“That’s a shame because that is your motto, isn’t it?”
Todd Allen walked through the double doors at that exact moment. Dante could see he was clearly taken aback at seeing his two candidates sizing each other up, but just as quickly he recovered. “Ms. Wright, it’s good to see you. Looks like you’ve met Dante Moore. He’s a restaurateur in town.”
Adrianna glanced behind her shoulder at Dante. “Yes, I am familiar with Mr. Moore.”
Dante chuckled to himself. She was more than just familiar with him. She was acquainted with every part of his body.
“I’m eager to speak with you,” Todd commented. “Please follow me. I’d love to hear what you have to say. Dante, it was great meeting you.”
“Likewise.”
After they’d left, Dante stewed and paced the floors of LE’s lobby. He wanted to strangle Ian for presenting this hosting gig as if it was a done deal when that was far from the case. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Sage to tell her about her beloved.
“So what kind of game is your boyfriend playing?” Dante asked, cutting to the chase.
“Dante?” Sage asked from the other end of the line. “What’s got you on fire?”
“I came to LE today to meet with Ian and his team about the cooking show.”
“That was today? How did it go?”
“Well, apparently, Ian has other people in mind.”
“What other people?” Sage’s voice rose. “He didn’t mention anything to me.”
“Well, he does and it just so happens to be Adrianna Wright.” Dante dropped the bombshell he’d kept to himself for several days.
“Adrianna!” Sage hadn’t heard the name in years. “What rock did she crawl out from under?” Back in the day, Sage had thought Adrianna was perfect for Dante. Because they were so close in age, they’d gotten along famously—until Adrianna broke Dante’s heart into a thousand little pieces.
“From Chicago. Apparently, she’s been holed up there for years and has finally come home to roost. She’s up for the hosting job as well.”
“Over my dead body!” Sage would not let the lying, deceitful woman hurt Dante again and take a golden opportunity away from him.
“Sage, I don’t want you to get involved,” Dante responded.
“Then why tell me?” Sage was furious with Ian for leading Dante on.
“Because…I just needed to know if you knew about this competition and clearly you didn’t know anything about it.”
“Of course I didn’t,” Sage returned. “If I had, I would have given you a heads-up, not left you flying blind.”
Dante sighed. “I know. But if Ian doesn’t think I’m the right man for this job, then I don’t want it.”
“Dante, don’t talk that way. This show would be the perfect outlet for you to move to the next level in your career. You’re a star and it’s just a matter of time before everyone else knows it.”
Sage knew how to stroke his ego. “Thanks, Sage. I don’t want you to think I’m walking away because I’m not. I just want it to be a fair fight and if you put yourself in the middle it won’t be.”
“You’d better not walk away. You’re ten times the chef that woman will ever be. So, you don’t want me to speak with Ian on your behalf?”
“No, and if you do and I find out, I’ll be really upset with you. I need to get this hosting gig on my own merit and because Ian and his team think I am the best chef for the job.”
Sage responded, “If that’s how you want to play this, I’ll do as you ask, but how are you? Seeing Adrianna after all these years must have come as quite a shock.”
Dante remained silent for several minutes.
“Dante?”
“Well, I’ve known she was back for several days. She is the elusive Riley Ward.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. So, not only does she lie in her personal life, she lies in her career, too.”
“There’s nothing wrong with using a pseudonym.” Dante was surprised he was even defending Adrianna.
“Not if you’re Adrianna Wright.” Sage paused for a few moments, then returned to the phone conversation. “Listen, Dante. I have to go, but I will call you later.”
“Okay, talk to you soon.” Dante closed his phone. He had no doubt that Sage would give him an earful later about him keeping the news that Adrianna was back to himself. He was about to head out, but his curiosity got the better of him and he stopped in his tracks. Glancing at the double doors, Dante wondered how Adrianna was doing. Despite her bravado, he could tell she was nervous about applying for the host position. He’d had a long thriving culinary career while she had been hiding behind a pen. Or maybe he was voicing his own insecurities. Maybe she was in there knocking it out of the ballpark.
