Recipe for Temptation (25 page)

Incredulous, Reese stared at him. “There was a possibility you weren’t Sterling’s son?”

Michael nodded. “Mom had slept with her boyfriend two nights before he was killed. So, yeah, there was a question about my paternity.”

“That seems impossible. You’re the spitting image of Sterling. Anyone can see that you’re his son.”

His mouth curved in a half smile. “And a paternity test proved that I was.”

“So you’re the reason your parents got married.”

He nodded. “And Marcus is the reason they stayed together for as long as they did.

As I learned, their marriage was doomed long before Grant entered the picture.”

“Because she was still in love with her high school sweetheart,” Reese surmised.

“That, and they both felt trapped by their circumstances, forced into a marriage of convenience.” Michael paused, bitterness edging his voice as he added, “Though Mom would never admit it to me or Marcus, we both know she resented Dad being a cop. We were poor, and Grant was able to give her the life Dad never could.”

“Your father doesn’t seem at all resentful,” Reese said quietly. “To look at him and your mother, you’d never suspect that she betrayed him.”

“Dad has a very big, forgiving heart,” Michael said, unmistakable pride in his voice.

“As much as he was hurting, he never spoke ill of Mom. He made excuses for her whenever she missed a birthday or an important event in our lives, and he spent years playing peacemaker. In the end I decided that if
he
could forgive her, so could I.”

Reese gazed tenderly at him. “I’m glad you did. I don’t think anyone should ever underestimate the power of for give ness.”

Michael nodded. His arm had been resting across her waist. Now his thumb traced an idle pattern on her hip.

Reese hesitated, biting her lower lip. “Can I tell you about a crazy suspicion I’ve had since meeting your parents?”

His thumb stilled. A new guardedness entered his expression. “What?”

“I think it’s possible that, uh, your mother might still have feelings for your father.

And I think that’s why she perceives Asha as a threat.”

Michael stared at Reese in a way that made her wish she’d kept her theory to herself. “You’re wrong,” he said with implacable calm.

“What if I’m not?”

“You are. Mom gave up everything to be with Grant. She’s not going to decide, almost thirty years later, that she made a mistake and wants Dad back.”

Reese didn’t know whether he was trying to convince her or himself. Either way, God help Celeste Rutherford if Reese’s suspicions about her were true.

“Anyway,” Michael drawled, his teeth sinking delicately into Reese’s shoulder,

“this is supposed to be a romantic moonlight picnic. Enough about my parents.”

Reese cuddled closer, smiling when she felt his penis hardening against her belly.

As he began sliding down the length of her body, she purred, “I want another piece of that cake. What’d you call it again?”

“Sweetheart,” Michael murmured, sucking her toe into his mouth, “I got your chocolate orgasm right here.”

Chapter 17

T
he next nine days marked nine of the most blissful days of Reese’s life.

From the moment she and Michael awoke in the morning until they collapsed into each other’s arms at night, they were inseparable. They shopped, planned meals and cooked together. She thoroughly enjoyed working alongside him every day, both on the set of his show and at the restaurant, where he’d taken her under his wing as an unofficial cook.

Under his tutelage, Reese was learning a lot about culinary arts and testing her newfound skills on his willing customers, who got a kick out of being served by Michael’s sassy apprentice. After a full day of taping and working at the restaurant, they often snuggled in bed together and read e-mails from viewers who couldn’t get enough of their on-screen chemistry.

But their sizzling performances didn’t stop when the cameras weren’t rolling.

They’d christened nearly every corner of Michael’s penthouse and the restaurant, and had even made love on the set after hours—an erotic, mind-blowing interlude that had them both grinning throughout the next day’s taping. They couldn’t get enough of each other.

One evening they babysat for Marcus and Samara. The sight of Michael laughing and roughhousing with his nephews filled Reese with such acute longing that she had to leave the room to compose herself.

Unbeknownst to Michael or her family, she’d started looking into positions at several local hospitals. Though she and Michael had yet to say
I love you
to each other, she sensed that it was only a matter of time before he’d be ready to take the next step. Every time their bodies were joined, or they shared a secret glance across a crowded room, she was convinced that the look of tender ferocity in his eyes
had
to be love. But for some reason he was holding back, and Reese was enough of a self-preservationist to wait for him to be the first to utter the magic words.

It turned out to be the wisest decision she’d ever made.

On the Friday before the last taping of the apprentice series, she arrived at the studio after running errands to go over some final preparations with Michael and Drew Corbett.

She also had some important news to share with Michael. Layla had just called from Somalia to tell Reese that the funding for her photography assignment had been cut, so she’d be returning home next week. Which meant that once Reese completed her final episode of
Howlin’ Good,
she’d have no reason to remain in Atlanta.

Unless she and Michael had a future together.

That afternoon, as she neared the open doorway to Drew’s office, she overheard him speaking excitedly to Michael. “…network execs are buzzing about keeping 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 think it’s pretty obvious to everyone that you’re crazy about her.”

Reese’s pulse quickened. She found herself awaiting Michael’s response with bated breath.

He chuckled. “She’s a ratings magnet. How could I
not
be crazy about her?”

Reese’s heart plummeted. As reality came crashing down on her, she realized that everything she and Michael had shared over the past nine days had been a joke.

And the joke was on her.

Somehow she made it through the meeting without betraying her emotions. She laughed at Drew’s corny jokes, and interacted with Michael as if he hadn’t just plunged a dagger through her heart.

When the meeting was over, she told Michael she had more errands to run and assured him that she would call him once she was finished.

Four hours later, she was on a plane home to Houston.

She knew her decision to skip town had been impulsive, but she had to get away and collect herself, if only for a couple days. She was contractually obligated to return to Atlanta for Monday night’s final taping. After that, she’d be free to leave for good—which she intended to do.

