A Tablespoon of Temptation (A Recipe for Love Novel Book 1) Read online

  “Are we talking about the food?”

  He gave her hand a squeeze. “If we’re discussing the food, I’d go for the lasagna. It’s earth-shattering.”

  “And if we’re not?”

  “I’d say go for it, too.” He let go of her hand and opened his in the air as if mimicking an explosion. “That can be earth-shattering as well.”

  Her cheeks turned ripe strawberry red. She lifted the menu and hid behind it. “I think I’ll have spaghetti and meatballs. I may not be up to earth-shattering at this point.”

  He lowered the menu. “Are we talking about the food?”

  She lifted her chin. “What else would we be talking about?”

  “What else, indeed?”

  Allie was right. Dani would be trouble, but now he was certain she was the good kind.

  Chapter 13

  Danielle

  How late was it? She parked her car and rushed to where Trish sat on the front steps of her craftsman bungalow, holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a lemon Bundt cake in the other.

  “You brought two hands of heaven. You’re a godsend.”

  “I believe I am.” She rocked back and forth until she gained the momentum to stand. “I come bearing the elixir of the gods and a sinful sweet.” She lifted the two gifts in the air. “Devil in one hand … Angel in the other. Which will it be?”

  Danielle unlocked the door and swiped the wine from her friend’s hand. “Let’s start with the wine and quickly move onto dessert.” She tossed her purse and keys on the entry table and walked to the kitchen. “Does it smell like chocolate in here?”

  Trish lifted her nose in the air. “Yes, but no surprise there, you’ve been baking like a maniac. How many cakes did you throw away?”

  Danielle took two wineglasses from the cupboard and searched two drawers for the wine opener. When she turned around, Trish was already pouring.

  “How did you—”

  Trish lifted the bottle opener. “It was on the counter. I swear you’re losing your mind.”

  With her palms against her face, she tried to rub the stress of the day away. “First day exhaustion and exhilaration. Experience one of them and you’re okay but deal with both on the same day, and it sucks the energy right from under your skin. Then there’s the upcoming training. They’re sending me to their resort in Breckinridge for a week.”

  The feet of the stool squeaked against the wooden floor when Trish pulled it away from the island and took her seat. She always chose the one closest to the door for a quick escape.

  “Why didn’t you request something better, like Rome?”

  “We don’t have a location in Rome. Breckinridge is perfect. At least I speak their language.”

  “Very true. Now tell me about your day, dear,” her friend teased.

  Danielle took the other stool, and after a deep drink, she told Trish about the events leading up to her encounter with Chris.

  “I never liked Chris. You finally have an excellent opportunity to prove who you are, and he’s going to eff it all up.”

  As soon as Trish got married, she gave up cursing. She figured it would take her a year to clean up her act, and then she could try for a baby. Her greatest fear was for her child to have its first word be a four-letter expletive.

  As her best friend and her baby’s unofficial, non-familial aunt, she’d given up cursing as well—mostly. Okay, she cursed like a trucker when she was alone. It was like that saying, if a tree fell in the woods and no one was around to hear it, would it make a sound? If no one heard her curse, then it didn’t count.

  “How did I not see he was an A-hole and a big D with a little d? He has to brag about his conquests because if he didn’t, no one would know he’d scored, including the women he was with. Being married to him was a big yawn.”

  “He really said you were an inadequate wife?”

  “Yes. It was so embarrassing because seconds later, James walked in.”

  Trish set her glass down and leaned in. “Hold the door. You never mentioned James.” She had this uncanny ability to raise a single brow without contorting other features on her face. “James, the hammer wielder?”

  Danielle laughed. She’d thought about his hammer several times since she’d met him. She was certain it sat between two hard as anvil thighs to protect it.

  “He was passing through and heard the argument.”

  “Hearing about Chris is like watching a rerun of a show I hate, but this is getting interesting. What did James do?”

  Warm fuzzy tendrils of heat coiled in her stomach. “He took me to lunch.”

  “Oh my God. You could have led with that. You had a date with the hot guy?”

  This conversation needed a full glass of wine, so she tipped the bottle over their glasses and topped them off.

  “To call it a date would be an exaggeration, but he saved me from an ugly scene. He came into my office like a knight on a white steed and asked me if I was ready.”

  “Are you ever?” Trish sucked down half her glass with one drink. “If your ex wasn’t there, you could have stripped naked and laid on your new desk.” She tapped the island. “It’s solid enough to hold you both, right?”

  “You and your surfaces. I’m surprised you’re not black and blue.”

  “Who says I’m not?” She giggled. “Pass on the tile floor though, those grout lines can be a pain—literally.”

  Danielle wadded a napkin and tossed it at her friend. “We ate at Pasqual’s.”

  “I love that place. Their lasagna is—”

  “Earth-shattering. I know. I’ve heard.”

  “You had it then?”

  “No, I’m out of practice. It’s not wise to jump right into an earthquake. I started with a small tremor. The spaghetti and meatballs were darn amazing, too. I didn’t really think of it as a date. Although, he kept saying it was.”

  “Who paid?”

  Danielle lowered her head.