Adrianna was frustrated as Todd led her back to reception. She’d been all confidence with Dante about her capabilities as a chef. Problem was she had no idea that she'd be expected to do a pilot taping today. She’d thought this was an informal sit-down meeting to discuss ideas about the show. Surprise! She’d had to remove her jacket and cook in her new red Dior suit! She wasn’t prepared to be pushed in front of a camera so quickly. She’d stumbled half a dozen times over the script. The thought that Todd Allen would believe she was host material quickly went up in smoke when she’d missed adding several ingredients while cooking her truffle macaroni and cheese—her signature dish!
If this was any indication of her own show’s success, she would be a total disaster. She’d failed to jump-start her career.
“Thank you so much for coming in, Ms. Wright.” Todd sounded gracious as he escorted her out even though she knew she’d failed to deliver.
Adrianna accepted his handshake. “Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Allen.”
Adrianna exited the double doors with her head hung low. This was a devastating blow to her self-esteem. What she could use was a bubble bath and a stiff drink and not necessarily in that order. She was surprised when Dante put down the magazine he’d been perusing to rise from the sofa in the lobby.
“You’re still here?” Adrianna asked.
“Guess so.”
“Why?” Her mind was spinning with bewilderment.
Dante shrugged. “I don’t know.” And that was truth. He didn’t know why he’d stayed. Why should he care about her audition, especially when it had the potential to hurt his own chances?
Adrianna searched Dante’s face, looking into his beautiful light brown eyes, eyes she used to get lost in. Was he concerned for her? Were there still feelings there after all these years and after everything she’d done to him? “You didn’t have to, but thank you.”
Dante grinned briefly with no trace of his former animosity. It was the first civil moment they’d had since he’d burst into her offices at Foodies magazine. “So, where are you off to?” Dante asked as they both headed for the elevators.
“A cocktail,” Adrianna answered honestly.
Dante checked his watch and it read three o’clock. “That bad, huh?”
Adrianna laughed derisively. “Join me and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Dante’s first inclination was to say no and run for the hills. Adrianna couldn’t be trusted, but she looked so very disappointed that he said, “Why not? I’m free.”
Butterflies instantly somersaulted in Adrianna’s belly at the thought of spending time alone with Dante. It had been over a decade since they’d been together, yet she found herself extremely conscious of his virile appeal.
They walked out of the Lawrence Enterprises tower and once outside, Dante took the lead. “Follow me. There’s a great little place down the street that Sage and I have frequented a few times.”
“Lead the way.” Adrianna motioned for him to precede her.
The bar was empty since it wasn’t quite happy hour yet, so Dante and Adrianna easily found a seat. As she hopped onto a stool, her nose caught a tantalizing whiff of Dante’s aftershave. It was a crisp, citrusy scent, yet robust an
d masculine.
The bartender slid a bowl of nuts their way and asked, “What’ll you have?”
“I’ll have a vodka and cranberry,” Adrianna replied.
“And I’ll have a beer.” Dante scooted his stool closer to Adrianna and turned to face her. “Since when did you start drinking hard liquor?” He remembered a certain evening that he’d had to put her to bed at the apartment she’d shared with Madison because she’d had one too many Long Island Iced Teas.
Adrianna tossed her silky mane of black luxurious curls to one side and Dante’s stomach curled into a knot. He wanted to reach out and run his hands through it to remember the smell and the feel of it, but he stopped himself.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Adrianna replied as she removed her jacket. She was lying. She’d started on the strong stuff during her three-year marriage to Phillip. She’d been terribly unhappy and Phillip hadn’t tried to connect with her. He’d been more concerned about his rising career. Like her father, he, too, had political aspirations. Add the fact that she was in love with another man and wanted a food career of her own and their marriage was doomed.
“You’ve certainly grown up,” Dante commented as his eyes roved over her full breasts. He could see the round shape of them through the thin camisole and it made him want to mold them in his hands.
