as Mi chael could remember, he d always been a fi tful sleeper. Hi s mother used to tell hi m that as a newborn, the only way she could get hi m to sleep for a few hours was to keep hi m latched onto her breast. The moment she stopped feedi ng hi m, he d wri ggle hi mself ri ght awake. As he grew older, hi s parents had often entered hi s room to fi nd hi m huddled i n the mi ddle of the bed and shi veri ng i n hi s sleep because he d ki cked off the covers. Over the years he d lost count of how many women had accused hi m of retreati ng to hi s si de of the bed and not snuggli ng wi th them duri ng the ni ght. He d grown so ti red of heari ng the same complai nt that he d stopped spendi ng the ni ght wi th hi s lovers, getti ng up and leavi ng them shortly after sex. Sure, i t made hi m seem callous and selfi sh, but he fi gured that was the best way to spare thei r feeli ngs i n the long run. He wasn t a sound sleeper. Never would be. So spooni ng a woman duri ng the ni ght was out of the questi on. Yet there he was spooni ng Reese. And, apparently, he d done i t all ni ght. Ill be damned, Mi chael thought, shaken by the di scovery. It was just one more example of the way Reese was turni ng hi s world upsi de down. Before meeti ng her, he d had no concept of what i t meant to be obsessed wi th a woman, to crave her so badly that nearly every waki ng thought was consumed wi th her. But over the past week he d recei ved a crash course i n obsessi on, and he was provi ng to be qui te an apt pupi l. As vi vi d memori es from last ni ght flooded hi s mi nd, he couldn t keep a slow, wi cked smi le off hi s face. After thei r explosi ve i nterlude at the restaurantwould he ever see hi s preci ous ki tchen the same way agai n?he d somehow convi nced Reese to spend the ni ght wi th hi m. Though she d seemed a bi t subdued on the ri de to hi s penthouse, once he took her i n hi s arms agai n, she d surrendered wi th the same desperate abandon as before. They hadn t even made i t upstai rs to hi s bedroom before he d had her long legs wrapped around hi m as he thrust i nto her. He d made love to her over and over agai n throughout the ni ght. He was i nsati able, couldn t get enough of her. As i f to demonstrate, hi s peni s hardened i n response to the lush swell of her bottom nestled agai nst hi s lap. He gri nned, already contemplati ng several creati ve ways he could wake her upall i nvolvi ng the use of hi s hands, li ps and tongue. But as he edged closer to her, Reese suddenly tensed and shi fted away from hi m. Hi s gri n faded. Was she already awake? Proppi ng hi mself up on one elbow, he peered down i nto her face. Sure enough, her eyes were open as she stared strai ght ahead. He leaned down and pressed an openmouthed ki ss to her si lky bare shoulder. A fi ne tremor passed through her, and her long lashes fluttered. He felt a gli mmer of hope. Good morni ng, he murmured. She di dn t turn to look at hi m. Good morni ng. Di d you sleep well? She hesi tated, then nodded reluctantly. I di d, too. Slept li ke a baby, i n fact. It was true. He couldn t remember the last ti me he d ever enjoyed such a deep, sated slumber. And he d awakened feeli ng refreshed and bli ssfully content. He could defi ni tely get used to more morni ngs li ke thi s. Provi ded he got the opportuni ty. Smi li ng down at Reese, he gently combed hi s fi ngers through the thi ck, lustrous strands of black hai r fanned out across her pi llow. She closed her eyes, but not i n langui d pleasure. She looked strai ned, as i f she were wagi ng an i nternal battle. He found hi mself holdi ng hi s breath, wonderi ng whi ch si de would wi n. A long, taut si lence stretched between them.

When Mi chael couldn t take i t anymore, he deci ded hi s only opti on was to tackle the unwelcome elephant i n the room. You re havi ng second thoughts about last ni ght. Reese s eyes opened. She hesi tated, then nodded ti ghtly. It was a mi stake. Anger flared i nsi de hi s chest. It sure as hell di dn t feel li ke a mi stake. It was the wrong thi ng to say, the wrong approach to use. She scooted away from hi m and sat up qui ckly, clutchi ng the sheet protecti vely to her chest. Her cheeks were sti ll flushed from hours of savage lovemaki ng, her li ps were sti ll swollen from hard ki ssi ng, her hai r was tousled about her face and shoulders, and beneath the sheet, her voluptuous breasts beckoned to hi m. She was i ncredi bly beauti ful. And too damned tempti ng for her own good. Mi chael reached for her. Reese She jerked away from hi m. Sweari ng under hi s breath, Mi chael fell back agai nst hi s stack of pi llows and blew out a harsh, frustrated breath. Thi s wasn t goi ng the way he d hoped. He d been looki ng forward to spendi ng a few more pleasurable hours i n bed wi th her. And then he d i magi ned them cooki ng breakfast together, di vi di ng the tasks, maki ng a game of acci dentally bumpi ng i nto each other as they worked. He d envi si oned them laughi ng, teasi ng, steali ng ki sses as they carri ed thei r plates out to the balcony to enjoy the sceni c vi ew. But maybe hi s expectati ons had been as unreali sti c as those of the women who d wanted hi m to cuddle wi th them duri ng the ni ght. Exhali ng a shaky breath, Reese dragged a hand through her hai r. You should take me home now. N o . Not yet. Mi chael was surpri sedand sli ghtly appalledby the note of desperati on he heard i n hi s voi ce. What the hell was wrong wi th hi m? Si nce when di d he beg a woman to stay after sex? Reese looked at hi m, those dark cat eyes rovi ng across hi s face i n si lent apprai sal. She seemed to be taki ng hi s measure, wei ghi ng an i mportant deci si on i n her mi nd. He stared back at her, wai ti ng. After a prolonged moment she glanced away and shook her head at the cei li ng. I owe you an apology. Of all the thi ngs he d expected her to say, that wasn t one of them. He stared at her i n surpri se. What do you have to apologi ze for? he asked carefully. She tugged her plump lower li p through her teeth. I haven t been myself lately, she confessed. Who have you been? A woman who doesn t know what she wants. A confused, i ndeci si ve woman. She gri maced. The ki nd of woman I ve always di sli ked and stri ved not to be. Intri gued by the self-deprecati ng words, Mi chael shi fted onto hi s si de to face her, proppi ng hi s head i n hi s hand. Why don t you know what you want? he asked qui etly. She si ghed heavi ly. It s compli cated. It doesn t have to be. Beli eve me, I wi sh that were true. She heaved another resi gned breath. Anyway, the reason I owe you an apology i s that I ve been gi vi ng you mi xed si gnals si nce the ni ght we met. I say one thi ng and do the complete opposi te. Spendi ng the ni ght wi th you was the behemoth of all mi xed si gnals. You don t hear me complai ni ng, Mi chael drawled. Of course not, she muttered, throwi ng hi m a sardoni c look. You ve been a wi lli ng accompli ce. He arched a brow. Accompli ce? Have we commi tted a cri me here? I almost wi sh we had, she groaned, coveri ng her face wi th her hands. Mi chael pretended to take umbrage. I thi nk you re the fi rst woman who s ever told me that commi tti ng a cri me would be preferable to maki ng love wi th me. There goes my ego. A muffled laugh escaped her. Oh, hush. You know what I meant. He smi led lazi ly. Uncoveri ng her face, she shot hi m a shy glance under her lashes. Don t get me wrong, Mi chael. Last ni ght was amazi ng That doesn t even begi n to descri be i t. She blushed deeply, averti ng her gaze. You re ri ght. Amazing doesn t do justi ce to what we shared last ni ght. It wasunforgettable. But that doesn t change the fact that i t was a mi stake. Hi s breath hi ssed through hi s teeth. Here we go agai n. The damn boyfri end. Yes! she burst out, her dark eyes snappi ng angri ly. I have a boyfri end, a fact that you seem unwi lli ng or i ncapable of respecti ng. Mi chael fli nched. Her words had struck a raw nerve, forci ng hi m to acknowledge how easi ly he d abandoned hi s long-held convi cti ons. Maybe he and Grant Rutherford were more ali ke than he d thought. Li ke hi s stepfather, Mi chael had pursued and seduced Reese, flagrantly di sregardi ng the other man i n her li fe. Although the obvi ous di fference here was that Reese wasn t marri ed wi th chi ldren, hi s behavi or was sti ll deplorable by hi s own standards. Agi tated, he scrubbed hi s hands over hi s face and muttered a vi ci ous oath under hi s breath. Reese moved to sli de out of the bed. I really should Mi chael s arm shot out, forestalli ng her retreat wi th a

hand on her thi gh. Beneath the covers, she qui vered at hi s touch. Wai t, he growled, si tti ng up qui ckly. You don t have to leave. Let s talk about thi s, damn i t. How seri ous i s thi s thi ng between you and that dude? Jerki ng her leg out of hi s grasp, she snapped, I m not goi ng to di scuss my boyfri end wi th you. That was probably for the best, Mi chael mused gri mly. The thought of her bei ng wi th another mangi vi ng herself to hi m wi th the same passi on and abandon wi th whi ch she d surrendered to Mi chaelfi lled hi m wi th a possessi ve fury that was unli ke anythi ng he d ever felt before. Yeah, he defi ni tely di dn t need to know the speci fi c detai ls of her relati onshi p wi th what s-hi s-face. Sti ll, he couldn t resi st demandi ng, Are you guys on the outs or what? I mean, he sent you two dozen roses and asked you to come back to hi m. So you did read the card! Reese pounced accusi ngly. I knew i t. You had no ri ght! Mi chael scowled. It fell on the floor. It s not as i f I went di ggi ng through the box to fi nd i t. You could have handed i t to me wi thout readi ng i t! I could have, but I di dn t. Anyway, that s not the poi nt. I asked you a questi on. Are you and Vi ctor havi ng a lovers quarrel? Are you breaki ng up wi th hi m? No! she hi ssed furi ously. Di sappoi ntment kni fed through Mi chael. He held her flashi ng gaze a moment longer, then eased back agai nst hi s pi llows and folded hi s arms behi nd hi s head, a decepti vely relaxed pose. Si lence lapsed between them. Thi s ti me he wouldn t be the one to break i t. And he wasn t. I m not a cheater. Mi chael turned hi s head on the pi llow to look at Reese. She d spoken so softly he wasn t sure he d heard her ri ght. What di d you say? I m not a cheater. A wry, humorless smi le turned up one si de of her mouth. I know that sounds hard to beli eve under the present ci rcumstances, but I generally pri de myself on bei ng fai thful. She sounded so forlorn that Mi chael felt a twi nge of sympathyand gui lt. We can t always control who we re attracted to, sweetheart, he murmured. Her li ps twi sted cyni cally. That s such a typi cal male thi ng to say. How many poor women have you fed that li ne? He bri stled. It s not a li ne. It s the damn truth. Ri i i ght. Sti ll clutchi ng the sheet to her body, she drew her knees up to her chest, as i f she needed another barri er between them. Suddenly she looked very small and vulnerable i n the enormous bed. A surge of protecti ve tenderness rushed through Mi chael. Di d someone cheat on you, Reese? She si ghed heavi ly. I don t need to have experi enced i t to know that cheati ng i s wrong. Mi chael frowned. You aren t cheati ng. No? Then what do you call i t? No? Then what do you call i t? Explori ng your opti ons. That wrung a gri m laugh out of her. Let s not ki d ourselves, Mi chael. As unforgettable as last ni ght was, we both know i t was nothi ng more than a oneni ght stand. You re wrong, he sai d mi ldly. By i ts very defi ni ti on, the term one-ni ght stand could never apply to us. And why i s that? she challenged. He leaned forward, hi s voi ce droppi ng to a si lky murmur. Be cause I i ntend to have you agai n. And agai n. And again. Her breath hi tched, and he watched i n sati sfacti on as her dark gaze went to hi s mouth, then roamed over hi s bare chest before loweri ng to where hi s erecti on tented the covers at hi s wai st. Heat flared i n her eyes. Above the top edge of the sheet, her breasts heaved as she struggled to regulate her errati c breathi ng. No, Mi chael, she whi spered. Yes, Reese. Thei r gazes held for another long, sexually charged moment before she glanced away, expelli ng a shaky breath. Thi s i s ri di culous, she mumbled. You re not li steni ng to me. I just explai ned to you why thi s was a mi stake, and why i t can t happen agai n. And Im telli ng you that i t can, and i t wi ll. What s the poi nt? she burst out i n exasperati on. You and I both know thi s i sn t leadi ng anywhere! In less than two months I ll be back i n Houston, and you ll be back to enjoyi ng your status as one of the country s most eli gi ble bachelors. Why rui n li ves over what essenti ally amounts to a summer fli ng? Thi s ai n t no damn summer fli ng, Mi chael snarled, i ncensed by her repeated attempts to tri vi ali ze what may have been the most spectacular ni ght of hi s li fe. Oh, come on, Mi chael, she scoffed. Why are you maki ng such a bi g deal out of thi s? I mean, you re Michael Wolf. You can have any woman you want, whenever you want, wherever you Somethi ng snapped i nsi de hi m, and he exploded, I don t want any woman! I want you! Reese stared at hi m, her eyes wi de wi th stunned di sbeli ef. He glared back at her, hi s jaw ti ghtly clenched as he fought for self-control. Hi s heart was hammeri ng agai nst hi s ri bs, and hi s enti re body was vi brati ng wi th the fi erce, overpoweri ng urge to pi n her to the mattress and make love to her i n a way that would leave no doubt i n her mi nd that she belonged to hi m. Oh my. Reese bi t her li p, shaki ng her head slowly at hi m. You really are goi ng to make me fall i n love wi th you, aren t you?

