Recipe for Satisfacton by Gina Gordon

her father. “Again.”
    She was done here. Taking a deep breath, she stood and walked away.
    “Sterling, please,” her mother whined.
    But she didn’t stop. With her world crumbling around her, she left without another word. Her mother called after her, her voice a distant murmur. And when Sterling looked back at the house before she drove off, her mother stood in the doorway, her arms wrapped around her chest.
    Her parents had taken advantage of her again. She felt violated. But she had stood up to them. For the very first time.
    Overwhelming guilt nagged at her. How could she not help? They were her parents. Her family. But sometimes family needed to be put in their place.
    Shaking her head, she cursed at herself. And to think she left Jack Vaughn and his talented tongue for this. But something was different tonight. Maybe Jack had inspired more than just her desire for a one-night stand. Maybe this was the beginning of a whole new life.
    …
    Jack entered the large kitchen. The smell of garlic, pancetta, and cream greeted him with open arms.
    It was the first time in months the house had been filled with the savory smells of food. He hadn’t felt like cooking, at least not for himself, saving up all of his skills for the program. But last night had changed everything. He had come home renewed, inspired, and for the first time in a very long time, sexually frustrated.
    He placed the freshly picked parsley from his backyard garden on the counter beside the double sink and soaped up his hands. Washing away the dirt, he rinsed the parsley under cool water before setting it aside on a towel to dry.
    He approached the gas stove. Two stainless steel pots bubbled on the burners. The oversize stainless steel exhaust fan worked on a low setting above. He turned down the heat to the first pot, too much steam rising off the top of the smooth, creamy mixture of white bean and pancetta. It seemed as though his frustration had seeped into his cooking. He hadn’t scalded cream since he was seventeen.
    The second pot, potato and asparagus, held his favorite. The asparagus was fresh from the garden. The mini potatoes he dug up from the ground himself.
    Once the vegetables were cooked through, he picked up the small hand mixer and immersed it in the pot. The blade roared to life, emulsifying the vegetables, turning the soup into a thick consistency.
    These soups were the perfect complement to Cole’s new menu down at Bistro—a French-American fusion restaurant—and Jack hoped he’d offer it as the soup du jour.
    When the soup was smooth, he eased off the power and pulled out the mixer, laying it on the dark granite counter. With a slotted spoon, he stirred the contents one more time before turning off the burners. He’d let it sit before he took it to Cole.
    He cleaned up his mess, letting the rich smell of pancetta take over his senses. Just as Sterling had the night before. Having to leave her was torture. He was just getting started and barely had the chance to warm up. But she obviously had good reason to take off.
    There was no way he was going to get over his time with Sterling when it had been nipped in the bud so soon. He had so many more inches of skin to taste, so many more orgasms to coax from her. If she could inspire him this much in just a few minutes, imagine what he could do after spending an entire evening—a whole weekend—with her?
    He glanced around at his childhood home. Feelings of nostalgia got him every time at the sight of old pictures and furniture. There was a memory around every corner. Maybe he should stick around. Send someone else to Chicago to help with the restaurant.
    Jack shook his head. No. There was no one else. Besides, his life was no longer in Toronto.
    In reality, there was no place for him here, which was part of the reason he left. Neil handled the business end, including the gourmet food stores, and channeled his grief into a new project. Cole and Finn completely revamped the