  “He did.”

  “It was a date.” She reached over and patted Danielle on the head. “My girl had her first date. I’m so excited.”

  The problem with Trish was she made a big deal out of nothing. Danielle would rather eat lemon cake than talk about the perfect lunch with James. She reached for the plastic container and pulled off the cover.

  Without having to get up, she took a knife from the wooden block sitting on the counter and sliced them both a sizable piece.

  “You talk as if I’ve never had lunch with a man.”

  Trish shoved a bite of cake into her mouth and tapped her fingers on the granite counter until she finished chewing and swallowing.

  “You haven’t eaten with a real man in years. James sounds like the real deal. Chris was a boy who flunked man training—a dozen times. What was it you liked about him?”

  “His confidence.”

  “That wasn’t confidence.” Trish washed her next bite of lemon cake down with a sip of wine. “That was arrogance, and it only works if he can back it up, which he couldn’t. That man cheated, not because you were inadequate, but because you proved he was. You were smarter and wiser and out of his league.”

  “I feel that way about James. He’s completely out of mine.”

  Trish wobbled and nearly fell off her stool. “He’s a construction worker.”

  An unexpected sigh snuck out. “He’s so much more than that. I don’t know why, but I feel that construction isn’t where he peaked in his career, but the work he enjoys the most. He’s brilliant. I’m sure we could talk about anything from literature to politics.”

  “Tell me you didn’t talk politics on the first date. That’s a serious faux pas.”

  “No, we didn’t, but we could have. There’s a confidence about him that makes me believe even if we were at opposite ends of the political spectrum, he’d happily discuss and listen to my opinion.”

  “Damn.” Trish slapped her hand over her mouth. “See what you did? You broke my thirty days without swearing record.”

/>   “I didn’t put that word in your mouth.” She pointed to the cake. “Eat more so you can sweeten your disposition.”

  “You should go for it with James.”

  Her head shook back and forth, even though her mind was screaming yes. “I know, but it’s not wise. We work together.”

  “We’re back to that? If I followed your line of thinking, I’d be single and still have my old entry table.”

  “Not the same. You and Rob never worked together.”

  “Neither do you and James. I sold Rob insurance for his building. That’s as far as our work connection went. James will finish the construction on the resort, and he’ll move to the next project. Your work relationship ends there.”

  “You’re right.” There was some merit to her argument. Danielle had to admit she was gun shy.

  “I know. I’m good at being right. I keep reminding Rob of that, but he wants to be right too. I’ve negotiated that with him. Poker night is his time.”

  “But he’s out with the guys.”

  A smug smile teased at her lips. “I know. He can be right with them, but when he gets home, it’s my turn.”

  “I don’t know how you snagged that man.”

  Trish sat up. “I told him I was a smart choice. Confidence is sexy when you can back it up.” She tapped her chest. “I’m the best thing to happen to Rob. I remind him every day.”

  Danielle folded over herself until her head rested on the countertop next to the wine and cake. “I don’t know what I can offer a man.”

  “Are you kidding me?” She tugged at Danielle’s arm until she sat up. “Let’s start with your perfect C cups. Not too little. Not too big. You have a backside that makes men bite their knuckles. I’ve seen it at least a half dozen times when we went to the club.”

  “I miss the club. Why did you have to get married? Wasn’t I enough to keep you single?”

  Trish moved the wine out of the way. “No more wine for you. You’re talking crazy now.”

  “I know, but I miss you and our marathon movie Mondays. What about two-step Tuesdays at the Cowboy Club?”

  “You can’t two-step.”

  “You’re right, but after a few glasses of wine no one noticed.”

  Laughter filled the air. “Everyone noticed.” She emptied her glass and slid it away. “I miss fondue Fridays, but my behind doesn’t. Too much cheese does awful things to a girl’s body.”

  “Nonsense. I bet we have the strongest bones in Timberline.”

  “If he asks you out again, please say yes. Now I feel guilty for falling in love.” Trish opened her arms for a hug.

  She fell into Trish’s embrace. “Don’t feel guilty. I’m happy for you. I really am, but I’m lonely.”

  When Trish pulled back, she focused on the cake ingredients that perpetually sat on the counter waiting for greatness to happen.

  “We’ve got enough time to make another cake. Although the last one couldn’t have been bad since you got the job.”

  Danielle rose from her stool. “Thankfully, I was judged on effort and not outcome. Even Allie, the new COO, told me it was bad.”

  “She said that?”

  “No, but she pointed out it was dry. Said something about high-altitude cooking.”

  Trish palmed her forehead. “Why didn’t I think about that?” She pulled out her phone. “It says here that you need more liquid. Two tablespoons at 3,000 ft., and an additional 1 1/2 teaspoons for every 1,000 ft. beyond that.” She whistled. “Liquid can include eggs, water, or milk.”

  “That’s it?”

  “No, you must add flour too.”

  Danielle moved the ingredients to the island and gathered the mixing bowls. “Seems counterproductive.”

  “Did you use the right chocolate the last time?”

  “No, I used cocoa.”

  Trish opened the cupboard and searched for the bar of Baker’s chocolate. “Everything in life is about the ingredients. You put the wrong stuff together, and you get a calamity.”