Mi chael s pulse thudded. An emoti on suspi ci ously aki n to hope sprang to li fe i n hi s chest. And then he saw a trace of amusement gli tteri ng i n her eyes. What s so damned funny? he snapped. You. Me. Us. She si ghed, shaki ng her head agai n. The truth i s, Mi chael, I ve been halfway i n love wi th you for the past three years. My fami ly, fri ends and colleagues tease me constantly about havi ng a major crush on you. It s so bad that they ve even taken to calli ng you my fantasy boyfri end. Mi chael wasn t amused. So what are you sayi ng? Last ni ght was about you li vi ng out some sort of fantasy? Reese gave a low, i ndulgent laugh. Oh, now, don t gi ve me that wounded look. You have no reason to be offended. What we shared last ni ght far exceeded my fantasi es, and I di dn t thi nk that was even possi ble. But just because you rocked my world doesn t mean I fooli shly expect you to become my boyfri end. And why the hell not? Mi chael growled. What would be so damn crazy about that? She gave hi m a gentle, almost pi tyi ng look. Come on, Mi chael. You re not realboyfri end materi al. You re fantasy-boyfri end materi al. You re that smoki n hot guy every gi rl fantasi zes about. The guy who, though you know he s totally unattai nable, you d jump at the chance to spend one wi ld ni ght of sex wi th. And then years down the li ne long after you d settled i nto a comfortable li fe wi th the safe, sweet, reli able man you ended up marryi ng you d i ndulge i n a moment of gi rli sh whi m and tell your daughters all about that one reckless ni ght of passi on you had wi th your fantasy lover. She smi led demurely. I m lucky. Not every woman gets such an opportuni ty. Mi chael glowered at her, seethi ng wi th anger and somethi ng darker, somethi ng i nfi ni tely more dangerous. Somethi ng that made hi s heart ache wi th fi erce, pri mal yearni ng. Reese s smi le wavered. Uh, Mi chael? He lunged at her just as a cell phone suddenly rang, i ntrudi ng li ke the blast of an explosi on i n the room. Reese scrambled to the other si de of the bed, looki ng as reli eved as a small doe that had narrowly escaped the clutches of a savage predator. Scowli ng, Mi chael watched as she reached down, grabbed her phone out of her pursewhen the hell had she brought that upstai rs?and answered i n a breathless rush, Hello? Pause. Yes, thi s i s Reese St. James. The sheet had become di slodged i n her mad scramble to reach the phone. Mi chael stared, hi s peni s twi tchi ng at the si ght of her full, lusci ous breasts crowned wi th dark ni pples. He remembered the deli ci ous wei ght of them i n hi s hands, remembered the way they d swelled beneath the hungry lash of hi s tongue, remembered the way they d bounced and ji ggled as he drove i nto her. He reached down to stroke hi s erecti on before he caught hi mself. Reese li stened i nto the phone for a moment. Sure. I ll hold. Her eyes li fted to Mi chael s. It s She broke off at the arrested look on hi s face. Followi ng the di recti on of hi s gaze, she gasped and snatched the sheet back over her breasts. Mi chael felt a sharp pang of regretand annoyance. Who the hell was calli ng her thi s early i n the morni ng? It d better not be her damn boyfri end! Who s that? he demanded. Her eyes narrowed at hi s jealous, possessi ve tone. She pressed the mute button on her phone and sai d coolly, It s Drew s assi stant. They want me to come down to the studi o today for an ori entati on sessi on, and she also wanted to remi nd me that you and I are supposed to be shooti ng our promo spot tomorrow for the apprenti ce seri es. I don t need a damn remi nder. Leani ng back agai nst the headboard, Mi chael gestured i mpati ently at the phone. Why are you on hold? She s double-checki ng some detai ls wi th the producti on crew. Reese clutched the sheet ti ghter to her chest, pi nni ng hi m wi th a hosti le glare. I d li ke to get dressed. Knock yourself out, he muttered, wavi ng i n the general vi ci ni ty of the adjoi ni ng master bathroom. My clothes are downstai rs, she remi nded hi m. So go get them, he retorted, defi antly rebelli ng agai nst every gentlemanly i nsti nct that had been i nsti lled i n hi m from the ti me he could walk. He could almost hear Reese gnashi ng her teeth. I m on the phone, she sai d tersely. And i f i t s all the same to you, I d rather not wander around your penthouse butt naked. Especi ally wi th all these damn wi ndows. We re on the forti eth floor. No one can see you. Her eyes narrowed to dangerous sli ts. I m aski ng ni cely. You don t sound very ni ce to me. Pretty please! she snapped. Heavi ng an i mpati ent breath, Mi chael flung back the covers and swung out of the bed. To demonstrate to Reese that they were safe from the pryi ng eyes of voyeurs, he stalked across the master sui te and stood before the wall of wi ndows, just as bold and nude as he pleased. See, he sai d, turni ng back toward the bed. It s all g The rest of the words di ed on hi s li ps. Eyes fi lled wi th raw, naked hunger stared back at hi m. Hi s body reacted wi th a sharp jolt of lust that si zzled through hi s vei ns and rushed strai ght to hi s groi n. Hi s erecti on, whi ch had taunted hi m all morni ng, now

hardened i nto full-fledged arousal. Reese was utterly ri veted. Dri ven by some perverse i mpulse, Mi chael reached down and trai led hi s fi ngers li ghtly along the jutti ng length of hi s shaft. Inwardly he smi led at the soft gasp that came from across the room. Wi thout looki ng at Reese, he wrapped hi s fi ngers around hi s erecti on and gave hi mself a long, stroki ng caress. Up and down, slowly and provocati vely. He let hi s eyes dri ft closed, as i f he were so caught up i n pleasuri ng hi mself that he d completely forgotten he had an audi ence. A capti ve audi ence, judgi ng by the sound of Reese s ragged breathi ng. Not that he was enti rely i mmune to the eroti ci sm of bei ng watched by her. As he pumped hi mself, he i magi ned that i t was her hands sli di ng along hi s shaft, as she d done last ni ght. Stroki ng, caressi ng, dri vi ng hi m i nsane wi th lust. He became so aroused by the expli ci t i mages that a pearly bead of pre-come seeped from the ti p of hi s peni s, addi ng to the reali sm of hi s li ttle performance. When he fi nally stole a peek at Reese, her eyes were heavy li dded and glazed wi th desi re, her li ps parted on a soundless moan. He felt a surge of wi cked tri umph that was tempered only by hi s own mounti ng arousal. Gi vi ng her a lazy smi le, he left the wi ndows and began saunteri ng from the room. Yes, I m sti ll here, he heard her croak i nto the phone. Glanci ng over hi s shoulder, he saw her reach beneath the covers to touch herself. As she closed her eyes and released a shudderi ng breath, he gri nned wi th sati sfacti on. Maybe bei ng a fantasy boyfri end wasn t such a bad thi ng after all.

Chapter 14
Honey, I m home! Rai na Mayne announced i n a si ngsong voi ce that brought a gri n to Reese s face on the other end of the phone. Hey, you, she greeted her si ster, si nki ng i nto her favori te armchai r i n the li vi ng room. How was Italy? Absolutely wonderful, Rai na sai d dreami ly. Reese s gri n wi dened. I want to hear all about i t. Well, the conference was producti ve, of course. I came away wi th a wealth of i nformati on about the latest advances i n spa therapy, whi ch I can t wai t to i ncorporate at Touch of Heaven. That s good. Reese knew how much her si ster s luxury day spa meant to her. As great as the conference was, Rai na conti nued, the other thi ngs we di d are what made the tri p so speci al. We went on moonli t gondola ri des, explored beauti ful vi neyards. Oh, and the food, Reesey. The pasta, those gelatos. You would have been i n foodi e heaven. Reese smi led, fi ghti ng a small pang of envy. It all sounds very romanti c. It was. It felt li ke a second honeymoon. Rai na si ghed. You should have been there. Oh, I don t thi nk so. I would ve been a thi rd wheel. Maybe next ti me. Not as long as you and Vi ctor are together, Rai na muttered under her breath. Reese s smi le faded. What di d you say? Nothi ng, Rai na sai d bri ghtlytoo bri ghtly. Anyway, enough about my tri p. How s Hotlanta? Are you havi ng fun? You could say that. Now that Reese fi nally had her si ster on the phone, she di dn t even know where to begi n. She had so much to tell her. And yet, a part of her wanted to keep the most i nti mate detai ls of her li ai son wi th Mi chael to herself, li ke a cheri shed secret. She deci ded to start somewhere safe. Fi rst and foremost, I have some exci ti ng news to share. Remember the contest I entered si x months ago to become Mi chael Wolf s apprenti ce? Rai na snorted out a laugh. Of course I remember. You were She broke off abruptly. Wai t a mi nute. Are you about to tell me that You re speaki ng to Mi chael Wolf s new apprenti ce. Oh my God! Rai na let out an ear-spli tti ng squeal that must have brought her husband runni ng. Rai na exci tedly repeated the news to hi m. Hey, that s great, Warri ck Mayne s deep, masculi ne ti mbre could be heard i n the background. Tell her I sai d congratulati ons. Warri ck says congratulati ons, Rai na qui ckly relayed. Reese smi led. Tell hi m I sai d thanks. He just left the room. Thi s i s unbeli evable, Reesey, Rai na conti nued i n a breathless rush. I knew that reci pe you submi tted would knock the judges socks off. Remember how much we all loved i t when you made i t for us? Yes. Thanks for bei ng my gui nea pi gs. Hell, we should thank you. Do Mom and Dad know? Of course. They were very exci ted. I made them promi se to let me tell you. Man, why di d I have to be the last one to fi nd out? Bei ng the baby of the fami ly, Rai na had a complex about bei ng last i n anythi ng. When d you get the call? Tuesday, techni cally. But I di dn t li sten to the actual message unti l Wednesday. Today? No, last Wednesday. Last Wednesday! Rai na cri ed i n di sbeli ef. You should have called me! Reese laughed. I di dn t want to di sturb you. Besi des, there was a si x-hour ti me di fference. I don t care! You could have called me any ti me. Reese gri nned. Even i f you and Warri ck were i n the

mi ddle of, ah She trai led off poi ntedly, cleari ng her throat. Well There was no mi staki ng the naughty mi schi ef i n Rai na s voi ce. Agai n Reese laughed. I di dn t thi nk so. You could have left me a message, Rai na i nsi sted. That s what voi ce mai l i s for. Anyway, you must have been thri lled when you got the call. Actually, Reese sai d dri ly, I was anythi ng but. Why? Well, I d met Mi chael Wolf at hi s restaurant the ni ght before. Let s just say we got off to a rocky start. Knowi ng Rai na would never accept such a crypti c response, Reese gave her a detai led account of everythi ng that had transpi red between her and Mi chael that ni ght, as well as the next morni ng when he d called to apologi ze to her, only to further antagoni ze her. I can t beli eve he behaved that way, Rai na exclai med at the end of the story. Warri ck always speaks so hi ghly of Mi chael Wolf. I wouldn t have expected hi m to come off as such a jerk. It just goes to show Wai t a mi nute, Reese i nterrupted. What do you mean, Warri ck speaks hi ghly of Mi chael? Warri ck knows hi m? Yes. Rai na sounded sheepi sh. I ve been meani ng to tell you for months, but between planni ng the weddi ng and openi ng the new spa, I kept getti ng si detracked. And I was also hopi ng to surpri se you when Mi chael showed up at the weddi ng. I was so di sappoi nted when he couldn t make i t. He had to fly to Barcelona to help judge the fi nale for Top Chef or one of those other cooki ng shows. But he sent us the most amazi ng weddi ng gi ft How do he and Warri ck know each other? Reese i nterrupted agai n. They met through a professi onal organi zati on for engi neers. You know, of course, that Mi chael was a successful engi neer i n hi s previ ous li fe. At any rate, he and Warri ck really hi t i t off and have been fri ends ever si nce. Wow, Reese whi spered. Talk about si x degrees of separati on. I know. So, uh, you re not mad at me for not telli ng you sooner? Rai na sai d meekly. No. Reese smi led. It s obvi ous Mi chael and I were desti ned to meet eventually, anyway. Obvi ously. Rai na chuckled. Don t thi nk I wasn t goi ng to comment on the fact that you almost slept wi th hi m the fi rst ni ght you met hi m. That i s so unli ke you, Reesey. That man must be even fi ner i n person. Words can t begi n to descri be, Reese murmured. She shuddered at the memory of Mi chael gi lded i n sunli ght as he stood before hi s bedroom wi ndows glori ously naked and fully aroused. When he d begun stroki ng hi mself, i t was all Reese could do not to leap over the bed and jump hi s bones. The knowledge that he d been deli berately tryi ng to torment hermi ssi on accompli shed! hadn t stopped her trai torous body from respondi ng. She d gotten so turned on that she d started cli maxi ng even before he left the room, and long after he d dropped her off at home, her legs were sti ll shaki ng. The eroti c si ght of Mi chael pleasuri ng hi mself had been added to a growi ng collecti on of i mages that were permanently seared i nto Reese s brai n. So what happened at the audi ti on? Rai na asked eagerly. Obvi ously you guys must have patched thi ngs up, or you wouldn t have been chosen as hi s apprenti ce. Smi li ng, Reese opened her mouth to tell her si ster about the wacky audi ti on performance that had landed her a spot on Mi chael s show. An hour later, she d told Rai na everything. About thei r wonderful day of si ghtseei ng together, about meeti ng hi s fami ly, about watchi ng Mi chael i n hi s element at the restaurant. Rai na li stened i n rapt absorpti on, occasi onally i nterrupti ng for clari fi cati on, laughi ng at funny anecdotes li ke thei r pai ntball adventure, groani ng at thei r heated fi ght over Vi ctor s roses, si ghi ng poi gnantly at Mi chael s romanti c overtures and purri ng wi ckedly as Reese descri bedspari ngly but honestlythe explosi ve ni ght of passi on they d shared. Oh my God, Rai na breathed when Reese had fi ni shed speaki ng. She sounded completely flabbergasted. I don t even know where to begi n. I can t beli eve how much has happened, and you ve barely been there a week! I know. Reese si ghed. If you were the type to play practi cal jokes, I wouldn t beli eve any of thi s. It s so i ncredi ble! I m havi ng a hard ti me beli evi ng i t myself. It s been a pretty surreal experi ence. Oh, Reesey. Her si ster s voi ce softened. Are you falli ng i n love wi th Mi chael? Reese choked out a husky laugh that felt li ke a sob. Accordi ng to you and everyone else, I ve been i n love wi th hi m for years. Rai na di dn t laugh. You know what I mean. Reese closed her eyes as tears crowded her throat, maki ng i t ache. I don t know, she whi spered. Rai na was si lent for a long moment. What are you goi ng to do about Vi ctor? Reese swallowed wi th di ffi culty. I haven t deci ded. Well, you d better deci de soon, her si ster gently advi sed. Because when he tunes i n to Mi chael s

show on Monday and sees the two of you together, he s goi ng to reali ze that he s already lost you.

