One Daddy Too Many by Debra Salonen Page A

she didn’t have time to think, let alone lust after the debonair man at her side. Occasionally they brushed against each other in passing. She could smell his fabulous cologne even over the mouthwatering aromas she was preparing. Shirtsleeves rolled up. Forearms lightly brushed with medium-brown hair. He moved with a natural grace his mother lacked, but he shared Jo’s intense focus. He followed his mother’s orders to the letter.
    The gruff commands added to the general chaos, but somehow every plate got served. When the last server was out the door, Kate could finally take a deep breath and wipe the sweat from her brow.
    “We did it,” she whispered, straining to hear the general tone of the diners.
    “I need a smoke,” Jo said. “Help me up, son.”
    Kate rushed to take one arm while Rob held the other. They’d just eased her to the bench outside the back door when Jo slapped her thigh and said, “The vegan parfaits. I forgot to take them out of the walk-in freezer. If we don’t get them out now, they won’t be thawed in time for dessert.”
    Kate gulped in a breath of fresh air then pushed to her feet, arching her back slightly. “I’ll get them.”
    “No. You deserve a break. Point me in the right direction, Mom. I can handle this.”
    “Absolutely not,” Kate countered, blocking his return to the kitchen. “You need to get back to the party. Don’t you have toasts to make or something? Besides, you’re a guest. You should be eating.”
    “Children,stop bickering. Somebody rescue my parfaits.”
    They looked at each other. “She’s feeling better.”
    “The aspirin must have helped.”
    Jo’s low growl and threatened attempt to stand sent them both hurrying indoors. “The walk-in is over here. I think there’s only one tray. The party planner wanted a vegan option for people who don’t eat cake.”
    Rob followed her, his senses on high alert. He’d never in his life experienced such a powerful, exciting rush of emotions as he had working in Kate’s kitchen. Even waiting for a verdict was low-key compared to the orchestrated flurry of food preparation. The combined energy of her assistants and various helpers along with the servers coming and going and his mother shouting orders should have spelled chaos, but he’d never felt that things were out of control. Because of Kate, who was both commander-in-chief of her kitchen and a sexy, powerful woman.
    Damn, he wanted to kiss her.
    And they were alone for the first time all night.
    He opened the freezer door for her. The chill, so inviting after the heat of the kitchen, enticed him to step inside even though this put him in close proximity to Kate. Encircled by chrome shelves, he pivoted to take it all in.
    “I’m still not completely restocked,” she said, apparently noticing his interest. “We lost a lot of inventory because of the E. coli fiasco. You don’t make that up overnight.” Her tone was resigned. “Oh, there’s the tray your mom made.”
    She rose up on her toes to reach for the shallow pan, which was resting on an upper shelf just beyond Rob. On impulse, he intercepted her hand and drew it between them. She tensed, but allowed him to turn it palm-up. His thumb skimmed over calloused ridges that made her skin feel different fromany other woman he’d dated. Hers were not pretty fingers with long, sculpted nails.
    He felt an odd pang deep in his chest. He didn’t know why or what it meant.
    Kate yanked her hand away and hid it behind her back. “What are you doing?”
    “Something I shouldn’t,” he admitted before he took a step closer.
    Her chin rose and her eyes narrowed—a warning, if ever he’d seen one. But he had to do what he’d wanted to all night. And while Kate might deny it later, Rob knew she felt the sizzle between them, too.
    “Rob. This isn’t—”
    He pressed his lips to hers, stopping her protest. Not the most chivalrous thing to do, but when she melted against him a heartbeat later, he stopped