Given what she’d overheard that afternoon, what other choice did she have?

Michael had all but admitted that she meant nothing more to him beyond what she could do for his show’s popularity. And since he’d never had any problem with ratings, that meant he
really
didn’t need her.

It was devastating to realize that she’d been living in a fantasy world. But it was better that she’d come to her senses now,
before
she rearranged her entire life for a man who’d never intended to commit to her.

As for the man she’d dated for the past year, hoping to convince herself that they were right for each other, it was time to close that door once and for all.

The morning after she arrived home, she drove to the hospital where she and Victor worked and had him paged. She knew he’d been avoiding her phone calls for over a week.

It was time for both of them to face the music.

When he came on the line, she said without preamble, “Victor, this is Reese. I’m sitting outside in a rental car. I don’t want to come inside and get sidetracked by my coworkers. I know you don’t have any surgeries scheduled this morning. Will you meet me outside 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 apprenticeship I was angry, and I didn’t plan to watch a single minute. But I’m glad I finally did.”

Reese swallowed hard. “Victor—”

“I hope to hell you know what you’re doing,” he said harshly. “Michael Wolf is a damn celebrity. When he breaks your heart, maybe then you’ll realize he wasn’t worth what you’ve given up.”

The line went dead.

Reese closed her eyes, grateful, at least, that she’d been spared having to make a long, painful breakup speech.

Chapter 18

M
ichael paced up and down his living room floor, his cell phone pressed to his ear.

“Come on, come on,” he muttered under his breath. “Answer the damn phone. Answer the—”

“Hello.”

Relief swept through him. “
Reese?
I’ve been trying to reach you since last night!

What the hell are you doing in Houston?”

“I came home for the weekend.” She paused. “I guess Drew’s assistant told you.”

“She did,” he snapped. “But why the hell did I have to hear it from her instead of
you?
”

“Don’t worry,” she said coolly. “I’ll be back on Monday to tape the grand finale.”

“I don’t give a damn about the show!” Michael shouted.

“Really? You were singing a different tune yesterday.”

“What are you talking about?”

Reese sighed. “I overheard the comment you made to Drew before our meeting.”

“What com—” Suddenly Michael froze, the words echoing through his mind like a cruel indictment.
She’s a ratings magnet. How could I not be crazy about her?

He’d regretted the careless remark as soon as the words left his mouth. It was a stupid thing to have said, and so far from the truth it was laughable. Except he wasn’t laughing now. And neither, apparently, was Reese.

“I didn’t mean what I said,” he told her. “You know that, don’t you?”

“Actually, I think you did.” She sounded so calm. Resigned. “I think what you told Drew was more honest than anything you’ve ever told me.”

“
What?
How can you say that? How can you
believe
that?”

“The question is, how could I have ever believed otherwise?”

Dread coiled in Michael’s gut. “Reese, listen to me. I—”

“I’m not angry, Michael,” she interrupted in that mild, implacable tone. “Deep down inside, I’ve always known that our relationship was too good to be true. It’s time for me to stop chasing a fantasy and get back to reality.”

He scowled. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that I’m returning to Houston after Monday’s final taping. Layla’s funding got cut, so she’ll be home early next week. There’s no reason for me to stay in Atlanta.”

“What about me?” Michael growled, desperation mingling with anger. “What about us?”

“There
is
no us.”

The quiet finality in her voice ripped his heart in half. “Reese, don’t—”

“I’ll see you on Monday. Goodbye, Michael.”

That evening, Sterling was in his den playing poker with Michael and Marcus when Frizell spoke from the window. “Are you expecting company, Mr. Wolf?”

At first he didn’t hear the question. He’d been preoccupied with Michael, who’d been brooding ever since he arrived at the house that night. Sterling knew something bad must have happened between his son and Reese, but so far Michael hadn’t said a word.

“Mr. Wolf?” Frizell prompted. “Are you expecting company?”

“No.” Sterling was still recovering from the departure of his last houseguests. Or rather, from Asha’s departure. He hadn’t heard a peep from her since she’d returned to New York. Just as he’d expected.

“There’s a limo coming down the driveway,” Frizell told him.

Suddenly Sterling’s nerves tightened and his pulse thudded.
It can’t be.

He threw down his cards and rushed from the room. Moments later, he flung open the front door just as a pair of long, shapely legs emerged from the backseat of a white limousine.

He gaped, convinced that his eyes were deceiving him. “Asha?”

A soft smile curved her lips. “Hello, Sterling.”

Gazes locked, they started toward each other. When they stood face-to-face, Sterling asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t stay away,” Asha confessed.

Sterling’s heart lurched. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I missed you. I tried to throw myself back into work, but all I could think about was this house, our children, our grandsons.
You.
I missed being here with you, Sterling. So I did the only thing that made sense. I walked out in the middle of an important meeting and ordered my pilot to fuel the jet.” She smiled, tears misting her eyes. “I couldn’t get here fast enough.”

Sterling pulled her into a fervent embrace and kissed her as if his very life depended on it. She clung to him, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck. His heart soared.

Lifting his head, he gazed into her eyes. “I love you. I don’t know when it happened, but I’m so glad it did.”

“Oh, Sterling.” Asha curved her hand against his cheek. “I’ve been in love with you since the day the twins were born.”

Stunned, he stared at her.
“You have?”

She nodded. “The way you held them in your arms and kissed their tiny foreheads while tears rolled down your face. Watching you, I was a goner. I’ve been trying to outrun my feelings ever since, but I can’t do it anymore. I love you, and I want to be with you.”

Sterling turned his face into her palm and kissed it. “What about New York?”

“I’ll keep my headquarters in Manhattan and open another office in Buckhead, near the boutique.”