Chapter 15
Nervous? Reese cut a si deways glance at Mi chael, who stood besi de her i n the backstage tunnel leadi ng to the set of hi s show. What do you thi nk? He gri nned, unfazed by her rancor. The more relaxed he seemed, the ti ghter her stomach knotted unti l she was one bi g ball of nerves, sweaty palms and a gallopi ng heartbeat. She d expected some stage fri ght when the bi g day approached, but thi s was ri di culous. She hadn t been thi s nervous si nce her days of doi ng cli ni cals as an i ntern. Her anxi ety that morni ng was further exacerbated by the growi ng rumble of crowd noi se as the studi o audi ence awai ted thei r entrance. She thought there had to be at least a thousand people out there. She was afrai d to ask. I thi nk I m goi ng to be si ck, she announced i n a thi n voi ce. Mi chael chuckled. That should make for good rati ngs. My new apprenti ce, puki ng all over the set of my ki tchen. Ni ce. Reese closed her eyes, tryi ng to concentrate on deep-breathi ng exerci ses. A moment later her eyes snapped open, and she stared at Mi chael i n fasci nated di sbeli ef. Are they chanting your name? I beli eve so. He wi nked at her. I much prefer i t when you do i t, though. Reese blushed at the reference to the way she d panted, chanted and screamed hi s name duri ng sex. Though she d been tryi ng for days not to thi nk about thei r lovemaki ng, she was grateful to hi m for taki ng her mi nd off her ji ttery nerves, i f only for a few moments. Only you would thi nk about that at a ti me li ke thi s, she grumbled. Hi s li ps curved i n a raki sh gri n. Food and sex, he drawled. A match made i n heaven. She blushed harder. The assi stant producer, standi ng nearby, began hi s countdown. Reese tensed up agai n. Mi chael reached out and took her hand, hi s warm touch i nfusi ng her wi th the strength and courage she needed to get through the next hour. Just relax and be yourself, he murmured. They re goi ng to love you. She gave hi m a tremulous smi le. How do you know? Somethi ng softened i n hi s gaze. Because I And we re on! At the producer s cue Mi chael slowly released her hand, whi spered, See you soon, then strode out to the set to a deafeni ng chorus of cheers and applause. Reese watched, mesmeri zed, as he waved to the audi ence and shook hands wi th hi s band members and several random people i n the fi rst row. After ki ssi ng hi s mother, Asha and Samara on the cheek, he made hi s way onto the stage. A woman yelled out, I love you, Mi chael! He gri nned and blew her a ki ss as laughter and catcalls ri ppled through the crowd. When a rowdy group of fraterni ty brothers barked i n rapi d successi on, Mi chael cupped hi s hands around hi s mouth and barked back. It was, Reese marveled, qui te a si ght to behold. When the noi se had fi nally subsi ded, Mi chael lai d hi s hand over hi s heart i n a gesture of utmost grati tude. Thank you so much for that warm Southern welcome. I m defi ni tely feeli ng the love ri ght now. We mi ssed you, Mi chael! Thi s came from a di fferent woman. He laughed. I mi ssed y all, too. It s great to be back for a fourth season of Howlin Good, and I thank all of you for bei ng here and for tuni ng i n at home. Before we get started, how about another round of applause for my fami ly? The audi ence clapped hearti ly as Sterli ng, Asha, Celeste, Grant, Marcus and Samara beamed wi th pleasure. After acknowledgi ng a few more speci al guests, Mi chael conti nued hi s i ntroducti on. We ve got a lot of exci ti ng thi ngs on tap for you thi s season. But what I m most exci ted about i s the newest addi ti on to our Howlin Good fami ly. As you all know, thi s year we launched a nati onwi de search for an apprenti ce. I want to thank everyone who submi tted your best reci pes to us. We had so many amazi ng, creati ve di shes to choose from. But at the end of the day, a clear wi nner emerged, and when you meet her, I thi nk you ll understand why. So wi thout further ado, I d li ke to i ntroduce you to my new apprenti ce, the beauti ful and talented Reese St. James. Reese unglued her leaden feet from the floor and strolled out to the set as she was showered wi th applause and whi stles. Bravely she smi led and waved, i nwardly gulpi ng as she took i n the si ze of the studi o audi ence. As she approached Mi chael, thei r eyes met. Suddenly Reese forgot where she was, what she was doi ng and how she d even gotten there. No man had ever looked at her the way Mi chael was looki ng at her now. It was i ndescri bable, a look that drove everythi ng else i nto the background unti l he alone was the focus of her attenti on. The focus of her uni verse. Thi s ti me when her stomach clenched and her pulse qui ckened, she knew i t had nothi ng to do wi th stage fri ght. As she joi ned hi m at the large center i sland, he gave

her an i nti mate smi le that melted her i nsi des faster than a pat of butter tossed i nto a hot ski llet. What is he trying to do to me? Reese comes to us from Houston, Mi chael announced, turni ng to address the audi ence. We got any other Houstoni ans i n the house? In response to the enthusi asti c smatteri ng of cheers, Reese gri nned and pumped her fi st i n soli dari ty, whi ch drew some appreci ati ve laughter. Reese i s a doctor, Mi chael conti nued wi th a lazy smi le, but she s taki ng ti me out of her busy schedule to study under her favori te chef. That s ri ght, Mi chael, Reese sai d wi th just the ri ght touch of breathlessness. You re my favorite chef i n the whole She broke off suddenly. What s wrong? Mi chael was frowni ng down at her whi te chef s jacket, whi ch had been monogrammed wi th RSJher i ni ti als. Uh, Reese? Yes, Mi chael? Thi s is my show, ri ght? She bli nked i nnocently. Of course. Sowhy are you weari ng your i ni ti als i nstead of mi ne? Wi th a sheepi sh gri n, she eased her hand over the em broi dered letters. Oops? Mi chael scowled, shaki ng hi s head at the audi ence. So much for bei ng her favori te chef. As the crowd roared wi th laughter, Reese and Mi chael exchanged sly wi nks. There you are! Reese turned and smi led as Celeste and Grant approached her, both elegantly dressed i n dark eveni ng wear. You and Mi chael were si mply amazi ng today, Celeste exclai med, claspi ng both of Reese s hands i n hers. I always watch my son s show and thoroughly enjoy i t, but that was one of the most entertai ni ng epi sodes I ve ever seen. Reese warmed wi th pleasure, though she d been recei vi ng si mi lar compli ments all eveni ng. Thank you, Mrs. Rutherford. I m so glad you enjoyed the show. She gri nned ruefully, confi di ng, I was a nervous wreck. No one could tell, Celeste assured her. You were a natural. My wi fe i s ri ght, Grant sai d, smi li ng affably at Reese. If you were anythi ng but a physi ci an, I d encourage you to go i nto show busi ness. Di dn t I see Mi chael s talent agent speaki ng to you duri ng di nner? Celeste asked. Reese laughed. He gave me hi s busi ness card and urged me to call hi m i f I ever grow ti red of deli veri ng screami ng babi es for a li vi nghi s words, not mi ne. Celeste and Grant laughed. And speaki ng of show busi ness, Celeste sai d, gi vi ng Reese an admi ri ng once-over, you look stunni ng enough to belong on a red carpet. Reese beamed. Thank you very much. Outfi tted i n one of Asha s exclusi ve desi gns, Reese had never felt more glamorous i n her li fe. Wanti ng to accentuate Reese s fi gure, Asha had chosen for her a sleeveless whi te dress that molded her full breasts, hugged her narrow wai st, gli ded over the curves of her hi ps and thi ghs, and ended i n a frothy swi rl around her feet. It was a sexy, sophi sti cated ensemble that remi nded Reese of somethi ng worn by si lent-era Hollywood stars. To complete the effect, Asha s styli st had pulled her hai r back and arranged i t i nto a si mple but elegant twi st, whi le the makeup arti st had appli ed smoky eye shadow and sli cked her mouth wi th a moi st red li psti ck. When they d fi ni shed, Asha had taken one look at Reese and si ghed. Darli ng, you re a vi si on. Whi le Reese twi rled i n front of the full-length mi rror, Asha had murmured under her breath, If thi s doesn t do the tri ck, nothi ng wi ll. Everyone has been buzzi ng about today s show, Celeste sai d, breaki ng i nto Reese s musi ngs. If I di dn t know better, I would thi nk i t was Mi chael s, not Asha s party. The sati sfi ed gleam i n her eyes made i t clear what she thought of anyone steali ng Asha s spotli ght. After everythi ng Asha had done for Reese, she would have felt gui lty taki ng si des agai nst her. And she di dn t necessari ly agree wi th Celeste s assessment, anyway. But one thi ng every attendee could agree upon that ni ght: both Mi chael and Asha knew how to throw one hell of a party. Asha had spared no expense, and Mi chael s cateri ng crew had more than deli vered. The food had been lavi sh and plenti ful, wi ne flowed freely and the decorati ons were top-notch. The lush garden sparkled wi th thousands of fai ry li ghts, and pi azzas had been speci ally erected on platforms to represent Asha s new li ne of Itali an-i nspi red clothi ng. Tables grouped together i nvi ted guests to li nger after di nner to enjoy the starli ght and the elegant musi c provi ded by a fi ve-stri ng quartet. As Reese surveyed the sea of strangers garbed i n gli tteri ng atti re, she was struck by the presence of celebri ti es and fashi on heavywei ghts who had turned out en masse to celebrate the openi ng of Asha s latest bouti que. There were edi tors from Vogue, Mademoiselle, Essence, Cosmopolitan, along wi th some i nternati onal reporters and members of the local press. Wi th Samara i n tow, Asha ci rculated among her guestsgreeti ng fri ends wi th double-cheek ki sses, i ntroduci ng acquai ntances and li ghtly admoni shi ng reporters who tri ed to clai m an exclusi ve wi th her. The ti me for i ntervi ews i s over, chre, she could be

heard sayi ng. Now i t s ti me to play. She was totally i n her element. And so, apparently, was Mi chael. As Reese s gaze traveled reluctantly across the garden, she saw hi m and Quenti n surrounded by what else?a group of leggy, gorgeous models. It was easy to see why the women had flocked to the two fri ends, who were devastati ngly handsome i n black tuxedos that made nearly every other man present look li ke pengui ns i n compari son. As Reese watched, one of the runway ki ttens leaned close to whi sper somethi ng i n Mi chael s ear. The si ght of hi s slow, lazy smi le was li ke a kni fe between Reese s ri bs. Between overseei ng hi s cateri ng staff and mi ngli ng wi th the guests, she hadn t expected to see much of Mi chael that eveni ng. But she hadn t expected hi m to completely i gnore her, ei ther. She was surpri sed by how hurt she felt. Hurt and angry. Celeste, who had followed the di recti on of her gaze, regarded Reese wi th an expressi on of gentle maternal sympathy. Boys wi ll be boys, she qui pped i n a feeble attempt at humor. Reese forced a shrug and an aloof smi le. Inwardly she knew she had no ri ght to expect Mi chael to spend ti me wi th her, especi ally not after the way she d practi cally laughed i n hi s face at the mere suggesti on of hi m bei ng boyfri end materi al. She wasn t tryi ng to be unki nd, but he d reacted angri ly, as though he were deeply offended. After tapi ng thei r promo commerci al on Thursday, he d rushed off for a lunch date, and that was the last ti me Reese had seen hi munti l today. He d been so good wi th her that morni ng, holdi ng her hand and tryi ng to ease her stage fri ght. And she would never, ever forget the look on hi s face as he d watched her walk toward hi m. How could he look at her that way, wi th such tenderness and fi erce pri de, then turn around and treat her li ke she di dn t even exi st? And here you are thinking you are the expert on giving mixed signals, her consci ence mocked. Grant and I are goi ng i nsi de for a whi le, Celeste told Reese. Why don t you come wi th us, get off your feet for a bi t? Reese thought of the separate party that was goi ng on i nsi de the mai n house, where several guests had gathered i n the spaci ous li vi ng room to watch the season premi ere of Howlin Good. The last thi ng she needed was a remi nder of how much chemi stry she and Mi chael shared. That s okay, she sai d, flashi ng a bri ght smi le at Celeste. I m fi ne out here. In fact, I thi nk I ll go fi nd Samara. She begged me to rescue her from her mother s clutches at some poi nt thi s eveni ng. Celeste looked unconvi nced, but she smi led and allowed herself to be led away by Grant. As Reese started across the garden, she snagged a flute of champagne from a tray carri ed by a whi tegloved wai ter. She si pped, smi li ng when she spi ed Marcus leadi ng Samara onto the empty dance floor. If anyone could rescue Samara from Asha, i t was her husband. Ignori ng the i nterested stares of several men she passed, Reese found an empty table and sat down. Hey, beauti ful. She glanced up, surpri sed to fi nd Quenti n toweri ng over her, hi s bri ght hazel eyes twi nkli ng wi th that i rrepressi ble mi schi ef she remembered so well. She smi led. Hey, yourself. Mi nd i f I joi n you? Not at all. Reese wondered i f any female wi th functi oni ng X chromosomes ever refused Quenti n Reddi ck. He folded hi s long body i nto a chai r and stretched out hi s endless legs. Havi ng a good ti me? Reese gri nned. Not as good a ti me as you were obvi ously havi ng wi th Asha s models. He chuckled lazi ly. Blame i t on my personal motto. Whi ch i s? Work hard, play even harder. Reese s gri n wi dened. When she made an exaggerated show of glanci ng over hi s broad shoulder, Quenti n eyed her curi ously. What re you looki ng for? he asked. The stri ng of broken hearts you left i n your wake on your way over here. He laughed, the sound curli ng around her li ke a dri ft of smoke. I li ke you. She fluttered her lashes at hi m. Oh, Quenti n, she sai d i n a breathy voi ce. I bet you say that to all the gi rls. Agai n he laughed, shaki ng hi s head at her. Gorgeous and sassy. Damn, gi rl, you are deadly. Thanks. Reese gri nned, rai si ng her glass i n a mock toast before taki ng a long si p. A compani onable si lence lapsed between them as they watched Marcus and Samara swayi ng together on the dance floor, lost i n thei r own pri vate world. It s li ke bei ng at thei r weddi ng agai n, Quenti n murmured. Reese smi led softly. I bet i t was beauti ful. Thi s garden has romanti c weddi ng wri tten all over i t. It was. Most defi ni tely. He sli d a glance at her. Even Mi ke cri ed. Reese gaped at hi m. He did? Quenti n laughed. Well, he got choked up, he amended, as i f he reali zed he d vi olated an unwri tten rule of brotherhood: never make your best fri end look li ke a sap to a member of the opposi te sex. There s nothi ng wrong wi th men cryi ng at weddi ngs,