  “Like me and Chris.”

  “Exactly. He’s lox, which are amazing if combined with cream cheese and a bagel. You’re not a bagel, you’re more like a graham cracker. Lox and graham crackers aren’t a good mix. What you need is to find your chocolate bar and marshmallows.”

  Danielle measured out the flour. “Graham crackers are good alone too.”

  “Better as a s’more.”

  They worked side by side to put the ingredients together.

  “Can you believe I’ve baked something?”

  Trish hip-checked her, sending her stumbling to the side. “Never thought you’d actually take it up as a hobby.”

  Chocolate flakes went everywhere as Danielle grated the unsweetened chocolate bar. “I only did it to prove you wrong.”

  “If I said you’d never date James, would you do it to spite me?”

  “Probably.” She didn’t need a reason to be interested in James. She was already there, but if she pretended to date him out of spite, then at least she wouldn’t have to take the blame when it went south.

  Several minutes later, she finished the batter and preheated the oven. They stuck the pans on the center rack and waited.

  “You’ll never date James,” Trish said to test her theory.

  “You’re probably right, but that’s one time I’d like to prove you wrong.”

  “Come here.” Trish gave her a solid hug. “Wouldn’t it be great if he was one of the right ingredients?”

  “We’re baking a cake, not making love.”

  Trish looked at her phone. “Speaking of love, Rob will be home soon, and I get to be right. Right in bed when he arrives.” She gathered her keys and blew Danielle a kiss. “Text me and let me know if the cake is perfect and take a picture of James. I want to see the face of the man who makes my friend’s lady bits twirl.”

  Danielle walked her to the door. “There is no twirling.”

  “Yet,” Trish yelled back.

  “By the way,” Danielle yelled after her. “You were right about my mom.”

  “I know.” Trish smiled before she climbed inside her car.

  Danielle walked into the kitchen, happier than she could believe. When the timer went off, she took out the cake. It wasn’t lopsided and was a deep chocolate color. It smelled great. She glanced at the lemon Bundt on the counter. It was perfect—moist and flavorful. Now she knew why they called it Forever Fudge Cake. It would take forever to perfect.

  She didn’t bother to make frosting. It was a waste of good butter and her coveted sugar if she couldn’t get the cake right. Once cooled, she cut out a sliver and tasted it.

  “Not bad, but not perfect.” She covered it with plastic wrap and walked into her bedroom.

  She stared at the empty bed with its cozy down-filled duvet and wondered how James would look in it.

  Chapter 14

  James

  Could he strangle his sister and get away with it? Sending Dani to an off-site management training program was great, but the timing was all wrong. They had finally gotten past the I-can’t-date-you argument at lunch and she hadn’t been at the office for a week.

  Thankfully, she was due back today, and he wouldn’t miss the first chance to see her.

  There was no reason for him to be on the executive floor because they had finished the work. He was there waiting with two cups of coffee in his hands when the elevator arrived with her on board.

  Her head was down when the door opened, and when she lifted it to step out, she smiled bright enough to light a dim room.

  “Were you waiting for me, or was this a coincidence?” She stared at the coffee cups. “Or maybe that’s for someone else?”

  He pushed the mug forward. “No one else. Only you.” She took the cup and walked with him down the hallway toward her office. “I put in three extra sugars in case you weren’t feeling all that sweet, considering you’ve been in training all week.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Allie told
me, but I would have rather heard it from you.”

  “I’m sorry, I would have called or texted, but I don’t know how to get a hold of you. She kind of sprung it on me.”

  Me too. Which was another reason to tighten the noose around his sister’s neck.

  “I guess the training generally comes later, but the general manager is going on maternity leave.”

  He wasn’t worried about being outed. He imagined his sister picked that location for his benefit since it was the only site he hadn’t physically worked at. Luxe at Breckinridge came about when he was in the army. Julian and Allie had been working without him for the first few years while he finished his service commitment. He created the plans for the remodel but wasn’t there to do the work.

  He followed her, and the smell of her perfume wafted beneath his nose. “What is that scent you wear?”

  She laughed. “It’s a mix of fear and intimidation.”

  “You fear me?”

  She put her purse on the desk and sat behind it. Her palms brushed the top of the hardwood surface.

  “I’m afraid of everything. My life hasn’t been this mixed up since the divorce, and that was over a year ago.” She picked up the mug and sipped. “You made it perfect; sweet enough to take the edge off my bitterness.”

  “Mixed up how?”

  She moved her free hand through the air. “Oh, you know … new job. Crush on you. Knowing one is bad for the other.” She stared up at him. “I thought about you a lot.”

  “I thought about you too.” He took a seat in front of her desk. “I think we could be good for each other.”

  “I can’t argue that, but …” She pointed between them. “This thing churning between us won’t be good for my job, and I need my job. I got rid of my ex but got custody of his debt.”

  He sat up. “How is that possible?”

  “You know those pre-approved credit cards that come in the mail?” She twisted her hands together. “He transferred all his debt to them, and they were solely in my name.”

  “I so want to kick his ass.”