by Gina Gordon
“Mood swings,” Jack yelled.
“General assholishness,” Neil added.
Penn giggled when she looked over her shoulder at Cole’s brothers, who were totally loving this scene. For the one who was always on the sidelines and out of the spotlight, he was putting himself out there in the biggest way.
“I always thought I deserved a medal having to endure your ups and downs.” She winked and reached out to grab the cup from his hand. “But a cup will totally do.” She held it to her chest and squeezed it tight.
So this was what it felt like to be a winner. She looked up, right into Cole’s beautiful eyes, eyes that told her everything. He had made this possible. It was because of him that she knew what it felt like to win.
He looked up and over her shoulder, his eyes surveying the crowd behind them. With a deep breath, he took her by the hand and guided her to the back of the restaurant, but not before giving Sterling a nod of his head. Weird.
When they were tucked inside his office, he shut the door behind them.
They were completely alone.
He took the cup out of her hand and placed it on the floor. He crowded her against the wall by the door, bracketing her body between his thick forearms. “No one can say you don’t deserve a promotion, and no one can say it had anything to do with the way we feel about each other.”
What others thought wasn’t so important to her anymore. What she knew about herself, and what she had with Cole, was worth more than all that. She shook her head, focusing on the picture of the Toronto Maple Leafs logo hanging on the wall above his desk. “I can’t let you resign. How is that fair?”
He tipped her chin up with one finger, forcing her to look at him. “I can still help people without being on the board.”
This was everything she’d ever wanted, but now that it might be the reality of her life, it was all too much.
“How do I know you’re not going to pull away again?”
“I know I have a lot to make up for.” His lips grazed her forehead, and she gasped in response. She’d never get used to his touch. “I know I have a lot to prove. But…just give me a chance.”
Her phone buzzed inside her dress pocket.
He pulled away, and with a small smile, he said, “You should check that out.”
“Wha…” Her body tensed. They were in the middle of the most intimate conversation they’d ever had, basically making the decision of whether to become a couple, and he wanted her to look at her phone. “Why is that important?”
He reached into the tiny side pocket of her dress and grabbed the phone. Swiping the screen, he woke it up, then made a few clicks.
When he held it out to her, the Toronto Gossip site logo flashed at her.
Her stomach clenched. “Cole, I didn’t have anything to do with more gossip about us. I swear.”
“I know.” His index finger swiped across her cheek in a gentle caress. “I did.”
Her breath hitched. The look in his eyes was happy, playful. Devoid of the anger he’d had that night at the gym when he’d changed her world forever.
She reached out and trailed her finger up the screen, revealing the headline.
It’s Official: Cole Murphy is taken!
Her jaw dropped. It was an article about them.
“Are you sure about this? With people wanting to know things about you…us?”
She knew how much he valued his privacy, and now that she knew the truth about his past it all made sense. She wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.
“I’ve spent a long time living in the background, afraid that someone would find out about my past.” He paused, then opened his mouth again, but no words came out. When she looked into his eyes, they were rimmed red. “Let people talk. I care more about losing a future with you than I do about my past being in the spotlight.”
Shaking her head, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you, Cole. So, so, so much.” She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. They were now streaming down her face.
He kissed her. Soft and sweet. Full of promise. Full of exactly what she’d wanted. Cole. In her arms. Forever.
“I love you, too.” He pressed his thumb to her lips and caressed them in the most intimate of gestures. “So what do we do now?”
He had turned out to be the man she’d always wanted, with the ability to give her everything she needed.
“Talk dirty to me, Murphy.” She kissed him softly. “And don’t ever stop.”
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Acknowledgments
It is with excitement and sadness that I write this acknowledgment. Recipe for Temptation is the last book in the Madewood Brothers series, and it seems like just yesterday I released Jack and Sterling into the world.
Thank you readers for loving the brothers just as much as I do. This series would not have been as meaningful or successful without your support and kind words. My only wish is that I can give at least one of you that contented sigh as you swipe the last page on your ereader.
Thank you to my husband, who listens to my rants even though sometimes he truly has no idea what I’m talking about. And for the last time, I will never kill off the hero at the end of a book.
Dad, thank you for believing in me, for being invested in my career, and pimping out my books to your friends’ wives. But truly, Dad…stop reading my books!
Thank you Stacey Kennedy, a.k.a. the most positive person I’ve ever met. Thank you for listening to my rants—even when there are more curse words than not.
Thank you Debra Kayn, who is always there when I need a shoulder to cry on…or to keep me in line.
Thank you Shana Gray, who is always there with a level head and helping me with my game plan.
Thank you Lindsay Below, my constant cheerleader and truly the wind beneath my wings.
And lastly, but definitely not least, thank you Kate Brauning. I couldn’t have done this without you.
About the Author
Gina, a self-proclaimed happily ever after junkie and cupcake connoisseuse, loves spinning contemporary tales of knee bending first kisses, unconditional love and super-hot sex.
When not chained to her computer, you can find Gina sipping Starbucks, making cupcakes or feeding her addiction to celebrity gossip. She lives in Milton, Ontario with her husband and lovable dog.
www.ginagordon.net
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Discover the Madewood Brothers series…
Recipe for Satisfaction
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Recipe for Seduction
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