Reese remarked. Especi ally your brother s weddi ng. I know how close Mi chael and Marcus are. I m sure he was very happy for hi m. Of course, Quenti n agreed. We all were. Especi ally si nce no one saw i t comi ng. Oh? Di d Marcus have commi tment i ssues li ke hi s brother? The moment the words left her mouth, Reese wi shed she could snatch them back. She d all but confessed to Quenti n that she was falli ng for hi s best fri end, somethi ng she wasn t even ready to admi t to herself. Quenti n s eyes narrowed on her face, si lently assessi ng her. After a prolonged moment he nodded slowly, though Reese di dn t know whether he was respondi ng to her questi on or confi rmi ng a suspi ci on about her. A small, rueful smi le touched hi s mouth. When we were growi ng up, there were these two old ladi es who used to congregate on thei r front porch. Every poor nei ghborhood has themthe nosy old gossi ps who keep the grapevi ne goi ng. Mi ke s parents di vorce was one of the jui ci est scandals to ever hi t the block, because of the way thi ngs went down. After Mi ke s mom moved out, every ti me he and I walked to the corner store, we d pass those two old ladi es. And wi thout fai l, we d hear them cluck thei r tongues and say to each otherand I quote Gonna take a mi racle to tame those Wolf boys. Both of them are gonna be heartbreakers. You can thank thei r mama for that. Reese stared at hi m. Every ti me? Every ti me. She gri maced and shook her head sympatheti cally. That must have been really hard for Mi chael, havi ng to hear that all the ti me. Quenti n shrugged. He got used to i t eventually, learned to tune them out. Two years later he was off to college, and poor Marcus had to deal wi th i t. Anyway, you menti oned thei r commi tment i ssues, so I just wanted to gi ve you some context. Reese nodded slowly. What you re telli ng me i s that Mi chael and Marcus were really scarred by thei r parents di vorce. Yeah, Quenti n sai d qui etly. But I m not goi ng to get i nto speci fi cs. I ll let Mi ke do that. What makes you thi nk he s goi ng to confi de i n me? A soft, eni gmati c smi le curved Quenti n s li ps. Call i t a hunch. Reese followed hi s lazy gaze across the garden to where Mi chael stood talki ng to an attracti ve, fai rski nned woman resplendent i n shi mmeri ng Chanel. Reese remembered seei ng the woman at her audi ti on, and agai n at today s tapi ng. Whenever they d made eye contact, Reese had felt as though she were bei ng si zed up. Who i s that woman? she asked, fei gni ng only casual i nterest. The twi tch of Quenti n s mouth told her that he saw ri ght through her. That s Andrea Barri ster, Mi ke s publi ci st. No wonder. I ve seen her before. No surpri se there, Quenti n drawled i roni cally. Wherever you see Mi ke, Andrea s never too far behi nd. Reese felt a pang of jealousy. I see. No, you don t. He s not sleepi ng wi th her. But you just sai d I sai d that Andrea follows hi m around everywhere. That doesn t mean they re i nvolved. Oh. Reese hesi tated, then shrugged di spassi onately. Doesn t matter. It s none of my busi ness. No? Quenti n couldn t have conveyed more amused skepti ci sm i f he d tri ed. She bri stled. In case you haven t noti ced, your fri end hasn t sai d two words to me all eveni ng. Quenti n chuckled. Aw, hell, gi rl. He s been watchi ng you the whole ni ght. No, he hasn t. How would you know? Those hazel eyes gli nted percepti vely. Unless you ve been watchi ng hi m, too? Heat stung her face. Averti ng her gaze, she si pped her champagne. You don t beli eve me? You thi nk I m lyi ng about hi m watchi ng you? Yes, Reese sai d gloomi ly. Quenti n stood, holdi ng out hi s hand to her. She gave hi m a blank look. What? Dance wi th me. I don t feel li ke Come on, baby gi rl. You look too damn good to be si tti ng around mopi ng. I m not But Quenti n had already tugged her to her feet and started toward the dance floor. When Mi chael glanced up from conversi ng wi th hi s publi ci st to see Quenti n leadi ng Reese onto the dance floor, hi s fi rst i nsti nct was to storm across the garden and smash hi s fi st i nto Quenti n s face. It took every shred of self-control he possessed to remai n where he was, to keep hi s di stance from Reese as he d been doi ng all ni ght. He d spent the past few days force-feedi ng hi mself a li tany of reasons why the two of them shouldn t be together. She li ved too far away. He di dn t do longdi stance relati onshi ps, so one of them would have to relocate, and he honestly di dn t thi nk he was ready to make that ki nd of sacri fi ce. Besi des, wi th thei r busy careers, how much quali ty ti me would they really spend together, anyway? And, of course, there was the matter of her boyfri end.

Mi chael was supersti ti ous enough to beli eve that i f he got Reese by taki ng her from another man, thei r relati onshi p mi ght be doomed forever. But one look at her that morni ng, and all those rati onalesexcuseshad gone ri ght out the wi ndow. One smi le from her, and he d been a goner. Ri ght then and there, as he was about to go onstage before a li ve studi o audi ence, he d looked i nto Reese s eyes and made the most stunni ng di scovery of hi s li fe: he was i n love wi th her. After that, everythi ng else had been a blur. He was so shaken, so di stracted, that i t was a mi racle he hadn t burned down hi s ki tchen duri ng the tapi ng. Hours later he was sti ll rattled, to the extent that he d avoi ded contact wi th Reese for the enti re eveni ng. But he d seen her. Oh, how he d seen her. He couldn t take hi s eyes off her i n that sli nky whi te si ren s dress that hugged every dangerous curve. The fi rst ti me she turned around, he d gotten a mi nd-blowi ng gli mpse of smooth bare ski n revealed by the dress s plungi ng backli ne. Hi s eyes had bulged, and he d nearly swallowed hi s damn tongue. As she d wafted through the moonli t garden, looki ng li ke a heavenly creature, more than a few men had craned thei r necks to stare and lust after her. Mi chael had been on edge all ni ght, dreadi ng the i nevi table moment when some asshole would make a move on her. Li ttle di d he know i t would be hi s best fri end. Mi chael glared as Quenti n and Reese swayed to the soft, dreamy musi c. When Quenti n leaned down to murmur somethi ng i n her ear, Mi chael felt a snarl curli ng up the corners of hi s mouth. When Reese tossed back her head and laughed, a red haze settled over hi s vi si on. He told hi mself that Marcus must have forgotten to pass along hi s warni ng to Quenti n to stay away from Reese. Why else would Quenti n ri sk li fe and li mb by holdi ng her i n hi s arms, putti ng hi s hands on her bare back and Mi chael cut Andrea off mi dsentence. Excuse me. He must have resembled a chargi ng bull as he bore down on the danci ng couple. He reached them i n a matter of seconds and ground out tersely, Mi nd i f I cut i n? They glanced around i n surpri se. Well, Reese looked surpri sed. Quenti n looked smug, the bastard. Quenti n sli d a lazy glance at Reese. What do you say, beauti ful? he drawled, hi s eyes gli nti ng wi th wi cked mi schi ef. Can my boy have thi s dance? Reese hesi tated, bi ti ng her li p. When she nodded, Mi chael felt as reli eved as a death row i nmate who d been granted an eleventh-hour gubernatori al pardon. Quenti n gri nned, slow and knowi ng. I m gonna go fi nd Lexi . You ki ds have fun. Wi nki ng at them, he strolled off. Holdi ng Reese s gaze, Mi chael drew her i nto hi s embrace. After a sli ght hesi tati on, she rested her head on hi s shoulder and wreathed her arms around hi s neck. A shudder ri ppled through hi m at the feel of her soft breasts pressed agai nst hi s chest, her belly to hi s groi n. She was a perfect fi t, her body molded to hi s as i f she d been expressly created for hi m. The way he felt about her, he wasn t so sure she hadnt been. They began movi ng together, flowi ng i nto an easy rhythm that seemed i nnate. Li ke thei r lovemaki ng. Mi chael ti ghtened hi s hands around her wai st, ti lti ng her closer to hi m. Her round, curvy butt tempted hi m beneath the cli ngi ng si lk of her dress. You look breathtaki ng, he sai d huski ly. Thank you, she murmured. I m weari ng one of Asha s desi gns. God bless that woman, Mi chael thought. It s i ncredi ble. I thi nk so, too. Reese paused. At fi rst I was afrai d i t mi ght be too Reveali ng? She chuckled softly. Yes. Now that you menti on i t, you have been getti ng one too many lewd stares for my li ki ng. She li fted her head from hi s shoulder, her eyes gli tteri ng wi th accusati on i n the si lvery moonli ght. You haven t glanced my way all ni ght. How would you know how many stares I ve been getti ng? He held her gaze. Sweetheart, I haven t been able to take my eyes off you. If you don t beli eve me, just ask anyone who s tri ed to hold a conversati on wi th me toni ght. He could tell that pleased her. She smi led softly, her lush li ps gli steni ng li ke moi st, ri pe cherri es. Mi chael wanted to ki ss her, but he di dn t trust hi mself to stop there. Not when he was dyi ng to peel off her dress and feast on her voluptuous body, starti ng wi th the plump, lusci ous breasts rubbi ng agai nst hi s chest. Before he succumbed to temptati on, he cupped her nape and gently urged her head back to hi s shoulder. As they conti nued swayi ng together, he slanted hi s head and nuzzled hi s face agai nst the warm ski n of her neck, savori ng the li ght, exoti c scent of her perfume. When hi s hands sli d over the si lky curve of her back, she shi vered. But he di dn t try to do more. Closi ng hi s eyes, he si mply basked i n the ri ghtness of holdi ng her i n hi s arms, where she belonged. They danced under the stars, so absorbed i n each other that ti me ceased to have meani ng. It was only when Reese whi spered, The musi c s stopped, that Mi chael remembered where they were, remembered that they weren t alone. Wi th obvi ous reluctance he released her and stepped back. Li fti ng hi s head, he met the knowi ng gazes of hi s

father and Asha, Marcus and Samara, and Quenti n and Lexi , who d gathered at the edge of the dance floor to watch them. The qui et, i ntui ti ve smi les on thei r faces told Mi chael that they d fi gured out hi s secret. Now only one questi on remai ned: What was he goi ng to do about i t? It was after 3:00 a.m. by the ti me the cleanup crew fi ni shed thei r work and departed. After seei ng them off, Mi chael returned to the backyard for a fi nal i nspecti on. Si nce hi s father had been generous enough to allow hi s home to be commandeered by Asha, Mi chael had gi ven Sterli ng hi s word that everythi ng would be restored to perfect order after the party. After walki ng the landscaped grounds and sati sfyi ng hi mself that hi s father would fi nd nothi ng to complai n about, Mi chael started back toward the house. As he reached the veranda, he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of hi s eye. He turned, hi s pulse thuddi ng when he saw Reese s shadowy si lhouette i n the gazebo. He started down the flagstone path, strolli ng at a lei surely pace when all he really wanted to do was run to her li ke the lovesi ck fool he was. To di stract hi mself, he admi red the gazebo that was pai nted whi te wi th a redbri ck roof to match the mai n house. Surrounded by lush garden beds and draped wi th a twi nkli ng canopy of fai ry li ghts, i t was the perfect spot for a romanti c rendezvous. When he reached i t, he found Reese loungi ng on the wraparound bench, her head tucked i nto her hand and her legs curled under her. Her feet were bare; the i cepi ck sti lettos she d worn earli er now lay on the floor. Mi chael was pleased to see that she hadn t changed out of the si ren s dress, though somethi ng would have to be done about her pi nned-up hai r. All in good time. Leani ng i n the entrance to the gazebo, he di pped hi s hands i nto hi s pockets and gazed at her. It s late. I know. Couldn t sleep? Haven t tri ed. Why not? Those sultry eyes held hi s. I was wai ti ng for you. Hi s heart went i nto overdri ve. She sat up slowly, patti ng the bench besi de her. Come. Si t. He di dn t have to be told twi ce. He d barely sat down before she reached for hi s tuxedo jacket and began draggi ng i t off hi s shoulders. He helped her, shruggi ng out of the jacket and tossi ng i t to the floor. Take off your shi rt. Her voi ce was calm. Hi s was not when he asked, Why? I want to gi ve you a massage. She smi led. I thi nk you ve earned one. Mi chael wasn t about to argue. Hurri edly he unbuttoned hi s shi rt, removed hi s cuff li nks and cast them asi de wi th no regard to where they landed. When Reese s warm fi ngers settled over hi s bare ski n, he groaned and closed hi s eyes. Look at all these knots you have, she crooned, massagi ng the cramped muscles. You poor baby. It s been a long day, he mumbled, hi s head falli ng li mply forward. Of course. And you ve been worki ng so hard. Her soft, fi rm hands moved over hi s shoulders and back, locati ng and kneadi ng pressure poi nts unti l he thought he d melt i nto a puddle. You amaze me, Mi chael, she murmured. A man i n your posi ti on can just si t back and let the people you ve hi red do all the work. I certai nly can t i magi ne any other celebri ty chef helpi ng wi th ki tchen duty at hi s restaurant, especi ally after a long, grueli ng day. How do you know Mi chael s brai n felt so sluggi sh he had to stop and try agai n. How do you know I di dn t do that because you were helpi ng? She chuckled. Because one of your wai tresses told me you always pi tch i n. That s one of the many thi ngs they admi re and respect about you. You never hesi tate to get i n the trenches wi th your soldi ers. And speaki ng of hi s soldi ers, as the heat of her fi ngerti ps sent currents of electri c sensati on si zzli ng through hi s vei ns, need throbbed heavi ly i n hi s groi n. Before Mi chael knew i t, he had a monster of an erecti on. He let out another deep, sati sfi ed groan as her ski lled fi ngers worked at a stubborn knot i n hi s back. God, that feels good. Where d you learn how to gi ve such i ncredi ble massages? My si ster taught me. She owns a day spa. Yeah? Mi chael smi led hazi ly. I have a fri end whose wi fe runs a day spa. What s your si ster s called? Touch of Heaven. Hmm. Somethi ng cli cked i n hi s lethargi c brai n. Hi s eyes flew open, and he swung hi s head around to stare at Reese. Wai t a mi nute. St. James Is your si ster marri ed to Warri ck Mayne? Reese smi led. Yes, she i s. Get outta here! Are you seri ous? As a heart attack. What a small world, Mi chael marveled, shaki ng hi s head i n di sbeli ef. Warri ck and I have known each other for years. I know. I just found out the other day when I spoke to my si ster. Rai na, ri ght? Ri ght. Reese shi fted, her soft breasts grazi ng hi s shoulder as she resumed massagi ng hi m. Apparently, Rai na and Warri ck were planni ng to

