Recipe for Satisfacton by Gina Gordon Page A

restaurants, infusing their own unique culinary viewpoints into each dish. So Jack had forged his own path, despite their disdain at his choice of business. Instead of fine dining he opened five of the best hybrid restaurants—gourmet food by day, club scene by night.
    He stalked out of the kitchen to the foyer and stared at the family photos that hung on the wall along the staircase. Memories of his mother, of the complete family he had not so long ago, saddened him, making his heart ache. He turned, taking in the look and smell of the lilies that sat on the hallway table. Then he glanced to his left, the red knitting bag beside the chair in the sitting room catching his attention. It hadn’t moved since his mother left it months ago.
    This house was a shrine. Probably the reason his brothers didn’t visit. It was even starting to take its toll on him. The place needed to be packed up. That was the only way for him and his brothers to recover from their grief. It was time to move on. Those memories needed to be put away, but not forgotten.
    This was a job he couldn’t do on his own. He didn’t even know where to start. He needed the help of a professional. A professional organizer.
    A wave of self-satisfaction washed over him as an idea took shape in his head. A heated wave that settled in his chest at the mere consideration. He would hire Sterling. Although he’d only met her last night, he trusted her. And she was Penn’s best friend—and Penn was obviously a good judge of character, since she kept Cole at a distance.
    Not only would hiring Sterling prove he had what it took to be a mature, forward-looking Madewood, but he’d also get to spend time with her. If she was packing up his mother’s things she’d be in his house, breathing the same air, in close proximity for him to lure her into his bed so they could finish what they started in that limo.
    His heart rate doubled at the memory of Sterling’s tiny whimpers and moans, the image of her perfect breasts and soft skin. It wasn’t only his heart rate that was affected. The front of his pants grew tight. As if someone pressed play on his brain, sounds and images bombarded him, like an endless recording on a permanent loop. And suddenly it wasn’t the heat from the stove that elevated the temperature of the house.
    He leaned heavily against the wall, his left hand grabbing at the erection that throbbed inside his pants. The plan was brilliant.
    Until he realized she’d be his employee. Sex with an employee wasn’t the most responsible, mature, Madewood thing to do.
    He thought of his brothers. Of their eye-rolling and sly grins. Of their guaranteed disapproval over Jack being involved with an employee. And he didn’t give two shits.
    Screw the Madewood thing to do. The thought of Sterling was just too tempting.
    He grabbed his phone. He didn’t have Sterling’s number, but he knew exactly where he could get it.
    Here’s to tying up loose ends. And the sex would be the cherry on top of a job well done.
    …
    Sterling sat in the comfort of her bathtub, the calming scent of lavender doing little to ease her nerves.
    Her parents hadn’t bothered to call once since she’d left their house last night. Penn, on the other hand, had called about thirty times. But Sterling needed some space. Some time to put things into perspective. Namely how the hell she was going to be able to trust her parents ever again.
    Not to mention the shame she felt for such an epic failure of an evening. Operation Exciting Sterling had been a bust. She almost had sex in the back of a limo! What could have possibly possessed her to consider such insane behavior with Jack Vaughn? Her little experiment was just that—an experiment. A failed one at that.
    She slid deeper into her bath and sighed. At least she was safe here.
    The ring of her phone broke the serene setting of her bathroom. She had a good hunch who was calling. She reached behind her to where her phone sat on the toilet