Read Online And He Cooks Too by Barbara Barrett - Free Book Online Page B

overdress.”
    He tried without success to tone down his near-leer. God, when she shed that chef’s jacket, she was cooking with more heat than when she was actually in the kitchen. “No chance of that.”
    “You look pretty good yourself.”
    “Thanks.” He straightened his tie, a sliver of navy blue silk that set off his stark white dress shirt and gray blazer, a major change from his all-dark camera wardrobe or the old jeans he wore otherwise. “So? What do you think of the place?”
    She made a show of inhaling the various aromas wafting about them. “I like how the reflections of the tea lights bounce off the mirrors around the room, although I would have preferred more color to offset the stark white linen.”
    Good. She was taking this assignment seriously. And that’s what they were here for, right, not just to sit here and ogle her.
    He surveyed the flock of diners surrounding them, nodding to some, gracing others with his trademark smile.
    Reese watched him, a fascinated expression on her face. “You’re quite the crowd pleaser.”
    “Defense mechanism I learned as a kid. When I wanted my mother to stay home from her fancy parties.”
    “You seem to have honed it to a fine art.”
    “Yeah?” Was that meant as a slight? Nah, this woman was too direct. If she wanted to put him down, he’d know it. On the other hand, was she flirting? He needed to know. “How’s it working on you?”
    “Can’t say,” she said, water glass in hand. “I don’t have any fancy parties to skip.”
    Not quite flirting, but she was definitely baiting him. Well, hell. Might as well give her a taste of the old Coltrane appeal. “I’d think an up-and-coming New York chef with your looks would be turning down invites right and left.”
    “And I think you’ve kicked your charm switch up a couple notches for my own personal demonstration.”
    Saw right through that, did she? “Just speaking the truth.”
    “Uh-huh, well, thanks for the compliment. I appreciate the honesty. I’m a pretty upfront kind of person.”
    Like that was a surprise? He sat back, folded his arms. She definitely had something going on up front . “No kidding? Like in you cannot tell a lie?”
    She smiled enigmatically. “Trick question. If I was lying but said yes, how would you know?”
    That was a challenge, if he ever heard one. But he’d save that one for later, when his stomach wasn’t competing with his brain for attention. “Too heavy for me right now. Let’s order.” He glanced up and a waiter appeared out of nowhere. Shortly thereafter, their drinks showed up.
    He sipped his mojito, trying to wrap his brain around her statement. Her candor intimidated yet intrigued him. Actually, everything about her this evening intrigued him, starting with the way she looked in that killer dress with the plunging neckline and moving on to the ease with which she’d settled into the repartee. “Isn’t it dangerous for me to know about your thing with honesty?”
    She took a swallow of her margarita. “How so?”
    “It’s like that Truth or Dare game, minus the Dare part.”
    Her eyes fluttered briefly. “Good analogy.”
    Her agreeing cut short any fantasies about dares he could have subjected her to, but the honesty thing was too much to resist. “Let’s check it out.”
    “What did you have in mind?”
    “Instead of Truth or Dare, we’ll play Twenty Questions.”
    She sat forward. “Wait! I didn’t agree to an interrogation.”
    He’d caught her off guard. He liked having the edge on her. “Too late. But, if I’m satisfied you really are telling the truth, I’ll settle for three. For now, anyhow. You’ll owe me the rest.”
    She shook her head. “Three. That’s all. I’m not promising more.”
    They’d see about that. “Why did you become a chef?”
    Her eyes twinkled, reflecting the sparkling candlelight. “Would you believe I liked how I looked in the white jacket?”
    He rolled his eyes. “Beep! You do look mighty good