Recipe for Temptation - Gina Gordon Page 0,2

she pulled too hard. Their bodies slammed together, rubbing his rock-hard abs against her. His biceps bulged under her grip. And the way he smelled—like the very best spices in his kitchen mixed with the perfect man-smell that was unique only to Cole.

He looked over her head and murmured, “Who’s Barbie and Ken?” His breath was a warm sensation across her skin.

She shivered and swayed even closer, but then they were swarmed, her sister-in-law, Cathy, pulling her out of his arms. Which she greatly appreciated, because she didn’t think she’d be able to do it herself.

Cathy squealed and nattered on with excitement. “Oh, my, God. It’s Cole Murphy.” She grabbed at his bicep, an inappropriate gleam in her eye.

“What is Cole Murphy doing here, Pennie?” One of Cathy’s eyebrows quirked up as she crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for a response.

How the hell was she going to explain this?

She turned to Cole and took a deep breath. No getting out of introductions now. “Cole, this is my sister-in-law, Cathy.” She pointed to her right. “And my brother, Ian.”

Ian took a few steps forward and held out his hand. His brown hair and swim trunks were soaked. Cole shook it with a tentative smile. “Cath, I think you should let the poor man breathe.” He grabbed his wife’s arm and pulled her away from Cole.

“And those are my sisters-in-law, Beth and Christine, and my brothers, Dave and Pete.”

Beth eyed Cole with the same curiosity as Cathy. Dave stared him down, most likely sizing up his strength. Pete and Christine were just…smirking. They were the only ones in her family who knew how she felt about Cole. Well, a watered-down version of how she felt, but they knew there was something there.

“Pennie, this is so exciting.” Cathy’s excitement had her blond hair, gathered in a high ponytail, swinging like a pendulum. “You didn’t tell us you were bringing a celebrity on vacation!” She gleefully pointed her long index finger, made even longer by her cat manicure, at Cole.

This was a celebrity sighting for Cathy. Cole and his brothers were infamous back home in Toronto and more than occasionally headlined the newspapers and gossip sites. Their mother, a do-gooder socialite, had adopted them, and by association, they’d been thrust into the limelight, which she knew Cole despised.

Just then, two little whirlwinds broke through the crowd of adults, bubbling with excitement, though one stayed a few paces back from Cole. Her nephew was as shy as her niece was outgoing.

“This is my niece, Sara, and that little monkey hiding behind Ian is Andy, my nephew.”

Sara tugged on Cole’s shirt. “Who are you?” Her silky, blond hair blew across her face in the gentle Hawaiian breeze.

When Penn glanced up at Cole, she expected to see terror on his face, but instead she saw an expression that was all too rare.

Happiness.

It lit up his entire face. His cheeks flushed, and she knew if he didn’t have his sunglasses on, his eyes would be sparkling in the sunlight.

“I’m…your aunt’s friend.”

Friend. Not coworker?

Andy’s shyness didn’t last long. The moment Sara touched Cole, Andy raced over. “Do you like Legos? I like to play with Legos. Maybe we can build a castle or a fortress.”

Penn smiled, unable to contain her own joy. Despite unleashing the crazy that was the Foster clan, she had inadvertently made him happy. And in the end, that’s all she’d ever wanted for him. He deserved happiness in his life. Something that, over the last three years, she’d watched him struggle to find but never quite keep.

Cole was the most negative person she’d ever encountered. Considering his upbringing in the foster care system, it was warranted, but for the last three years she’d been trying her damnedest to get him out of this life-long funk, this cloud of pessimism she’d bet he’d had since childhood.

If the Boys and Girls Club didn’t work out, he’d be devastated. Which was why she was going to do everything in her power to make it a success. As the marketing and publicity director for the Madewood Empire, it was her job. As Cole’s friend, it was her duty.

But on a big picture level, it was necessary.

A spot on the board of directors for the Vivian Madewood Foundation was now vacant, and it was the perfect opportunity to take her career to the next level. Cole’s late foster mother’s best friend, Gloria, had relinquished her position, and Penn was the perfect replacement. She had every intention of rocking