Page 19 of Recipe for Temptation

Reese batted her lashes innocently. “I said, ‘You’re the boss.’”

His mouth twitched. “Yeah, I thought so.” Turning on the burner next to hers, he said, “In a large pan, you’re gonna add two tablespoons of olive oil and minced garlic. Heat it up and stir for about thirty seconds, then throw in your seasoned shrimp?—”

“Throw?” Reese interrupted skeptically. “Are you sure you should be telling viewers to throw anything into a skillet of hot oil?”

When Michael just stared at her, she said grimly, “I’m a doctor. I’ve seen more than enough third-degree burns caused by household cooking accidents. Might I suggest you find another verb?”

He gaped at her a moment longer, then nodded tightly. “All right,” he agreed, addressing the camera. “You’re gonna ease the shrimp into the pan?—”

“Ooh, much better. I like ease.”

Michael looked at Reese as if he wanted to clobber her over the head with the pan. “Anything else?” he inquired through clenched teeth.

She grinned sheepishly. “Nope. I’m good.” The audience chortled as she hunched over the pot of grits and stirred with renewed vigor.

“As I was saying,” Michael continued with exaggerated patience, “after you add the shrimp, sauté them for about three minutes—just until they’re tender. You don’t wanna overcook them. When they’re done, remove them from the pan and set ’em aside in a bowl.”

“But not in the same bowl that had the raw shrimp, right?” Reese interjected. At his blank look, she hastened to clarify herself. “I mean, I know seafood doesn’t warrant the same cross-contamination concerns as poultry, but just to be on the safe side…”

“Of course,” Michael said with a steely smile for the camera. “You’re going to place the cooked shrimp in a different bowl. Just like I did.”

“Wonderful. Mmm, those look delicious,” Reese breathed, eyeing the mound of sautéed shrimp. “Can I have?—”

“No,” Michael snapped, moving the bowl out of her reach. The audience laughed while Reese pretended to pout.

Deliberately ignoring her, Michael continued, “Now comes the roux, which is basically a cooked mixture of flour and fat that’s used to thicken many Cajun dishes. So here’s what you’re gonna do, folks.” He explained the next few steps, demonstrating as he went along. “After you’ve cooked the roux, add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. I usually make my own hot sauce, but if you’re looking for a shortcut, a good brand I recommend is Texas Pete?—”

“Hey, I think I know him!” Reese piped up brightly.

This set off a new wave of laughter.

Michael shook his head at the ceiling, but his lips were quirking as if he wanted to smile but wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. It didn’t matter, though. Reese knew he was having as much fun as she was, even if he’d sooner eat stewed lizard guts than admit it.

Grinning, she removed the grits from the burner. “What’re you gonna do with those?” she asked, pointing to another bowl filled with neat cubes of sautéed country ham.

“Watch and learn.”

Michael heaped a few spoonfuls of grits onto a plate and topped it with several sizzling pieces of shrimp. Next he poured a liberal amount of the roux sauce over the shrimp and added a sprinkling of ham, then presented the finished dish with a dramatic, “Booyah!”

Reese joined in the vigorous applause that swept around the set. “Now may I have a taste?” she entreated him. “Pretty please?”

Michael grinned lazily. “Sure. Why not?”

He scooped up a forkful of shrimp and grits and brought it to her mouth. Reese opened automatically for him. As her lips closed around the fork, his gaze darkened.

She let out a soft groan. “Mmmm. That is sooo good.”

Watching her intently, Michael sampled a bite, licking their shared fork in a way that hardened her nipples and spiked her pulse.

Their gazes held for a long, charged moment.

“Cut!” the director called out suddenly. In a voice laced with amusement, he added, “Would someone please bring me a glass of cold water? It’s hot in here!”

Chapter Seven

An hour later, Drew Corbett was still raving about Reese St. James’s audition performance. And he wasn’t the only one. From the production assistant to the casting director, the consensus around the studio was that Reese should, and would be, Michael’s new apprentice.

He seemed to be the only one who thought otherwise.

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