surpri se me when you showed up at thei r weddi ng. B ut you rui ned everythi ng by bei ng a no-show, she sai d, gi vi ng hi m a teasi ng poke i n the back. Mi chael gri nned ruefully. I was really bummed about that. But I d already commi tted to judgi ng a competi ti on months before I recei ved thei r weddi ng i nvi tati on. Too bad. She si ghed. We could have met sooner. He gazed at her. Better late than never, he sai d softly. She met hi s eyes, her hands sti lli ng on hi s shoulders. Mi chael He leaned close and ki ssed her. Hard. He di dn t know what she d been about to say. He wasn t taki ng any chances. He wanted her, needed her more than hi s next breath, and he wasn t about to gi ve her a chance to tell hi m no. She responded hungri ly, her arms bandi ng around hi s neck. Her warm, frui ty taste fi lled hi s mouth as hi s tongue i nvaded hers. He was desperate for her, but he held i t i n check, tryi ng to express wi th hi s ki ss everythi ng that words couldn t descri be. He told her wi th hi s li ps, wi th every stroke of hi s tongue, just how much she meant to hi m, how lost he d be wi thout her. And she ki ssed hi m back wi th enough fervor to scorch the breath i n hi s lungs. He worked her dress up her lusci ous thi ghs, then li fted her onto hi s lap. Her legs straddled hi m on the bench. As he sei zed her mouth agai n i n a hot, demandi ng ki ss, he reached up and tugged at the band securi ng her elaborate twi st. When she shook her hai r free he groaned i n approval, si fti ng hi s fi ngers through the dark, si lky tresses. Her hands roamed eagerly over hi s bare chest, the teasi ng brush of her fi ngers maki ng hi s ni pples harden. When she leaned down and fli cked her wet tongue over one, then the other, a hard shudder swept through hi m. Greedi ly he cupped her breasts. She gasped and arched i nto hi s hands, her taut ni pples poki ng i nto hi s palms. He caressed her as her soft, throaty cri es ratcheted up hi s need. She looked li ke a goddess i n her whi te dress, whi ch glowed i n the moonli ght and gave her an ethereal sensuali ty. Last ti me he d just wanted to ri p off her clothes and feast on her glori ous nudi tyand later he would. But for now, he was enjoyi ng the eroti c vi si on she made wi th the tops of her breasts spi lli ng out over the low neckli ne, her ni pples jutti ng through the si lk. It was a dress made for sex. When she reached behi nd her to unfasten i t, he stopped her. Keep i t on, he whi spered thi ckly. I wanna make love to you weari ng i t. She moaned and undulated agai nst hi m. Sli di ng hi s hands under her dress, he groaned at the di scovery that she wore a si lk thong. He cupped her lush, curvy butt and let out another appreci ati ve rumble. I ve been dyi ng to get under here all ni ght. It took you long enough, she murmured, maki ng hi s erecti on throb. Hi s hands snaked between her trembli ng thi ghs. He pushed asi de the damp stri p of si lk shi eldi ng her sex and sli d one fi nger i nsi de. She bucked, her muscles clampi ng around hi m. She mewled as he sli d hi s fi nger i n and out of her wetness, pressi ng and probi ng. When he found the spongy li ttle spot at the back of her vagi na, he tweaked i t, then curved hi s fi nger forward. Bingo. Her eyes flew wi de, and he crushed hi s mouth to hers to muffle her loud cry. She rode out the orgasm, her thi ghs shaki ng on hi s lap, her fi ngers di ggi ng so hard i nto hi s shoulders he knew she d leave scratches. Gradually her eyes opened and settled on hi s face. She stared at hi m, looki ng both stunned and fasci nated. No man has ever found my G-spot before, she whi spered. Hi s chest swelled. Even i n the heat of passi on, hi s male ego wasn t i mmune to bei ng stroked. Maybe you ve been wi th the wrong men, he murmured, ni bbli ng her plush lower li p. She let out a slow, shaky breath. Maybe. No maybe about it, Mi chael thought. Closi ng her eyes, Reese ki ssed hi m softly whi le her hand reached between thei r bodi es and cupped hi s erecti on. She stroked hi m, wri ngi ng a groan from deep i n hi s throat. She unzi pped hi s fly, reached i nsi de and grasped hi s engorged shaft. Mmm, she purred i n throaty deli ght. Hi s peni s swelled even more, i f that were possi ble. I want to taste you, she murmured seducti vely. Pulse hammeri ng, Mi chael stared i n heavy-li dded arousal as she sli d off hi s lap wi th a soft swi sh of si lk. Holdi ng hi s gaze, she knelt between hi s legs, gri pped hi s shaft and took hi m deep i nto her mouth. He sucked i n a sharp breath. Hi s head fell back and hi s eyes rolled closed. Watch me, Mi chael, she commanded i n that sexy, throaty voi ce. I want to see your face whi le I pleasure you. He groaned, and nearly came ri ght then and there. Hi s gaze returned to her lusci ous, suckli ng mouth, watchi ng as she li cked around and over the head of hi s peni s, then up and down the whole length of hi m unti l he was sli ppery. Hi s eyes sli tted i n ecstasy. He d recei ved many enjoyable blow jobs i n hi s li fe, but he couldn t remember any other woman gi vi ng hi m such excruci ati ngly i ntense pleasure. He swore gutturally as Reese s hot mouth clutched and pulled at hi m, her tongue swi rli ng sensually before

sucki ng hi m i nto another long, gli di ng caress. He couldn t take i t anymore. She li fted her head as he dug i nto hi s pocket and i mpati ently yanked out hi s wallet. He retri eved a condom and fi tted i t over hi mself wi th unsteady hands, then tossed the wallet asi de and reached for her. She stood and straddled hi s legs, loweri ng herself onto hi s lap. At the fi rst touch of hi s erecti on she gasped. Mi chael s whole body shook wi th the fi erce, pri mal urge to dri ve hi mself deep i nsi de her, to take her qui ckly and savagely. But he resi sted, nudgi ng the head of hi s shaft up and down her cleft i n a slow, controlled caress that defi ed the lust rampagi ng through hi s body. Her hi ps pulsed eagerly agai nst hi m, but he gri pped her and held her sti ll. He suckled her lower li p as he ci rcled hi s peni s around her cli t, maki ng her squi rm and whi mper unti l they were both sure that she wanted thi s as much as he di d. He wanted there to be absolutely no doubt, no room for deni als later. Do you want me, sweetheart? he whi spered huski ly. You know I do, she panted, her eyes glazed wi th desi re. He sli d hi s tongue i nto her mouth, i mi tati ng the shallow, teasi ng thrusts he was maki ng wi th hi s hi ps. Then say i t, Reese. Say you want me. She choked out a frustrated sob. Why are you Say it. I want you, Mi chael. I want you. Want you. He smi led wi th dark tri umph. Good. Then you can have me. He thrust hi mself i nsi de her wi th one deep, hard lunge and captured her mouth to swallow her scream. She clutched hi s shoulders and rocked her hi ps agai nst hi m as he began pumpi ng i nto her. But they were both already so aroused that a few hard thrusts later, they exploded. Reese flung back her head, her muscles contracti ng around hi m as he closed hi s eyes and groaned harshly. They clung to each other for a long ti me, hi s hands stroki ng the si lky warmth of her back as he murmured endearments to her. At length she li fted her head from hi s shoulder and gazed i nto hi s eyes wi th searchi ng tenderness. Hi s heart constri cted. He leaned close, ki ssi ng her deeply and possessi vely. She belonged to hi m now. And nothi ng or no one would stop hi m from clai mi ng what was ri ghtfully hi s. Insi de the cozy guesthouse located on the opposi te end of the gazebo, Asha lay curled agai nst Sterli ng s si de i n the large bed where they d just fi ni shed maki ng love. Do you thi nk anyone suspects anythi ng? Sterli ng chuckled, a drowsy rumble. About us? Or about Mi chael and Reese? About us, of course. Asha laughed softly. Darli ng, everyone who was at the party toni ght knows about Mi chael and Reese, not to menti on the mi lli ons of vi ewers who tuned i n to watch hi s show. My God, Sterli ng. Di d you see the way he looked at her? See i t? Hell, I felt i t. Sterli ng had never seen hi s son look at any woman the way he d looked at Reese St. James. And they must have stayed on that empty dance floor for over an hour. If the musi ci ans hadn t stopped for a break, there was no telli ng how much longer those two would have danced together, obli vi ous to everythi ng else. Sterli ng wanted Mi chael to be happy, and Reese, God bless her, seemed to be just what the doctor orderedno pun i ntended. Asha si ghed bli ssfully. Looks li ke we ll be planni ng another weddi ng i n the garden soon. We? Of course. We both know you can t be trusted to help plan a weddi ng. For starters, we already know what you d i nclude on the recepti on menu. Sterli ng scowled wi thout rancor. Mi chael happens to love barbecue. He s been gri lli ng si nce he was ten years old. He s a world-renowned chef, Asha sai d dri ly. He can t serve pork ri bs and beans at hi s own weddi ng. And Reese i s a doctor From Texas, another barbecue-lovi ng state. who d expect nothi ng less than a classy weddi ng. Sterli ng guffawed. Classy, hell. Reese i s one of the most down-to-earth gi rls Mi chael has ever brought home. Are you sayi ng she s not classy? Asha challenged. Of course not. She s got more class i n her pi nky fi nger than most people I know. But she s not fussy or pretenti ous. She s genui ne. I thi nk that s one of the many quali ti es my son loves about her. It doesn t hurt that she s exqui si te. That body. Asha si ghed. I m already looki ng forward to desi gni ng her weddi ng gown. Sterli ng smi led softly. Watchi ng her and Mi chael on that dance floorhi m i n a tux and her dressed i n whi tei t felt li ke we were already at thei r weddi ng. I know. Somethi ng i n Asha s qui et, tri umphant voi ce made Sterli ng wonder i f she d orchestrated the whole thi ng. It wouldn t surpri se hi m. The woman was a damn control freak. As i f to prove hi s poi nt, she sai d, They can honeymoon at my chateau i n France. Unnerved by the deci si ve fi nali ty i n her tone, as i f the matter were a foregone conclusi on, Sterli ng muttered,

Mi chael has a cottage i n Italy. I m sure they d want to honeymoon there i nstead. Of course. How romanti c. Asha s casual menti on of her French chateau was just another remi nder of the vastly di fferent worlds she and Sterli ng i nhabi ted, as i llustrated by toni ght s gli tzy bash. Gussi ed up i n an Armani tux, wi th a champagne flute held awkwardly i n hi s hand, Sterli ng had felt out of place as Asha led hi m around the garden, i ntroduci ng hi m to her snooty fri ends. Between the French and the couture li ngo, Sterli ng had had a hard ti me followi ng any conversati on. He d fi nally gi ven up and retreated to the house to hang out wi th the normal folks from Mi chael s televi si on studi o. He di dn t belong i n Asha s world, and he never would. Thi s thi ng between themwhatever i t waswould fi zzle out as soon as she returned to her glamorous, fast-paced li fe i n New York. If bei ng a cop hadn t been good enough for Celeste, bei ng a retired cop defi ni tely wouldn t be good enough for the li kes of Asha Duboi s. Sure, Sterli ng s ci rcumstances were much di fferent now than they d been duri ng hi s marri age. He was well provi ded for by hi s sons, who gave hi m a generous monthly sti pend and saw to i t that he never wanted for anythi ng. Hell, i f he d been a greedy, materi ali sti c man, Mi chael and Marcus would ve had hi m li vi ng larger than Donald Trump, wi th vacati on properti es and luxury cars galore. Those boys loved to spoi l thei r old man, and they made no apologi es for i t. But all the money i n the world couldn t buy a woman li ke Asha. After fi ndi ng herself pregnant and di vorced by the age of ni neteen, she d become as jaded about romance as Sterli ng was. Although she d been romanti cally li nked to several tycoons over the years, she d made i t perfectly clear that she had no i nterest i n shackli ng herself to another man. Sterli ng had no i llusi ons about thei r future. They had no future. But that di dn t stop hi m from wanti ng her i n hi s bed. They d been sneaki ng around for the past week, havi ng the ki nd of sex that could put a man hi s age i n the hospi tal. Asha was a sensual, passi onate lover who knew how to sati sfy a man s every need. She was also a screamer, whi ch was why they d relocated thei r ni ghtly trysts to the guesthouse. Sterli ng was so addi cted to her that he d even i nvi ted her to accompany hi m and the fami ly on a relaxi ng fi ve-day getaway to Sea Island, a luxury golf resort off the coast of Georgi a. He d been thri lledand shockedwhen Asha had agreed to go. Now that her bouti que was open and the party was over, there was nothi ng keepi ng her i n Atlanta. He knew she had pressi ng matters awai ti ng her i n New York. Her cell phone rang constantly, and she d frequently been overheard fretti ng about preparati ons for her upcomi ng fall collecti on. But for whatever reason, she d deci ded to extend her stay i n Atlanta. And Sterli ngto hi s detri mentcouldn t be happi er. You never di d answer my questi on. Pulled out of hi s reveri e, Sterli ng gazed down at Asha. What questi on was that? Forgot already? He chuckled. I m old, remember? Mmm, she purred, snaki ng a sati ny thi gh between hi s legs. I beg to di ffer. Sterli ng s heart thudded. Another ni ght wi th thi s woman, and he d need a damn pacemaker. Oh, that s ri ght. You asked me i f I thi nk anyone suspects that we re sleepi ng together. We haven t actually done much sleepi ng, Asha poi nted out. Sterli ng gulped. I don t thi nk my boys suspect anythi ng, or they would ve called me out already. He thought fleeti ngly of Celeste, who d been even more hosti le to Asha than usual, for reasons unknown. What about Samara? Has she sai d anythi ng to you? Asha smi led agai nst hi s chest. I ve caught her gi vi ng me strange looks every now and then. And I thi nk she was a li ttle suspi ci ous when I told her I d deci ded to stay here i nstead of her house. But I just explai ned to her that i t made more sense for me to be here to meet wi th the caterers and to fi nali ze preparati ons for the party. And si nce we re all leavi ng for the coast tomorrow, I don t have to worry about comi ng up wi th another excuse for why I m sti ll sleepi ng at your house. Sterli ng gri nned. Sounds li ke you ve thought of everythi ng. Mmm-hmm. Her thi gh sli d hi gher. Wanna hear what I m thi nki ng now? Why don t you just show me? Sterli ng suggested, rolli ng her onto her back. She laughed, her arms goi ng around hi s neck. As he lowered hi s head to ki ss her, she i nterjected, Oh, but wai t. Aren t you the one who just sai d you re old? He flashed a raki sh smi le. I m old, honey. Not dead.

