Page 38 of Recipe for Temptation

For years he’d despised Grant Rutherford for luring his mother away from Sterling. Grant hadn’t respected Celeste’s marriage or her responsibility to her family. He’d seen something he wanted and had gone after it, consequences be damned. As far as Michael was concerned, real men didn’t go around stealing other people’s wives. They found their own.

Given his personal convictions, it would be hypocritical of him to pursue Reese when he knew she was in a relationship. And if she cheated on her boyfriend, how could Michael ever trust her to be faithful to him?

Halfway to the downtown television studio, a burst of song from his phone cut through the frigid silence in the car. Out of the corner of his eye, Michael saw Reese raise a brow at the ringtone—“Fight the Power” by Public Enemy. It was his personal theme song for his brother, the crusading lawyer.

In no mood for small talk, Michael snatched up the phone and growled, “Let me call you back later.”

“Whoa.” Marcus was taken aback. “Damn, what’s wrong with you?”

Michael impatiently switched lanes. “This isn’t a good time, Little Man.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, because I need a favor.”

“What?”

“Can you pick up Mom and Grant from the airport?”

“Tonight?”

“No.” Marcus sounded puzzled. “What’re you talking about? They’re not arriving tonight.”

Michael frowned. “When does their flight get in?”

“In an hour.”

“What? Since when?”

“They changed their flight a couple weeks ago. Oh, yeah, that’s right—you were on your book tour. I thought Dad told you.”

“He must’ve forgot. Anyway, I’m on my way to the studio. Why can’t you pick them up from the airport?”

“I was planning to,” Marcus said grimly, “but I’m still at the office.”

“Why? I thought you and Samara took another week off from work to spend time with the family.”

“We did. But I had to come in to help put out a fire involving one of our big clients.”

“What about Samara?” Samara Wolf was a public relations consultant, so her schedule was more flexible.

“She’s out running around with her mother, finalizing preparations for the reception next Wednesday.”

“Asha’s already in town?” Michael asked in surprise. Her grand opening wasn’t for another week.

“Yeah. She flew in yesterday afternoon. She was hoping to meet with you to discuss the reception menu, but you never answered your phone.”

“I was out,” Michael muttered with a sideways glance at Reese. She sat ramrod straight, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as she stared through the windshield, simmering with hostility.

“You turned off your phone yesterday?” Marcus asked in surprise.

Michael grunted an affirmative. He hadn’t wanted the outside world to intrude on his time with Reese. What a pathetic joke.

“That must’ve been one helluva date,” Marcus said slyly.

Michael scowled. “It wasn’t a date.” He felt rather than saw Reese stiffen even more in her seat.

“Whatever you say, bro.” Marcus chuckled. “So can you swing by the airport, then drop Mom and Grant off at Dad’s house?”

Yet another surprise. “Why aren’t they staying with you and Samara like they always do?”

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