Page 23 of Recipe for Temptation

“Fine. Have it your way.”

“Thank you. Goodnight, Victor.” Reese hung up and dropped her phone on the counter with a loud clatter. She could feel the onset of a headache behind her eyes, and as she surveyed the thawed veal cutlets, she realized she’d lost her appetite.

Damn you, Victor, she thought rancorously.

Abandoning her plans to make dinner, she strode to the butler’s pantry and snagged a bottle of cabernet sauvignon from the wine rack. She poured herself a nice big glass and headed into the living room.

As she sank into a comfy armchair, her gaze landed on Michael’s Howlin’ Good cookbook on the fireplace mantel, where she’d placed it so she wouldn’t forget to burn it.

That was three days ago. The rage she’d felt toward Michael had lessened considerably since then. At the moment, truth be told, she was madder at Victor than Michael. So mad, in fact, that she was beginning to think their relationship couldn’t be saved. It had been on life support for a long time.

Maybe it was time to finally pull the plug.

Chapter Nine

“Uncle Mike! Uncle Mike!”

Michael had just stepped out of his car when two miniature tornadoes—in the form of his three-year-old nephews—came hurtling down the driveway toward him. By the time he closed the car door, the twins had launched themselves at his legs. Laughing, Michael reached down and scooped them into his arms, planting an affectionate kiss on top of each boy’s head.

“Hey, pups,” he greeted them. “How was Disney World?”

“Fun!” Matthew and Malcolm Wolf chorused, their identical faces lit up with wide, dimpled smiles. “You shoulda come with us!”

Michael chuckled, watching as his brother Marcus sauntered toward him. “I wish I could’ve, but I had to work. Maybe next time.”

“You promise?” entreated Matthew, who’d already established himself as the more demanding twin.

Coming to Michael’s rescue, Marcus said chidingly, “Little boy, your mother and I need to catch our breath before we even think about taking any more trips to Orlando.”

Michael grinned at his brother. “Ran you ragged, didn’t they?”

Marcus chuckled. “Let’s just say I’ve never felt so old in my life.”

“That’s because you are old.”

“Hey, look who’s talking!”

Though almost six years apart, Michael and Marcus had often been described as dead ringers of each other. Like Michael, Marcus was tall, broad-shouldered and long-legged, with smooth dark skin and the strong, masculine features they’d both inherited from their father. A prominent tort attorney, Marcus had been enjoying the carefree lifestyle of a renowned ladies’ man—until he went to Washington, D.C. four years ago and got tamed by Samara Layton.

As Marcus plucked Matt out of his brother’s arm, Michael swung Malcolm over his head and onto his shoulders, making the boy squeal with delight. Marcus did the same with Matt, lest he feel cheated.

“Where’s Samara?” Michael asked his brother as they started up the walk toward their father’s house.

“Getting her hair done.” Marcus smiled. “I told her to treat herself to a massage while she was at it, so we might not see her for a long time.”

Michael gave his brother an amused sidelong glance. “What a kind, thoughtful husband you are.”

Marcus shrugged. “What can I say? Nothing but the best for my queen.”

If the comment had been made by anyone else, Michael might have rolled his eyes in laughing disbelief. But he knew better than anyone how much Marcus loved Samara. He worshipped the ground she walked on and would do anything for her. So when he called her his queen, Michael knew he was speaking from the heart.

“Grandpa!”

Sterling Wolf was waiting in the doorway, an excited grin wreathing his face at the sight of his sons and grandchildren. As they drew nearer, he snapped a picture with the expensive digital camera he’d received as a Father’s Day gift last month.

“Beautiful,” he pronounced, beaming with pride as he tucked the camera into the front pocket of his polo shirt. “You boys look just like your father and uncle did at your age.”

Michael and Marcus had barely set down the twins before they rushed into their grandfather’s wide-open arms. Sterling hugged them tightly, bellowing with laughter as they began babbling about their adventures at Disney World.

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