Chapter 16
Reese knew what she had to do. She d been putti ng off the i nevi table for days, possi bly even months. But everythi ng had changed now, and she could no longer run from the truth: she and Vi ctor were over. So there was only one thi ng left for her to do. She had to end thei r relati onshi p. She d spent the day rehearsi ng what she would say to hi m. But when she called hi m that ni ght, she had to settle for leavi ng a message on hi s voi ce mai l: Vi ctor, thi s i s Reese. We need to talk. Please call me. When the phone rang an hour later, she assumed i t was Vi ctor and i nsti ncti vely braced herself as she

answered, Hello? Hey. It was hi m. The man who d i nfi ltrated her defenses and stolen her heart, a heart she d been unable to surrender to Vi ctor. Because she d been secretly savi ng i t for him. Hi , she sai d shyly. I mi ss you, Mi chael sai d i n that deep, i ntoxi cati ng voi ce that was i mpossi ble to resi st. I want to see you. A wave of pleasure washed over her. A soft smi le curved her li ps as she leaned back agai nst the headboard and closed her eyes. You just saw me, what, fi ve hours ago? We spent half the day together, remember? Half i sn t good enough, he growled. Her smi le wi dened. Aren t you greedy? When i t comes to you, sweetheart, I want i t all. Her heart turned over. She wondered i f he knew what he was sayi ng. She was afrai d to hope. I mi ss you, too, she whi spered. So why are we doi ng all thi s mi ssi ng when there s a si mple remedy? I don t know. Struck by a sudden suspi ci on, she asked, Where are you, Mi chael? Standi ng on your doorstep. She was already on her feet, her pulse raci ng wi th exci tement as she rushed through the li vi ng room to reach the front door. Hurri edly she unlocked i t and yanked i t open. And there he was. Dressed i n a black T-shi rt and black jeans, hi s mi dni ght eyes gli tteri ng i n the soft glow of the porch li ght. They stared at each other, sti ll holdi ng thei r cell phones. Hi . Reese felt as gi ddy as a teenager i n the throes of her fi rst major crush. Mi chael tucked hi s phone i nto hi s back pocket. Wi thout a word, he scooped an arm around her wai st and slanted hi s mouth over hers i n a deep, druggi ng ki ss that left her weak-kneed and breathless. Mmm, he murmured, gently suckli ng her lower li p. That s an excellent cabernet. Reese smi led dreami ly. Wow. You re good. Before calli ng Vi ctor, she d drank a glass of wi ne to calm her nerves. Mi chael drew away, mouth twi tchi ng as he took her phone from her ear and handed i t to her. Reese laughed, embarrassed because she d forgotten she was sti ll holdi ng i t. Hi s gaze raked over her, taki ng i n her red tube top and deni m ski rt. Good, you re sti ll dressed. Why? I thought we could grab a bi te to eat. Now? But i t s after ei ght o clock. He gri nned. And your poi nt i s? Well, i t s ki nd of late to be eati ng di nner. And after all that food they served us at the studi o luncheon, I m not even sure I have room for anythi ng else. So we ll eat somethi ng li ght, Mi chael proposed. Reese was skepti cal. Somethi ng li ght, huh? I don t even want to think about how much wei ght I ve gai ned si nce meeti ng you, Mi chael. He gave her another slow, appreci ati ve once-over. You defi ni tely won t hear me complai ni ng. She laughed. That s because youre not the one gai ni ng wei ght! But he was already turni ng her by the shoulders and nudgi ng her i n the di recti on of her bedroom. Go put some shoes on, woman. Okay, okay. Sheesh, you don t have to be so boss Ow! she yelped as he smacked her li ghtly on the butt. He gri nned at her. There s more where that came from i f you don t hurry up. She stuck her tongue out at hi m. When he took a threateni ng step toward her, she scampered off wi th a squeal. They went to a gourmet market that speci ali zed i n i mported meats, cheeses and wi nes. Holdi ng hands and smi li ng at each other, they meandered through the ai sles, addi ng vari ous i tems to thei r basket. A loaf of crusty bread, a thi ck wedge of Parmi gi ano Reggi ano cheese, some prosci utto ham and salami . It felt so natural, so right, to be shoppi ng wi th Mi chael that Reese couldn t help fantasi zi ng that they were already a couple. She i magi ned them taki ng weekend tri ps to the market, then returni ng home and cooki ng together, taste-testi ng each other s food between slow, lazy ki sses. When the meal was ready they d uncork a bottle of wi ne and di ne by candleli ght, then spend the rest of the ni ght maki ng love. The i mages were so vi vi d that an ache of longi ng flooded Reese s heart. It shook her to reali ze how hard she d fallen for Mi chael, and how much she wanted a future wi th hi m. God help her i f he di dn t feel the same. When they left the market, he surpri sed her by headi ng to hi s father s house i n Stone Mountai n. I thought we were eati ng at your place, Reese sai d, puzzled. I changed my mi nd. He slanted her a glance. Wi th everyone gone for the rest of the week, we ll have the place all to ourselves. Reese deci ded not to poi nt out to hi m that they would have had pri vacy at hi s penthouse, as well. As long as they were together, i t di dn t matter where they ate. When they arri ved at Sterli ng s house, she was so engrossed i n thei r conversati on about tomorrow s tapi ng of Howlin Good that she di dn t noti ce where they were goi ng unti l they d passed under a wood arbor draped i n vi nes and perenni als.

And then they were i n the garden, and just as wi th her fi rst vi si t, Reese felt as i f she was steppi ng i nto paradi se. The erupti on of colorful flowers was breathtaki ng, whi le tall oaks, Japanese maple and tuli p poplar trees arched overhead i n a canopy of foli age that added to the lush surroundi ngs. As i mpressi ve as last ni ght s decorati ons had been, nothi ng compared to the spectacular beauty of the garden i n i ts natural state. Gui ded by torchli ghts, Mi chael led Reese farther down the wi ndi ng path unti l they came upon an arched wooden bri dge that overlooked a small pond. There, i n a nearby patch of green lawn, was a wi cker pi cni c basket perched upon a red-and-whi te checkered blanket. Reese gasped, her startled gaze swi ngi ng around to Mi chael s face. You di d thi s? He smi led. Surpri se. Oh my God, she breathed. A pi cni c i n an enchanted, moonli t garden. Talk about romanti c! When di d you? She trai led off, speechless. Mi chael chuckled. I came ri ght over after I dropped you off thi s afternoon, he answered, drawi ng her down onto the blanket. Reese gaped at hi m. Thats why you told me you had thi ngs to do. He nodded. Beli eve me, sweetheart, I wouldn t have left you i f I di dn t have every i ntenti on of seei ng you agai n. Hi s words sent a melti ng warmth rushi ng through her. She smi led, gazi ng i nto hi s dark eyes and falli ng harder. Thi s i sWords can t even descri be how wonderful thi s i s, Mi chael. Hi s expressi on softened. He brushed hi s fi ngers across her face, then began removi ng i tems from the basket. An assortment of lusci ous frui t, cheeses and pasta salads to complement the foods they d bought at the market. Reese smi led as he produced a bottle of Chi anti , fi lled two wi neglasses and passed one to her. To romanti c moonli ght pi cni cs, she toasted hi m. And many more, Mi chael murmured, holdi ng her gaze as they cli nked glasses and si pped. She told herself not to read too much i nto hi s words, but i t was hard not to when hi s eyes were fi lled wi th such tender promi se. They sat close together on the blanket and fed each other, shari ng ki sses between bi tes, dri nki ng from the same glass of wi ne. It was the most romanti c meal Reese had ever had. And the most stimulating, she added as she fed Mi chael a bi g, jui cy grape and watched hi s li ps close around her fi ngerti ps. Her ni pples ti ghtened, and heat pooled between her legs. There was a sensual gleam i n hi s eyes as he asked si lki ly, Are you ready for dessert? Yes. Her mouth was wateri ngand that was before she saw the dessert he removed from the basket. A three-layer confecti on frosted wi th creamy chocolate ganache and dri zzled wi th fudge and whi te chocolate. Oh my, Reese breathed, watchi ng as he cut a thi ck sli ce for her. What is that? My tri ple chocolate cheesecake. Hi s li ps curved. Or, as I li ke to call i t, chocolate orgasm. Have mercy. As he rai sed a forkful to her li ps, she opened and got a mouthful of molten, decadently ri ch chocolate. She closed her eyes wi th a deep moan. Oh, Mi chael Good? Good? Thi s i s si nful . I can see why you call i t chocolate orgasm. He fed her another bi te, hi s gaze i ntent on her mouth. I m glad you li ke i t, he sai d, low and husky. Li ke i t? I love i t, Mi chael. You are truly a chef extraordi nai re. He smi led, sampli ng a forkful of the gooey deli cacy. Not bad, he murmured, slowly li cki ng the fork. Not bad at all. You and your understatements, Reese whi spered, her breasts throbbi ng as she watched the snakeli ke moti ons of hi s tongue, reli vi ng all the wi cked thi ngs that tongue had done to her body. Catchi ng her hungry gaze, Mi chael forked up another bi te of cake and sli d i t i nto her mouth, then fed hi mself a second pi ece. By the ti me the plate was empty, thei r li ps were fused i n a ravenous, openmouthed ki ss, tongues swi rli ng as they shared a deli ci ous kalei doscope of flavors. Reese whi mpered i n protest as Mi chael abruptly pulled away. Shhh, he whi spered, brushi ng hi s thumb across her li ps as he reached i nsi de the wi cker basket wi th the other hand. There s somethi ng I ve been dyi ng to do si nce the ni ght I met you. What? she asked dazedly. He held up a plasti c contai ner of melted chocolate sauce, hi s eyes gli nti ng wi ckedly. I m goi ng to pour thi s all over your body and li ck i t off. Reese shi vered wi th arousal, already shi mmyi ng out of her deni m ski rt and panti es. Mi chael yanked off her tube top, sweari ng hoarsely when her breasts sprang free. No bra? Di dn t need one, she panted. He made a guttural sound i n hi s throat. Li e down, he commanded. She di d as he told her, trembli ng wi th desi re and anti ci pati on as he swi rled hi s fi nger i n the contai ner. Then, holdi ng her gaze, he smeared both of her areolas wi th warm chocolate. Reese groaned, watchi ng as he bent hi s head and slowly, eroti cally,

li cked her ni pples clean. Spasms of pleasure speared through her loi ns. Mmmm, he murmured agai nst her, the vi brati on of hi s deep, rumbli ng voi ce ratcheti ng up her need. You taste better than anythi ng I ve ever tasted i n my li fe. Her belly qui vered. She reached for hi s hand and drew hi s fi nger i nto her mouth, sucki ng off the last traces of chocolate. So do you. He shuddered, hi s eyes blazi ng wi th fi erce arousal. Li ke an arti st creati ng a masterpi ece, he poured several li nes of chocolate up and down her trembli ng stomach. It took Reese a dazed moment to reali ze that he d pai nted an M on her. M i s for Mi chael, he sai d i n that dark, mesmeri zi ng voi ce, because you re mi ne. Now spread your legs for me, sweetheart. When Reese obeyed, he dri bbled chocolate between her thi ghs, coati ng the swollen folds of her labi a and cli tori s. The sensati on was li ke nothi ng she d ever felt before. She moaned, loud and long. Thi s, Mi chael murmured, di ppi ng two fi ngers i nto her chocolate-drenched sex, i s definitely mi ne. Reese couldn t have argued even i f she d wanted to. When he wi thdrew hi s possessi ve fi ngers and sli d them i nto hi s mouth, she nearly lost her damn mi nd. Mi chael, she whi mpered helplessly. I m about to Loweri ng hi s head, he captured her mouth i n a deep, carnal ki ss flavored wi th chocolate and her own nectar. Don t come yet, he ordered huski ly. I m just getti ng started. Reese groaned. Heaven help me! Mi chael drew away and began movi ng down her body, hi s tongue traci ng the path of the chocolate M he d pai nted onto her. Reese shook from the i nsi de out. Feeli ng wanton, she cupped her breasts and tugged at her achi ng ni pples. And then Mi chael s mouth was on her sex, sucki ng, lappi ng at the melted chocolate sauce. She cri ed out, wri thi ng agai nst hi m i n mi ndless ecstasy. The stroki ng moti ons of hi s hot, si lky tongue were out of thi s world. She d never experi enced anythi ng li ke thi s wi th Vi ctor. It seemed only fi tti ng that Mi chael, her fantasy lover, would be the fi rst man ever to fi nd her G-spot and gi ve her a chocolate orgasm. He tongued her li ke there was no tomorrow, voraci ously li cki ng and sucki ng, maki ng her body weep. When hi s tongue plunged i nsi de her and swi rled around, Reese bucked and arched i nto hi m, pleasure cresti ng over her li ke a ti dal wave. She screamed as she came, and he drew out her orgasm by gently pulli ng at her cli tori s wi th hi s teeth. She was sti ll trembli ng vi olently, eyes closed, when she heard a tear of foi la sound that was pure musi c to her ears. There was a rustli ng of fabri c as Mi chael qui ckly undressed. A moment later he was embedded fully i nsi de her, stretchi ng her, hi s arms braced on ei ther si de of her head as he thrust furi ously i nto her. Moani ng hi s name, Reese ti ghtened her legs around hi s wai st and crossed her ankles at the small of hi s back to take hi m deeper, as deep as he could possi bly go. Hi s beauti ful, muscular body glowed i n the si lvery radi ance of the moonli ght. A range of raw emoti ons played across hi s taut face. Passi on, tenderness, reverence. A focused determi nati on to sati sfy her every need. She clung ti ghtly to hi m, her nai ls raki ng hi s back as she tri ed to match the relentless pumpi ng of hi s hi ps. Her second orgasm hovered just beyond her reach. A few more strokes were all she needed. But suddenly Mi chael pulled out of her and growled, Turn over. I want to take you from behi nd. Reese eagerly compli ed, kneeli ng on all fours. He loomed behi nd her, hi s thi ck, ri gi d erecti on pressed agai nst her bottom. She gasped and arched i n surpri se as he dri zzled chocolate along the length of her spi ne, then bent forward and li cked hi s way down to the cleft of her buttocks. She groaned, shi veri ng uncontrollably. Closi ng her eyes, she reached down and stroked her throbbi ng cli tori s, on the verge of cli maxi ng. Hard. Hi s rough hands gri pped her bottom, ti lti ng her hi ps back and posi ti oni ng her ri ght where he wanted her. And then he thrust hi gh and deep, hi s heavy body slappi ng agai nst her backsi de, jerki ng a sharp cry out of her throat. She glanced over her shoulder, aroused by the si ght of hi m watchi ng hi s peni s sli de i nto her. The look of savage hunger on hi s face was another eroti c i mage that would be i ndeli bly etched i nto her brai n. As she pulsed her hi ps agai nst hi m, he groaned. I m so addi cted to you, Reese. I can t get enough of you. Her heart swelled at the vulnerabi li ty i n hi s voi ce. It was low and shaky, ragged wi th desperate longi ng. Tell me what you want, baby, he entreated her. I ll gi ve you anythi ng. Anything. Reese couldn t get her throat to work. But i t di dn t matter. He was already gi vi ng her exactly what she wanted, a deep, surgi ng rhythm that stroked every part of her swollen, achi ng sex. She moaned and rocked agai nst hi m, clutchi ng fi stfuls of the pi cni c blanket. He cupped her swayi ng breasts and fondled them, hi s thumbs rubbi ng her ti ght, engorged ni pples i n a caress that nearly undi d her. He had such command of her body, her mi nd, her soul. No matter what happened between them, she would always, always belong to hi m. Soon hi s slow, controlled rhythm changed, and Reese s breath gasped out of her wi th the force of hi s voraci ous, poundi ng thrusts. She arched her back and franti cally worked herself agai nst hi m, reachi ng behi nd her to gri p hi s round, flexi ng butt. He groaned,

