Page 4 of Recipe for Temptation (Madewood Brothers 4)

She released him and smacked her hand against his stomach. “Shut up, Murphy.”

He laughed, and in an unusual show of affection, rested his arm over her shoulders, then pulled her into his body. With a laugh, he said, “Watching you squirm for an entire week is going to be entertaining.”

They walked through the pool area, then across the patio to the beach where her parents and family were waiting. Penn relished the feel of his warm, hard body pressed against hers.

She’d wanted this man for three years. Even though she knew better, even though wanting him was the best way to erase every inch of professional success she’d gained for herself along the way.

Shameless flirting had always been her saving grace because she knew deep down he’d never flirt back. But now he was here, and that had to mean something.

She’d come to this island for some perspective. She had a cup to win and a promotion to clinch. Nothing was going to stand in her way. But then Cole lowered his arm and tightened his grip on her body, his fingers massaging her hip.

She stifled a whimper.

Turns out even her best laid plans were no match for Cole Murphy.

Chapter Two

How did he get himself into this mess?

Yesterday, Cole had been in his kitchen at Bistro, doing his executive chef thing, and today he was on a beach in Hawaii, meeting Penn’s entire family. And competing in some bizarre family sporting ritual.

Thanks to his brothers’ coaxing—more like threats—he was also on vacation. Jack Vaughn, Neil Harrison, and Finn O’Reilly had cornered him in the stock room. They were afraid he was going to snap before the launch of his new project—the Madewood Boys and Girls Club.

But he had to admit, the moment that little girl had tugged on his arm, he’d been mesmerized. By this totally normal, everyday family.

Until he was taken in by Vivian, to Cole a family was just the people you were obligated to, the ones who always let you down. Vivian Madewood had given him a real family when he’d least expected it. His adopted family was great—the best. But they were hardly normal.

Penn walked beside him as they meandered along the winding walkway that outlined three humungous pools. He’d never seen her so complacent. His strong, independent, mouthy Penn. The only recognizable thing about her was the oversized sunglasses perched on her nose. Otherwise, she was almost unrecognizable in a one-piece bathing suit with a plain blue straw bag slung over her shoulder. What happened to her designer clothes and expensive accessories? And where were the high heels? If she was going to wear flip-flops all week, his neck was going to be sore from looking down all the time. And she was completely covering up his favorite asset—her awesome cleavage. Not to mention hiding the cherry blossom tattoo he’d found out about a year ago at Sterling’s bachelorette party, when he’d mistakenly ogled her half-naked boudoir photos.

He’d never minded her flirting with him. It was just her personality. But seeing those photos had jarred something in him to life, and ever since then, her teasing had almost pushed him over the edge.

The Penn he’d come to know over the last three years liked to emphasize her cleavage, and seeing her in a skimpy bikini was what he’d started fantasizing about as soon as he’d settled into his seat on the plane.

Not that her in a bikini was why he’d come here.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She dropped her gaze to her body. “Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“Not at all.” He lifted his hands in defense. “I just… Well, it’s just not the type of bathing suit I pictured you favoring.” When his hand lowered to his side, he grazed her hand, sending a singe of sensation right to his cock.

“You’ve pictured me in a bathing suit?”

Shit! Stop talking. Just shut up.

He needed to change the subject. To anything that wouldn’t lead to him fantasizing about her naked, or in skimpy clothes, or better yet, at all. A sexual tryst was the last thing he wanted in the public domain. Cole had done his best to steer clear of the gossip columns, leaving the spotlight to his brothers, Neil and Jack.

He cleared his throat. “Is there a reason why you’re hiding your tattoo?”

This was something he needed to get to the bottom of. It wasn’t just her outfit that had him confused. It was her whole personality. While interacting with her family, she had shrunk into herself. She’d become nervous. The complete opposite of the Penn he knew.

The Penn who showed up every day to work was confident and competent in sky-high heels and pencil skirts showing off legs he couldn’t help but imagine went all the way up to that spot he’d been dying to sink his—

“Who said I’m hiding it?” she muttered. She threaded her arm through his as they walked onto the beach. “Let’s just focus on getting my father to agree to let you stay.”

Penn had been there for him more times than he could count. Which was why he was here, instead of back home, working out the last-minute details for the club.

It was an initiative born out of anger. And Cole sure as shit had been mad when he’d found out one of the teens in the Cooking For the Future program—the culinary program established by his foster mother, Vivian Madewood—had died. Something inside him had snapped. Admittedly, his initial approach with his brothers might not have been the best idea, or the most professional. He’d shown up half-cocked, guns blazing, with a business plan written on lined paper, his words scrawled across the white space in a serial killer-esque code.

But that kid’s death had hit too close to home, brought back too many memories from his own tormented childhood for him to waste any time. At that moment, he’d vowed to do whatever it took to keep another kid from ending up with his same sad fate.

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