Page 71 of Recipe for Temptation

Reese blushed at the reference to the way she’d panted, chanted and screamed his name during sex. Though she’d been trying for days not to think about their lovemaking, she was grateful to him for taking her mind off her jittery nerves, if only for a few moments.

“Only you would think about that at a time like this,” she grumbled.

His lips curved in a rakish grin. “Food and sex,” he drawled. “A match made in heaven.”

She blushed harder.

The assistant producer, standing nearby, began his countdown.

Reese tensed up again.

Michael reached out and took her hand, his warm touch infusing her with the strength and courage she needed to get through the next hour.

“Just relax and be yourself,” he murmured. “They’re going to love you.”

She gave him a tremulous smile. “How do you know?”

Something softened in his gaze. “Because I?—”

“And we’re on!”

At the producer’s cue, Michael slowly released her hand and whispered, “See you soon” before striding out to the set to a deafening chorus of cheers and applause.

Reese watched, mesmerized, as he waved to the audience and shook hands with his band members, his father and uncle, and a bunch of random people in the first row. He kissed several women on the cheek—namely his mother, his aunt Prissy, Lexi Austin, Asha, Samara and Taylor Wolf. He exchanged fist bumps with Quentin, Marcus and their drop-dead gorgeous cousins, whose appearances on the show were huge fan favorites.

When he’d greeted enough guests, he made his way onto the stage.

A woman yelled out, “I love you, Michael!”

He grinned and blew her a kiss as laughter and catcalls rippled through the crowd. When a rowdy group of fraternity brothers barked in rapid succession, Michael cupped his hands around his mouth and barked back.

It was, Reese marveled, quite a sight to behold.

When the noise had finally subsided, Michael laid his hand over his heart in a gesture of utmost gratitude. “Thank you so much for that warm Southern welcome. I’m definitely feeling the love right now.”

“We missed you, Michael!” This came from a different, equally breathless woman.

He laughed. “I missed y’all, too. It’s great to be back for a fourth season of Howlin’ Good, and I thank all of you for being here and for tuning in at home. Before we get started, how about another round of applause for my amazing family?”

The audience cheered and clapped enthusiastically as his family members beamed with pleasure.

After acknowledging a few more special guests, Michael continued his introduction. “We’ve got a lot of exciting things on tap for you this season. But what I’m most excited about is the newest addition to our Howlin’ Good family. As you all know, this year we launched a nationwide search for an apprentice. I want to thank everyone who submitted your best recipes to us. We had so many amazing, creative dishes to choose from. But at the end of the day, a clear winner emerged, and when you meet her, I think you’ll understand why. So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to my new apprentice, the beautiful and talented Reese St. James.”

Reese unglued her leaden feet from the floor and strolled out onto the set as the crowd showered her with applause and whistles. Bravely she smiled and waved, inwardly gulping as she took in the size of the studio audience.

As she approached Michael, their eyes met. Suddenly Reese forgot where she was, what she was doing and how she’d even gotten there. No man had ever looked at her the way Michael was looking at her now. It was indescribable, a look that drove everything else into the background until he alone was the focus of her attention. The focus of her universe.

This time when her stomach clenched and her pulse quickened, she knew it had nothing to do with stage fright.

As she joined him at the large center island, he gave her an intimate smile that melted her insides faster than a pat of butter tossed into a hot skillet.

What is he trying to do to me?

“Reese comes to us from Houston,” Michael announced, turning to address the audience. “We got any other Houstonians in the house?”

At the enthusiastic smattering of cheers, Reese grinned and pumped her fist in solidarity, which drew some appreciative laughter.

“Reese is a doctor,” Michael continued with a lazy smile, “but she’s taking time out of her busy schedule to study under her favorite chef.”

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