grabbi ng a handful of her hai r and wi ndi ng i t around hi s fi ngers. He pulled her head back, forci ng her to meet the gli tteri ng i ntensi ty of hi s gaze. I m never letti ng you go, he whi spered fi ercely, bi ti ng her neck as i f to brand her. So you d better tell your boyfri end to get ready for the fi ght of hi s damn li fe. Reese s heart soared, and she breathlessly confessed, You don t have to fi ght. I m breaki ng up wi th hi m. Mi chael s gri p gentled on her hai r. And then he laughed, a sound of exultant male tri umph mi ngled wi th unmi stakable reli ef. Three strokes later he exploded, shouti ng her name i n a hoarse, reverenti al voi ce. Hi s rapi d, pulsi ng contracti ons tri ggered Reese s own release, and she threw back her head as spasms of bri ght, whi te-hot rapture tore through her. MichaelMichael Hi s name poured out of her i n a successi on of desperate, keeni ng wai ls. Tears of joyous wonder welled i n her eyes and spi lled down her cheeks. Shudderi ng and panti ng hard, Mi chael curved hi s arms around her and pulled her down onto the blanket, surroundi ng her wi th hi s warmth. Reese closed her eyes wi th a deep, sati ated si gh and wondered whether i t was possi ble to di e from sheer bli ss. They lay spooned together, li steni ng to the gurgli ng pond and the lazy drone of cri ckets as the sultry ni ght wrapped around them. It s so peaceful out here, Reese whi spered, as i f she were afrai d to shatter the garden s tranqui li ty. I could stay ri ght here all ni ght. Who says you were goi ng anywhere, anyway? Mi chael murmured, nuzzli ng the sweat-dampened hai r at her nape. Warmth ti ngled through her vei ns. She si ghed. Sleepi ng under the stars. How utterly romanti c. Well, now, I never sai d anythi ng about sleepi ng. She laughed. You can t keep me up another ni ght, Mi chael, or I won t be able to functi on on the set tomorrow. You di d just fi ne today, he drawled, hi s warm breath ti ckli ng her as he ni bbled her earlobe. She shi vered. Be that as i t may, I sti ll need to get some rest. Back home, I had a ni ne o clock bedti me. He snorted softly. You mi ght as well forget about that. I usually don t get home from the restaurant unti l after eleven, and there s no way i n hell I d be able to crawl i nto bed wi th you and keep my hands to myself. A fooli sh smi le spread helplessly across Reese s face. He was talki ng as i f they were already a couple, the very thi ng she d been fantasi zi ng about all ni ght. Then I suggest you start bri ngi ng your butt home earli er, Mr. Executi ve Chef, she sassed. Yes, ma am. But hi s voi ce had grown qui eter, and the li ps that had been nuzzli ng her suddenly went sti ll. Si lence lapsed between them, punctuated by the cri ckets noi sy chi rpi ng. As Reese s euphori a faded, she drew a shallow breath. Sowhen does your fami ly return? Saturday. She nodded slowly. And Asha went wi th them? Yeah. You sound surpri sed. I guess I am. Once the party was over, I just assumed she d hop on her pri vate plane and head back to New York. I know how busy she i s. Her assi stant, Pi erre, must have called her a hundred ti mes the day we went shoppi ng together. Hmm. Mi chael paused. Samara thi nks somethi ng may be goi ng on between Asha and my father. Really? Reese turned i n the cradle of hi s arms to stare at hi m. But they re always bi ckeri ng. Hi s amused gaze met hers. Maybe that s because they re fi ghti ng an attracti on. You and I know somethi ng about that. She gri nned wryly. Good poi nt. Anyway, they haven t been argui ng as much as they used to. So maybe Samara s on to somethi ng. She and Marcus are keepi ng a close eye on them duri ng the tri p. Reese shook her head, marveli ng, Your father and Asha. Now that would be the ulti mate example of opposi tes attracti ng. She searched Mi chael s face. How would you feel about them hooki ng up? It d be a li ttle wei rd at fi rst, he admi tted, smi li ng. I can t see my father wi th a hi gh-mai ntenance woman li ke Asha. But i f they make each other happy, then I m all for i t. God knows the old man deserves to be happy. Reese hesi tated, then ventured cauti ously, Because of the way thi ngs turned out between hi m and your mother? Mi chael nodded. Reese held her breath, wai ti ng to see i f he would confi de i n her, as Quenti n had so confi dently predi cted. Just when she d started to lose hope, Mi chael sai d i n a low voi ce, When I was si xteen, my mother cheated on Dad wi th Grant. They worked at the same hospi tal. She was a nurse, and Grant was a bi g-shot neurosurgeon. Marcus came home early from school one day and caught them ki ssi ng i n the ki tchen. Suppressi ng a horri fi ed gasp, Reese sai d, Poor Marcus. He was only Ten. And to gi ve you an i dea of how traumati zed he was, i t took hi m twenty-fi ve years to forgi ve her. And you? Reese gently probed. How long di d i t take you? A whi le. Mi chael s expressi on was gri m. After the di vorce, she di sappeared from our li ves for a long ti me, mi ssed a lot of i mportant thi ngs. I thi nk she felt

gui lty, and that s why she and Grant wai ted several years to get marri ed. Anyway, when I agreed to gi ve her away at her weddi ng, we had a long heart-toheart, and I got to hear her si de of the story for the fi rst ti me. He blew out a deep breath. To make a long story short, she d turned to Dad for consolati on one ni ght after her hi gh school sweetheart was ki lled i n a car acci dent. They slept together, and she wound up getti ng pregnant. They were both scared and devastated, but bei ng the honorable man he s always been, Dad offered to marry her and rai se her chi ld as hi s own, whether or not I was. Incredulous, Reese stared at hi m. There was a possi bi li ty you weren t Sterli ng s son? Mi chael nodded. Mom had slept wi th her boyfri end two ni ghts before he was ki lled. So, yeah, there was a questi on about my paterni ty. That seems i mpossi ble. You re the spi tti ng i mage of Sterli ng. Anyone can see that you re hi s son. Hi s mouth curved i n a half smi le. And a paterni ty test proved that I was. So you re the reason your parents got marri ed. He nodded. And Marcus i s the reason they stayed together for as long as they di d. As I learned, thei r marri age was doomed long before Grant entered the pi cture. Because she was sti ll i n love wi th her hi gh school sweetheart, Reese surmi sed. That, and they both felt trapped by thei r ci rcumstances, forced i nto a marri age of conveni ence. Mi chael paused, bi tterness edgi ng hi s voi ce as he added, Though Mom would never admi t i t to me or Marcus, we both know she resented Dad bei ng a cop. We were poor, and Grant was able to gi ve her the li fe Dad never could. Your father doesn t seem at all resentful, Reese sai d qui etly. To look at hi m and your mother, you d never suspect that she betrayed hi m. Dad has a very bi g, forgi vi ng heart, Mi chael sai d, unmi stakable pri de i n hi s voi ce. As much as he was hurti ng, he never spoke i ll of Mom. He made excuses for her whenever she mi ssed a bi rthday or an i mportant event i n our li ves, and he spent years playi ng peacemaker. In the end I deci ded that i f he could forgi ve her, so could I. Reese gazed tenderly at hi m. I m glad you di d. I don t thi nk anyone should ever underesti mate the power of for gi ve ness. Mi chael nodded. Hi s arm had been resti ng across her wai st. Now hi s thumb traced an i dle pattern on her hi p. Reese hesi tated, bi ti ng her lower li p. Can I tell you about a crazy suspi ci on I ve had si nce meeti ng your parents? Hi s thumb sti lled. A new guardedness entered hi s expressi on. What? I thi nk i t s possi ble that, uh, your mother mi ght sti ll have feeli ngs for your father. And I thi nk that s why she percei ves Asha as a threat. Mi chael stared at Reese i n a way that made her wi sh she d kept her theory to herself. You re wrong, he sai d wi th i mplacable calm. What i f I m not? You are. Mom gave up everythi ng to be wi th Grant. She s not goi ng to deci de, almost thi rty years later, that she made a mi stake and wants Dad back. Reese di dn t know whether he was tryi ng to convi nce her or hi mself. Ei ther way, God help Celeste Rutherford i f Reese s suspi ci ons about her were true. Anyway, Mi chael drawled, hi s teeth si nki ng deli cately i nto Reese s shoulder, thi s i s supposed to be a romanti c moonli ght pi cni c. Enough about my parents. Reese cuddled closer, smi li ng when she felt hi s peni s hardeni ng agai nst her belly. As he began sli di ng down the length of her body, she purred, I want another pi ece of that cake. What d you call i t agai n? Sweetheart, Mi chael murmured, sucki ng her toe i nto hi s mouth, I got your chocolate orgasm ri ght here.

Chapter 17
T he next ni ne days marked ni ne of the most bli ssful days of Reese s li fe. From the moment she and Mi chael awoke i n the morni ng unti l they collapsed i nto each other s arms at ni ght, they were i nseparable. They shopped, planned meals and cooked together. She thoroughly enjoyed worki ng alongsi de hi m every day, both on the set of hi s show and at the restaurant, where he d taken her under hi s wi ng as an unoffi ci al cook. Under hi s tutelage, Reese was learni ng a lot about culi nary arts and testi ng her newfound ski lls on hi s wi lli ng customers, who got a ki ck out of bei ng served by Mi chael s sassy apprenti ce. After a full day of tapi ng and worki ng at the restaurant, they often snuggled i n bed together and read e-mai ls from vi ewers who couldn t get enough of thei r on-screen chemi stry. But thei r si zzli ng performances di dn t stop when the cameras weren t rolli ng. They d chri stened nearly every corner of Mi chael s penthouse and the restaurant, and had even made love on the set after hoursan eroti c, mi nd-blowi ng i nterlude that had them both gri nni ng throughout the

next day s tapi ng. They couldn t get enough of each other. One eveni ng they babysat for Marcus and Samara. The si ght of Mi chael laughi ng and roughhousi ng wi th hi s nephews fi lled Reese wi th such acute longi ng that she had to leave the room to compose herself. Unbeknownst to Mi chael or her fami ly, she d started looki ng i nto posi ti ons at several local hospi tals. Though she and Mi chael had yet to say I love you to each other, she sensed that i t was only a matter of ti me before he d be ready to take the next step. Every ti me thei r bodi es were joi ned, or they shared a secret glance across a crowded room, she was convi nced that the look of tender feroci ty i n hi s eyes had to be love. But for some reason he was holdi ng back, and Reese was enough of a self-preservati oni st to wai t for hi m to be the fi rst to utter the magi c words. It turned out to be the wi sest deci si on she d ever made. On the Fri day before the last tapi ng of the apprenti ce seri es, she arri ved at the studi o after runni ng errands to go over some fi nal preparati ons wi th Mi chael and Drew Corbett. She also had some i mportant news to share wi th Mi chael. Layla had just called from Somali a to tell Reese that the fundi ng for her photography assi gnment had been cut, so she d be returni ng home next week. Whi ch meant that once Reese completed her fi nal epi sode of Howlin Good, she d have no reason to remai n i n Atlanta. Unless she and Mi chael had a future together. That afternoon, as she neared the open doorway to Drew s offi ce, she overheard hi m speaki ng exci tedly to Mi chael. network execs are buzzi ng about keepi ng her on as a regular on the show. You know I m totally on board, but what about you? Or do I even have to ask? What s that supposed to mean? Well, I thi nk i t s pretty obvi ous to everyone that you re crazy about her. Reese s pulse qui ckened. She found herself awai ti ng Mi chael s response wi th bated breath. He chuckled. She s a rati ngs magnet. How could I not be crazy about her? Reese s heart plummeted. As reali ty came crashi ng down on her, she reali zed that everythi ng she and Mi chael had shared over the past ni ne days had been a joke. And the joke was on her. Somehow she made i t through the meeti ng wi thout betrayi ng her emoti ons. She laughed at Drew s corny jokes, and i nteracted wi th Mi chael as i f he hadn t just plunged a dagger through her heart. When the meeti ng was over, she told Mi chael she had more errands to run and assured hi m that she would call hi m once she was fi ni shed. Four hours later, she was on a plane home to Houston. She knew her deci si on to ski p town had been i mpulsi ve, but she had to get away and collect herself, i f only for a couple days. She was contractually obli gated to return to Atlanta for Monday ni ght s fi nal tapi ng. After that, she d be free to leave for good whi ch she i ntended to do. Gi ven what she d overheard that afternoon, what other choi ce di d she have? Mi chael had all but admi tted that she meant nothi ng more to hi m beyond what she could do for hi s show s populari ty. And si nce he d never had any problem wi th rati ngs, that meant he really di dn t need her. It was devastati ng to reali ze that she d been li vi ng i n a fantasy world. But i t was better that she d come to her senses now, before she rearranged her enti re li fe for a man who d never i ntended to commi t to her. As for the man she d dated for the past year, hopi ng to convi nce herself that they were ri ght for each other, i t was ti me to close that door once and for all. The morni ng after she arri ved home, she drove to the hospi tal where she and Vi ctor worked and had hi m paged. She knew he d been avoi di ng her phone calls for over a week. It was ti me for both of them to face the musi c. When he came on the li ne, she sai d wi thout preamble, Vi ctor, thi s i s Reese. I m si tti ng outsi de i n a rental car. I don t want to come i nsi de and get si detracked by my coworkers. I know you don t have any surgeri es scheduled thi s morni ng. Wi ll you meet me outsi de so we can talk? A heavy pause. There s not much to talk about, Reese. What do you mean? I ve watched the show. After you told me about your apprenti ceshi p I was angry, and I di dn t plan to watch a si ngle mi nute. But I m glad I fi nally di d. Reese swallowed hard. Vi ctor I hope to hell you know what you re doi ng, he sai d harshly. Mi chael Wolf i s a damn celebri ty. When he breaks your heart, maybe then you ll reali ze he wasn t worth what you ve gi ven up. The li ne went dead. Reese closed her eyes, grateful, at least, that she d been spared havi ng to make a long, pai nful breakup speech.

Chapter 18
Mi chael paced up and down hi s li vi ng room floor, hi s cell phone pressed to hi s ear. Come on, come on, he muttered under hi s breath. Answer the damn phone. Answer the Hello. Reli ef swept through hi m. Reese? I ve been tryi ng to reach you si nce last ni ght! What the hell are you doi ng i n Houston?

