by Alisha Rai
Devi minced the garlic and ginger in a bowl of ice water to put aside while the onion turned transparent in the oil. Naturally, she had noticed when table eight had ordered her special twist on a thick lamb curry, her personal favorite, four weeks in a row. Noticing turned to curiosity when Rana had gushed over his attractiveness, tipping habits and overall perfection. One peep outside the little window turned her curiosity into full-blown lust. How could she have not snuck outside the kitchen to get a better look?
She added fresh tomato paste, yogurt and her secret spices to the onion and left it to simmer while she cut up chunks of lamb and dropped it in a separate pan.
Tall and broad-shouldered, he carried his arrogant good looks well—short dark hair, eyes the color of melted chocolate framed by thick lashes and a face that could have been chiseled by a master sculptor. He wore expensive suits, which wasn’t unusual in and of itself, thanks to all of the office buildings surrounding their restaurant in downtown Lewiston. Unlike the rest of the after-work crowd, though, he didn’t look at all tired or rumpled from the day’s work or the Florida summer heat. Oh, and his butt always looked awesome. Devi made sure she caught at least one glimpse of the spectacular view during each visit.
His solitary status also set him apart and gave her foolish heart another tug. Sure, people ate by themselves, but when he did it, he appeared incomplete. Not sad or lonely, but alone. All the same, he shrugged off any of the feminine attention he received, even Rana’s teasing. Men made giant fools of themselves over Rana when she scowled at them—no one resisted her once she entered flirtatious mode. Jace seemed immune to her sister’s charms though, focusing on his meal, and later, on the music and entertainment they provided.
Devi poured the curry and the ginger-garlic infusion over the now-golden lamb and tossed in diced potatoes. She left it to simmer while she plated two steaming bowls of white rice and pulled hot loaves of naan from the oven, automatically doubling their usual portion for two. After his first couple of visits, Devi had taken to sneaking a few extra pieces of the leavened bread into the cloth-covered basket. Jace always polished it off, using it until the end to soak up any remaining sauce on his plate. The chef within her appreciated his enjoyment of her food—he ate her favorite dish with a delicacy and tidiness at odds in such a big man.
As a woman, she loved the way his mouth looked closing over the bread.
She shivered, poured the curry into two earthenware bowls and added a garnish of cilantro to each. With a deep breath, she stood in front of the swinging doors, the large tray balanced on her hand.
No big deal. You’re not an agoraphobic, you’ve served people before. Hand him his meal, wish him a good dinner. Nice and professional. And maybe even mildly flirtatious. She could use the practice, futile as it may be. She couldn’t remember the last time she had batted her eyes at a man. No wait, she had never batted her eyes at a man. Maybe she should ask Rana for eyelash-batting lessons before she met Jace.
No. Open the door, idiot. His dinner’s going to get cold and then you’ll have to deal with an irate, gorgeous man. Before she could dream up any more procrastination, she shoved the door open with her hip and walked out. And then she stopped short, certain for a minute her vision had blurred by the steam in the kitchen. Two gorgeous Jaces sat at table eight, their faces presented in perfect profile. After a second look, she picked out subtle differences. Jace sat on the left, dressed in his requisite suit and indolently relaxed in his seat. The man on the right had the same dark, curling hair, but longer and shaggier, not shaped into a ruthless cut. Lines were etched around a slightly cruel mouth, and his gaze shifted constantly, his body tensed and coiled to spring at a moment’s notice. His shoulders spanned an even wider width than Jace’s, and the T-shirt and jeans he wore revealed a body as perfect as his brother’s.
She had often thought it unfair she had been dropped into a family of gorgeous daughters, so she hoped this delicious pair of twins didn’t have any siblings. No one could possibly compete with those two.
Jace smiled at something his doppelganger said and the identical man grinned back. Her breath caught at their masculine beauty.
Well, that proves it. God has to be a woman.
Read more from Glutton for Pleasure, Book One of the Pleasure Series!
Books By Alisha Rai
Pleasure Series
Glutton For Pleasure, Book One
Serving Pleasure, Book Two
Managing Pleasure, Book Three
Bedroom Games Series
Play With Me, Book One
Risk & Reward, Book Two
Bet On Me, Book Three
Bundle: Books One-Three
Veiled Series
Veiled Desire, Book One
Veiled Seduction, Book Two
Single Title
A Gentleman in the Street
Night Whispers
Hot as Hades
Never Have I Ever
Cabin Fever