Chapter One

Lila Johnstone wiped the sweat off her brow as she hovered on the outskirts of the crowd. She'd always thought the expression about not being able to stand the heat in the kitchen was a foolish one, and her opinion had not changed. The kitchen inside was hot, but she thought she might weep when she'd have to leave it behind.

Masterson's equipment was flawless. Modern. A cook's dream. Pots were simmering, trays of appetizers were perfectly plated by experienced servers, and an army of tiny tarts were almost ready to be taken out of the oven. But she was outside, standing behind the collection of packed tables which had been organized on the mansion's lawn, nearly hidden in the shadow of the balcony that ran the length of the huge house.

She'd been ecstatic when Janna had asked her to cater her wedding to millionaire Brice Masterson. It was the opportunity Lila had been waiting for, and the payment she'd receive for this job would allow her to start the next phase of her career. Of her life.

Her attention was drawn to the head table where the happy couple were sharing a laugh. The bride's eyes were shining, a smile that she'd worn since Lila had seen the couple escorted into their reception with shouts of congratulations and a fall of streamers still gracing her lovely face. Janna Puchina, now Janna Masterson, was an exquisite bride, more than a match in beauty for her well-formed husband.

Brice Masterson was also smiling, but his handsome face looked a little lost at the commotion around him. Until he laid eyes on his new wife. Then a look of such devotion covered his features that Lila had to turn away, as if a hand was pressing down on her own heart. To have a man look at her like that, now that would be something.

Janna's father, a tall man with a slight paunch and a twinkle in his blue eyes, was regaling the crowd about his little girl's notorious inability to choose a direction in life. Lila was familiar with Janna's struggle. They'd been classmates at the local community college when the attractive redhead had decided to join the culinary arts program. Unlike Lila, Janna's heart hadn't really been in cooking, and before long she'd been off on another tangent, transferring to the university to pursue a PhD in biology. Still, she and Lila had become fast friends for the couple months they'd had classes together. Janna was smart, quirky, with a good sense of humor and more tenacity than most. She'd kept in touch after she'd transferred, and now she'd asked Lila to cater her wedding.

And what a wedding it was. Or reception, actually, although Lila assumed the church ceremony had been lovely. She'd been unable to attend, too busy getting things ready. In truth, she hadn't wanted to brave the church with its horde of paparazzi and curious public stationed outside, cameras clicking and the crowd clamoring for a glimpse of the couple. But the Masterson estate was surrounded by security so no uninvited guests could get close to the private reception. Lila was uncomfortable around crowds and abstractly terrified of the press so she was grateful that the reception was calm and smallish, unlike the media circus she'd visualized the wedding being.

Lila took in the scene around her. Dozens of well-dressed people were seated at the multitude of white-draped tables that dotted the lawn. Expensive flower arrangements bloomed all around them, and paper lanterns and lights were strung above them, ready to be lit when the sun set and the dancing began. Not that Lila would be dancing. She'd be back in the kitchen, finishing up the last preparations and then beginning the massive task of cleaning up her mess.

She didn't dance. Unless you counted shaking her wide hips to her iPod while baking. But she never danced with a partner, and that wasn't going to change tonight.

She caught sight of the happy couple again. Janna was burying her face in Brice's broad shoulder as laughter shook her at her father's words. The older man winked in their direction as he wrapped up his speech. "Although she might never find the right career for herself, it seems Janna had no problem picking the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with."

Lila watched Brice's slow smile as Janna's father raised his glass. The crowd resounded with their applause "to the Bride and Groom." Lila turned back to the double doors that led inside to the kitchen's welcoming heat. But before she could enter, a deep melodic voice drew her attention back to the festivities.

"I'm probably the last person you're expecting to hear give a toast," the voice said, "since it's well known that Brice and I have been rivals since college. It's a testament to just how special Janna is that I'm here speaking to you now."

Lila's heart sputtered in her chest as her gaze settled on the speaker. To say the man was handsome would be like saying the devil was a naughty boy. He was tall, at least six feet, lean but well-muscled. His hair was dark and thick, midnight brushing the golden skin above his collar. He had a dangerous air, and when he smiled he stole Lila's breath.

She'd never seen a more attractive man, and her intention of returning to work disappeared. She couldn't take her eyes off him.

"It's no secret that Brice and I are competitive. He's lost more than one lady to my superior charm." Lila's eyes flicked to the head table. Brice's face was tight, his eyes wary. It was clear that he didn't entirely trust the speaker, and a thread of unease worked its way up Lila's spine.

"I'm not gonna lie," the handsome man continued, and Lila thought she recognized a hint of a southern drawl in his words, "when I met Janna, I had every intention of stealing her from Brice. And who could blame me? She's smart, sexy, and possessed of a host of talents ranging from biological research to abstract painting. Her taste in movies is sophisticated as well, as evidenced by her liking of the Die Hard series. Just the first two movies, of course."

Light laughter rippled through the crowd. A grimace took up residence on Brice's face until Janna stroked his cheek and his expression melted into a gentle smile. Lila wished then that she had a man to touch like that, a man who would look at her with the light of love in his eyes. It wouldn't hurt if that man was also brutally handsome with a southern drawl.

Lila fanned herself. The heat's made you delirious. But she wasn't in the kitchen. And it was a different kind of heat.

The dark-haired gentleman continued his toast, the cocky half-smile on his face changing as he became serious. "Although I thought about stealing her at first, I quickly realized that she wasn't the type of woman who could be stolen. Janna became my friend, something I have few enough of, and something I cherish now. So Brice, you better treat her right, or so help me I will steal her from you!"

The laughs were louder this time. Lila thought she saw Brice's expression tighten, but it gave way to a chuckle after Janna kissed him on his cheek. The look that passed between the happy couple made a surprising burn of jealousy flare up inside her belly. Lila frowned and turned back to the house, trying to ignore her envy.

Janna deserved the love of a handsome millionaire, and love her he obviously did. But handsome millionaires didn't grow on trees, and most seemed to be reserved for beautiful women like her friend. That meant some women would have to go without.

Lila held back a sigh as she retied her apron strings and opened the stove. At least her tarts were beautiful.