“Ah, yes, I have,” Adrianna returned. She licked her lips to avoid appearing nervous because Dante’s eyes weren’t hooded now. She could see the appreciative male look in them as he gave her the once-over. “I’m not the naive nineteen-year-old girl that fell head over heels for you.”
Dante cocked his head aside to glance at Adrianna. “I wouldn’t have called you naive—more like sheltered.”
The bartender returned with their cocktails and slid them across the counter. Just in time in Adrianna’s opinion, because her mouth had gone dry with just one hungry look from Dante.
“Growing up in the public eye, I had to be. There couldn’t be any scandals. We had to appear like we were the perfect family.”
Although he had no idea what it was like to have a traditional family, he imagined it couldn’t have been easy. “That had to be hard for you.”
“It was. My every move was constantly being scrutinized. Who my friends were. Where I went. Who I dated.”
“Who you married?” Dante inquired.
“Do you really want to go there?” Adrianna asked.
“No, I suppose not.” Dante already knew the reason she’d married her ex-husband: Money and power. Back then, he’d had neither. “So tell me about your audition.”
“Which part? The flubbed lines? Or the fact that I left out truffles in my signature macaroni dish?”
“Oh.” Dante’s mouth pursed into a frown.
“I had no idea I was expected to cook today. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have worn this suit.” Adrianna motioned down to her outfit.
“You look fabulous by the way.”
“Thank you. The intent was to impress, not cook.” Adrianna sipped her drink. “Of course, why didn’t I think about that when I dressed this morning, that I was auditioning to host a cooking show?”
“Don’t feel bad.” Dante took a swig of his beer. “I wasn’t thinking about it, either. So imagine my surprise when Todd led me into the studio to tape.”
“So, how did you do?” When he went still, she asked, “You killed it, didn’t you?” Her gaze lingered on his broad shoulders and athletic body and had no doubt he had.
Dante bunched his shoulders. “But it’s no guarantee.”
“You have Sage in your corner.”
“And I asked her not intervene.”
Dante was constantly surprising her today. “You did? Why would you do that?”
“I wanted it to be a fair fight. And it wouldn’t be if Sage stepped in on my behalf. You deserved a shot at the job just as much as me.” Dante took another swig of beer.
“But I haven’t been slaving in the kitchen working my way up the top like you have.”
“Ah, yes, the climb to the top hasn’t been easy,” Dante replied. “As you know I was sous-chef, but that didn’t last long. After a few years, I became head chef and that’s when the idea for my own restaurant began to take form.”
“Tapas. That was unique,” Adrianna responded, taking a drink of her cocktail.
“I’d always loved making small bites and amuse-bouches. Dante’s allowed me the outlet. But trust me, it wasn’t easy getting started. No one wanted to lend me money. I had no collateral and an untested theme. Quentin loaned me the money initially and once I paid him back, I took my profit and opened my next restaurant.”
“You’ve done very well for yourself, Dante. You should be proud.”
“I am. So what has Adrianna Wright been doing all these years?”
“Well, after my marriage ended, I went to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. When I came back to the States, I tried to get back into cooking, but no one wanted to take a socialite-turned-chef seriously, so I began doing food reviews for a small Chicago magazine. Soon folks began to take notice and before I knew it, I was regarded as a knowledgeable source in the culinary industry.”
“Not to downplay your accomplishments, but if you don’t mind my asking, why didn’t you come back to New York? With a degree from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, you could have gotten a job as a chef at any number of New York establishments.”
“I don’t know.” Adrianna shrugged.
“Oh, I think you do.” Dante looked deep into her eyes.
“Okay, you want honesty? I didn’t want to come back and face my past.”
“Face me?”
“I felt I didn’t have the right to come back and disrupt your life after the unceremonious way I exited it.”
“You’re giving yourself a lot of credit that I was still pining away for you.”