I came home for the weekend. She paused. I guess Drew s assi stant told you. She di d, he snapped. But why the hell di d I have to hear i t from her i nstead of you? Don t worry, she sai d coolly. I ll be back on Monday to tape the grand fi nale. I don t gi ve a damn about the show! Mi chael shouted. Really? You were si ngi ng a di fferent tune yesterday. What are you talki ng about? Reese si ghed. I overheard the comment you made to Drew before our meeti ng. What com Suddenly Mi chael froze, the words echoi ng through hi s mi nd li ke a cruel i ndi ctment. Shes a ratings magnet. How could I not be crazy about her? He d regretted the careless remark as soon as the words left hi s mouth. It was a stupi d thi ng to have sai d, and so far from the truth i t was laughable. Except he wasn t laughi ng now. And nei ther, apparently, was Reese. I di dn t mean what I sai d, he told her. You know that, don t you? Actually, I thi nk you di d. She sounded so calm. Resi gned. I thi nk what you told Drew was more honest than anythi ng you ve ever told me. What? How can you say that? How can you believe that? The questi on i s, how could I have ever beli eved otherwi se? Dread coi led i n Mi chael s gut. Reese, li sten to me. I I m not angry, Mi chael, she i nterrupted i n that mi ld, i mplacable tone. Deep down i nsi de, I ve always known that our relati onshi p was too good to be true. It s ti me for me to stop chasi ng a fantasy and get back to reali ty. He scowled. What the hell i s that supposed to mean? It means that I m returni ng to Houston after Monday s fi nal tapi ng. Layla s fundi ng got cut, so she ll be home early next week. There s no reason for me to stay i n Atlanta. What about me? Mi chael growled, desperati on mi ngli ng wi th anger. What about us? There is no us. The qui et fi nali ty i n her voi ce ri pped hi s heart i n half. Reese, don t I ll see you on Monday. Goodbye, Mi chael. That eveni ng, Sterli ng was i n hi s den playi ng poker wi th Mi chael and Marcus when Fri zell spoke from the wi ndow. Are you expecti ng company, Mr. Wolf? At fi rst he di dn t hear the questi on. He d been preoccupi ed wi th Mi chael, who d been broodi ng ever si nce he arri ved at the house that ni ght. Sterli ng knew somethi ng bad must have happened between hi s son and Reese, but so far Mi chael hadn t sai d a word. Mr. Wolf? Fri zell prompted. Are you expecti ng company? No. Sterli ng was sti ll recoveri ng from the departure of hi s last houseguests. Or rather, from Asha s departure. He hadn t heard a peep from her si nce she d returned to New York. Just as he d expected. There s a li mo comi ng down the dri veway, Fri zell told hi m. Suddenly Sterli ng s nerves ti ghtened and hi s pulse thudded. It cant be. He threw down hi s cards and rushed from the room. Moments later, he flung open the front door just as a pai r of long, shapely legs emerged from the backseat of a whi te li mousi ne. He gaped, convi nced that hi s eyes were decei vi ng hi m. Asha? A soft smi le curved her li ps. Hello, Sterli ng. Gazes locked, they started toward each other. When they stood face-to-face, Sterli ng asked, What are you doi ng here? I couldn t stay away, Asha confessed. Sterli ng s heart lurched. What are you sayi ng? I m sayi ng that I mi ssed you. I tri ed to throw myself back i nto work, but all I could thi nk about was thi s house, our chi ldren, our grandsons. You. I mi ssed bei ng here wi th you, Sterli ng. So I di d the only thi ng that made sense. I walked out i n the mi ddle of an i mportant meeti ng and ordered my pi lot to fuel the jet. She smi led, tears mi sti ng her eyes. I couldn t get here fast enough. Sterli ng pulled her i nto a fervent embrace and ki ssed her as i f hi s very li fe depended on i t. She clung to hi m, her arms wrappi ng ti ghtly around hi s neck. Hi s heart soared. Li fti ng hi s head, he gazed i nto her eyes. I love you. I don t know when i t happened, but I m so glad i t di d. Oh, Sterli ng. Asha curved her hand agai nst hi s cheek. I ve been i n love wi th you si nce the day the twi ns were born. Stunned, he stared at her. You have? She nodded. The way you held them i n your arms and ki ssed thei r ti ny foreheads whi le tears rolled down your face. Watchi ng you, I was a goner. I ve been tryi ng to outrun my feeli ngs ever si nce, but I can t do i t anymore. I love you, and I want to be wi th you. Sterli ng turned hi s face i nto her palm and ki ssed i t. What about New York? I ll keep my headquarters i n Manhattan and open another offi ce i n Buckhead, near the bouti que. He smi led at her deci si ve tone. A woman who knows what she wants. Asha held hi s gaze. You d better beli eve i t. Overcome wi th emoti on, Sterli ng grabbed her hand and strode toward the house, where Mi chael and Marcus stood on the front steps gapi ng at them i n

di sbeli ef. Help the dri ver carry Asha s luggage up to my room, Sterli ng told them gruffly. Yes, si r, Marcus sai d. Amused, Mi chael drawled, And where are you lovebi rds headed? Sterli ng and Asha shared a smi le. The guesthouse.

Chapter 19
Wi th only ten mi nutes left i n her fi nal appearance on Howlin Good, Reese congratulated herself for mai ntai ni ng her composure. She d been on the verge of tears si nce she d arri ved at the studi o that eveni ng for the li ve tapi ng. It hadn t helped when she d walked onto the set and saw her parents, Rai na and Warri ck seated i n the fi rst row. Once she reali zed that Mi chael had arranged the bi g surpri se for her, she d wanted to launch herself i nto hi s arms and shower hi s face wi th grateful ki sses. She d settled for a si mple Thank you. Hi s gaze had softened on her face. I d do anythi ng for you. If only that was true, she d thought sadly. Fi ni shed wi th her cooki ng demonstrati on, Reese spooned some of her curry chi cken souffl i nto a bowl and passed i t to Mi chael. Enjoy. He arched a brow. You mean you re not goi ng to feed i t to me? She rolled her eyes heavenward. Typi cal helpless male. As the audi ence laughed, she and Mi chael exchanged bri ef, tense smi les. Can I at least have a spoon? he asked. She heaved an exasperated breath that wasn t enti rely for the crowd s benefi t. After droppi ng a spoon i nto hi s bowl, she smi led sweetly. Anythi ng else? Actually, he sai d thoughtfully, I thi nk I d rather use a fork i nstead. Reese scowled i nto the audi ence. If I di dn t know better, I would thi nk he was stalli ng to get out of tryi ng my souffl. More laughter ensued. Mutteri ng under her breath, Reese began searchi ng the cluttered countertop for a clean fork. Try the pot on the back burner, Mi chael suggested. Shooti ng hi m a dubi ous look, Reese li fted the li d of the pot he d i ndi cated. When she saw what was i nsi de, she gasped and dropped the li d wi th a noi sy clatter. Her stunned gaze flew to Mi chael, who was smi li ng softly as he set down hi s bowl. Well? Aren t you goi ng to pi ck i t up? Reese opened her mouth, but no sound emerged. Mi chael shook hi s head at the audi ence. A man s work i s never done. Only a few scattered chuckles could be heard above the sudden hush that had swept over the crowd. Mi chael reached i nsi de the pot and wi thdrew the soli tary i tem that had rendered Reese speechless: a small velvet box. A collecti ve gasp went around the room. The expressi on on Mi chael s face was as achi ngly tender as hi s voi ce. I know you re supposed to be the apprenti ce here, but the truth i s, Reese, Im the one who s been learni ng from you. You ve taught me so much about li fe, love and taki ng chances. I promi se you that I m not the same man you met a few weeks ago. Reese s heart swelled wi th emoti on. Oh, Mi chael My vi ewers and I are on the same page. I want to keep you on the show as much as they want me to. But more i mportantly, Reese, I want to keep you i n my li fe. She stared at hi m, afrai d to beli eve thi s moment was real. I love you, Mi chael sai d huski ly. You mean everythi ng to me. Everything. Tears of joy and reli ef sprang to Reese s eyes. I love you, too, Mi chael. He looked deeply i nto her eyes, searchi ng her soul. And then he opened the jewelry box and removed a stunni ng di amond ri ng. In the spi ri t of taki ng chances, wi ll you marry me? Smi li ng through her tears, Reese held out a trembli ng hand and felt hi s warm, strong fi ngers close ti ghtly around hers. Yes, she sai d fervently. Yes, Mi chael, I ll marry you. He eased the ri ng onto her fi nger, then yanked her i nto hi s arms and whi spered hoarsely, I love you! before crushi ng hi s mouth to hers i n a fi erce, devouri ng ki ss. The audi ence erupted i nto thunderous applause that was soon joi ned by laughter and whi stles as the ki ss conti nued. Reese was obli vi ous to everythi ng but Mi chael. In that moment, no one could tell her that she wasn t the lucki est woman i n the world. How could she not be, when her favori te fantasy had just become a reali ty? Hours later, Mi chael lay i n the darkness of hi s bedroom wi th Reese cradled agai nst hi s si de, her head on hi s shoulder. Hi s hand dri fted lazi ly over the curve of her wai st as he brushed butterfly ki sses across her forehead. He couldn t stop ki ssi ng her, touchi ng her, maki ng love to her. Thankfully, he di dn t have to. Reese wasn t goi ng anywhere, and nei ther was he. Ever. After wrappi ng up at the studi o, they d headed over to Wolf s Soul to celebrate thei r engagement wi th fami ly and fri ends. Together they d mi ngled wi th thei r guests, accepti ng congratulati ons and good-natured teasi ng about thei r on-screen ki ss, whi ch Drew had dubbed the longest li p-lock i n televi si on hi story. He was already sali vati ng at the thought of what Mi chael s

romanti c proposal had done for the show s rati ngs. All Mi chael cared about was the woman i n hi s arms. He couldn t help marveli ng at the way thi ngs had turned out. Up unti l a few hours ago, he d been faci ng the unthi nkable possi bi li ty of a future wi thout Reese. Now, he was on top of the world. And to thi nk he d almost blown i t. I shouldn t have wai ted so long to tell you how I felt about you, he murmured. Better late than never. Reese li fted her head, searchi ng hi s face i n the si lvery moonli ght streami ng through the wall of wi ndows. I, too, could have shared my feeli ngs sooner, but I was so afrai d you weren t ready. That s not what was holdi ng me back. He touched her hai r. The day after our pi cni c, Marcus called to tell me about an argument he d overheard between Mom and Grant. Apparently Mom had asked Grant i f they could stay another week, and he got upset and accused her of sti ll bei ng i n love wi th Dad. Marcus was stunned. He wai ted unti l no one else was around and confronted Mom. She deni ed Grant s accusati on, but she admi tted that she d been feeli ng confused about the past lately. She sai d she loves Grant dearly, but the more ti me she spent wi th Dad, the more she reali zed how much she gave up all those years ago. But she promi sed Marcus that she d keep her doubts to herself so she wouldn t throw Dad s li fe i nto upheavalagai n. Mi chael watched as comprehensi on dawned on Reese s face. You thought that i f your mother could have buyer s remorse after nearly thi rty years, I mi ght someday regret breaki ng up wi th Vi ctor. Mi chael hesi tated, then nodded. It ki lled me to thi nk Li sten to me, Reese i nterrupted, pressi ng a fi nger to hi s li ps and gazi ng i ntently i nto hi s eyes. You don t ever need to worry about me havi ng second thoughts about us. I love you, Mi chael Wolf. You re the only man I ve ever loved or will ever love. So unless you wake up one morni ng and deci de you want a new apprenti ce, you re stuck wi th me. He smi led tenderly. You re the only apprenti ce I ll ever want or need. Good. There was a husky catch to her voi ce. Drew offered me a contract to remai n on the show, but I told hi m I d have to thi nk about i t. I don t mi nd doi ng cameo appearances, but as much as I ve enjoyed worki ng wi th you, baby, I mi ss bei ng a doctor. Of course you do. Mi chael caressed her face. You know, we have plenty of great hospi tals ri ght here i n Atlanta. I know. She paused. I never got around to canceli ng my i ntervi ew at Emory Uni versi ty Hospi tal on Wednesday. You had an i ntervi ew? Yes. I d been looki ng i nto jobs before we She trai led off shyly. Mi chael groaned, hi s heart overflowi ng wi th love and grati tude as he ki ssed her. What di d I ever do to deserve you? Her eyes gli mmered wi th mi rth. It was your tri ple chocolate cheesecake. Remember? You all but guaranteed i t would make me fall i n love wi th you. He laughed. So I di d. Smi li ng, she ni bbled on hi s chi n. When can we have another pi cni c i n the garden? As soon as we can get the house to ourselves agai n. Reese s fami ly was stayi ng at Sterli ng s house for a week. Mi chael and Reese were expected to joi n everyone tomorrow for a festi ve brunch that would probably spi ll over i nto the next day. Too bad hi s father and Asha had di bs on the guesthouse, Mi chael lamented. I m so exci ted for them, Reese murmured, as i f she d read hi s mi nd. They look so happy together. So ri ght for each other. I thi nk they are, Mi chael agreed, marveli ng at the odds of hi m and hi s father fi ndi ng thei r soul mates wi thi n the same week. What were you and my dad di scussi ng after di nner? Reese asked curi ously. Mi chael chuckled. He wanted to make sure I understood how preci ous you are to hi m. Before your lovely mother i ntervened, he menti oned somethi ng about a hunti ng ri fle he hadn t used i n years. Oh, Dad. Reese bi t her li p, sti fli ng a gri n. Sorry about that. Don t apologi ze. Beli eve me, I m gonna be the same way wi th our daughters. Her expressi on softened. I promi sed your father that I d gi ve hi m many more grandchi ldren. Mi chael gri nned, even as hi s heart melted. Many? I beli eve that s the word I used. In that case, Mi chael drawled, rolli ng her over and settli ng between her legs, we d better get busy. Reese si ghed, curvi ng her arms around hi s neck. A promi se i s a promi se. Poi sed above her, Mi chael gazed i nto her eyes and saw the glori ous future that awai ted them. He looked forward to marryi ng her i n the garden, then whi ski ng her away to Italy. He looked forward to provi di ng for her, cooki ng for her, nouri shi ng her body and her soul. He looked forward to rai si ng chi ldren wi th her. And he looked forward to growi ng old wi th her. Mi chael? Yes, sweetheart? I need you. Reese ti ghtened her thi ghs around hi m. Now. Hi s gri n was wolfi sh. One chocolate orgasm comi ng ri ght up.

As he plunged i nto her, she threw back her head and released the throati est, sexi est howl he d ever heard. Oh, yeah, Mi chael thought wi ckedly, stroki ng deeper. Im going to love spending the rest of my life with this woman. woman. ISBN: 978-1-4268-5659-4 RECIPE FOR TEMPTATION Copyri ght 2010 by Maureen Smi th All ri ghts reserved. The reproducti on, transmi ssi on or uti li zati on of thi s work i n whole or i n part i n any form by any electroni c, mechani cal or other means, now known or hereafter i nvented, i ncludi ng xerography, photocopyi ng and recordi ng, or i n any i nformati on storage or retri eval system, i s forbi dden wi thout wri tten permi ssi on. For permi ssi on please contact Ki mani Press, Edi tori al Offi ce, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A. Thi s i s a work of fi cti on. Names, characters, places and i nci dents are ei ther the product of the author s i magi nati on or are used fi cti ti ously, and any resemblance to actual persons, li vi ng or dead, busi ness establi shments, events or locales i s enti rely coi nci dental. and TM are trademarks. Trademarks i ndi cated wi th are regi stered i n the Uni ted States Patent and Trademark Offi ce, the Canadi an Trade Marks Offi ce and/or other countri es. www.ki mani press.com Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19

Table of Contents
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Table of Contents
Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19