Page 41 of Recipe for Temptation

Chapter Fourteen

Reclining in the luxurious backseat of the Maybach with Celeste Rutherford, Reese fielded questions about work, her family and growing up in Houston. She asked Grant Rutherford about his latest clinical research study and chatted about everything from the weather to the bad economy. But if asked later to recall specific details of the conversation, she would have been at a complete loss.

She’d been unable to concentrate on anything since arguing with Michael that morning. She was still reeling with hurt and anger over the way he’d lashed out at her for having a boyfriend. He’d reacted like a scorned lover. Which seemed unreasonable, considering that he and Reese had hated each other’s guts just yesterday. If she hadn’t shown up at his penthouse seeking a truce, they’d still be bitter enemies today. He had no right to be jealous of her relationship with another man.

But he had been jealous, and that realization left her shaken and more conflicted than ever. She had no experience dealing with possessive alphas. It appalled her to admit that a secret part of her was hugely turned on by Michael’s caveman behavior. Turned on and pissed off at the same time.

The trouble started that morning when she’d received a call from a local florist notifying her of a pending delivery. For a fleeting second, she’d foolishly hoped that Michael had sent her flowers because he was thinking about her after the magical day they’d spent together.

But then a few minutes later, Victor had called and dashed her silly hopes.

“I sent you something. Hope you enjoy it.”

A heavy sigh escaped her. “Victor?—”

“I know we’re not supposed to be talking, and I’m trying really hard to respect your boundaries. But I miss being with you, and I just want?—”

“Where’s all this coming from, Victor?” Reese cut in impatiently.

He seemed taken aback. “What do you mean?”

“We work at the same hospital. We were in the same building, day in and day out, and you showed very little interest in spending time with me. And don’t tell me you were too busy. Your own boss makes it a point to block out time to have lunch with his wife every day, and I can think of several other colleagues who make more time for their partners than you do. Every time I tried to set up a date or even just a damn coffee break, you blew me off. You’ve neglected our relationship for the past six months, Victor. Now that I’ve left town, suddenly you can’t live without me?”

He was silent for a long minute.

“You’re right,” he said finally. “I took you for granted. I didn’t appreciate what I had until you were gone.”

It was the closest to an apology she would likely ever get. But it was too little, too late.

“Thank you for acknowledging my feelings, Victor. But this changes nothing between us. I still need time?—”

“Have you met someone else?” he demanded bluntly.

She closed her eyes, weighing her next words very carefully. “There’s a man that I’m…attracted to.”

Victor cursed in Italian under his breath. “I knew this would happen. I fucking knew it!”

Reese licked her dry lips. “I didn’t want to lie to you.”

“How noble of you.” His voice was bitter. “Have you fucked him?”

“No.” She swallowed hard. “We’ve…kissed.”

A long, seething silence followed.

“I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, Reese,” Victor said tightly. “I’ve been invited to participate in that research study I told you about. It’s been more time-consuming than I anticipated, and I’m already feeling stretched thin. I’d really hate to lose you on top of everything else.”

Guilt pricked the back of her neck. “I don’t want to be a distraction. Focus on what you need to.”

“But that’s just it,” he snapped irritably. “I can’t focus on anything while we’re apart, especially now that I know there’s another man in the picture. Who is he?”

Reese pushed a trembling hand through her hair. “It’s not important, Victor.”

He fell silent, and she could almost hear him thinking. She waited tensely for him to speak again.

“I haven’t forgotten that you’re in Michael Wolf’s hometown. He’s your celebrity free pass, so unless he’s the guy you’re talking about—” He broke off with a chuckle, grimly amused at the thought of her having a sanctioned one-time hookup with her celebrity crush.

“The odds of you meeting him in a city that size are pretty slim,” he grumbled, sounding as if he were trying to convince himself. He didn’t know, of course, that Michael was a regular fixture at his restaurant, that he made a point of personally greeting his customers every time he was there.

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