“Have you ever thought it was the other way around? Maybe I was still pining for you?” Adrianna locked gazes with Dante and for a long moment, the sexual tension that had been growing between them as they sat, grew.
Dante’s pulse spiked. He was wound up as tight as a drum from the potent combination of Adrianna’s nearness and the sexual draw of her lingering question. He wanted to take her back home and lose himself inside her, see if she still tasted as sweet, felt as good as silk on his skin, smelled warm and sweet like citrus and flowers all mixed together.
“Do you want to get out of here?” he suddenly asked, unable to control himself.
“Yes.”
That one word was all Dante needed to hear as he closed out the bill with the bartender and helped her into his chauffeured town car. Once inside, his brain switched into overdrive as he lowered the privacy screen with one hand, and the other hand flew out around her neck to draw her face near. Her lips were incredibly soft against his as he pushed them apart to dive inside for a taste. She tasted like heaven and when her tongue tangled with his for supremacy, heat flooded his entire being. He pulled her close until they were chest to chest, belly to belly.
The kiss was so supercharged; it bombarded Adrianna with the pent-up desire of not having Dante’s mouth on hers for ten years. Her body was humming with anticipation of what was to come. She’d longed for, waited for, wanted this moment and now that it was here, she intended to enjoy it fully.
She gripped his forearms as he slid his body directly over hers, his eyes conveying a deep desire. His tongue lavished hers with long, slow strokes until her belly knotted with tension and she began to ache between her thighs. She squirmed underneath him as she urged him on, eager to become one with him.
He obliged her by gripping her thighs and wrapping her legs around his waist. He pushed her skirt up around her waist. Her silky thighs quivered as his hands came in contact with her lacy underwear. He slipped his fingers beneath the satin and traced the slick folds of her feminine flesh. She was wet and ready for him. Dante couldn’t wait to get her in his bed. He continued to stoke the flame. His tongue plunged deeper inside her mouth while his o
ther hand found and molded one of her round breasts. Adrianna moaned aloud and Dante thought he would go insane if he didn’t have her then.
Adrianna clutched his shoulders as Dante brought her to a fevered frenzy. The car stopped just as Adrianna was about to come. It left her feeling unfulfilled.
“Soon, baby, soon,” Dante whispered as he lowered her skirt and sat up.
Dante pushed the intercom button for his chauffeur. “Johnny, give us a moment, please.” Then he turned to Adrianna. “Are you sure want this because now’s the time for turning back.”
Adrianna looked into the face of the man she’d once loved and said, “Yes, I want to make love to you.”
“Then I promise to pleasure you until you’re delirious,” Dante said, as he jumped out of the car.
“Those are awful high expectations to live up to, Mr. Moore,” Adrianna replied when Dante came around the other side to help her out.
“And I will live up to them.” Dante grasped her hand and gently pulled her out of the vehicle.
Adrianna didn’t see much of Dante’s condo because as soon as the door shut, they flew into each other’s arms.
They started in the hallway. Dante slung his jacket across the bedroom just before he backed her up against the door. Shivers ran through her body when he cupped her face, studied her features and dove his tongue inside her mouth. The kiss was heartfelt, deep and penetrating. It penetrated Adrianna’s heart and awakened feelings and emotions she hadn’t known still existed. She wrapped her arms around his broad, muscular shoulders. Their tongues mingled and mated as one complete unit, just as Adrianna remembered.
Dante twined his fingers through her curly tresses, burying his face before moving back to her cheeks and her full lips. He kissed her slow and deep, building the passion until every nerve sparked to life and every cell in Adrianna was ignited. He splayed his hands across her bottom and brought her into close contact with his engorged member.
Slowly he took liberties with other parts of her body. His hands traced the outline of her breasts underneath her jacket, stroked her nipples with the tips of his fingers. Adrianna’s breath caught in her throat, but didn’t stop him from removing her jacket. Nor did she stop him when his hands reached behind her for the zipper on her skirt. Soon it was lying in a heap on the floor.
Two to Tango Page 4