Read The Perfect Dish for Free Online

reached for the chocolates and he realized she hadn’t meant him. Damn . She put one in her mouth and tipped her head back as she chewed. The move exposed the same sexy expanse of skin he’d noticed at the bookstore, except this time, there was a hell of a lot more of it.
    The temperature in the room shot up. He shifted in his seat, thoughts of nibbling on the pale column of her neck making him squirm. She was here for Shelby, not him. Still, the idea of an older woman turned him on. He downed the last of his sangria. Maybe she could teach him something. An image of her smacking a ruler against one hand and looking at him sternly while dressed in red lace underthings made him choke on the wine. Gram always said he had an active imagination.
    “You okay?” Meredith asked around a mouthful of chocolate.
    “Yeah, just um, went down the wrong pipe is all.” He cleared this throat for effect. Pull it together. You’re not gonna impress her sporting wood like some pimple-faced boy.
    “I love these things.” She licked a smudge of chocolate off the corner of her mouth and leveled her gaze at him. “Don’t you want one?”
    “Nah, I’m okay.” One bite and the spell of persuasion would lose its power. He couldn’t take that chance. If Shelby didn’t show, he’d need more of Meredith’s time.
    “You’re pretty good in the kitchen, I take it.” She giggled, then looked surprised at her own reaction. He suppressed the urge to join her. The sangria must be kicking in. “That was a dumb thing to say. It’s your job to be good in the kitchen.”
    He rested his arms on the table. “I’m good at everything I do.”
    She raised one brow and her lips curved. “Everything?”
    The cocktail server returned before he could answer. She replaced their empty glasses with fresh ones. Kelly asked for a plate of hors d’ourves on her next visit. Couldn’t have the doc drunk. The girl nodded and left.
    Meredith lifted her glass. “Congratulations on your book.”
    “Thanks.” Kelly gulped the cold liquid, then checked his watch while Meredith sipped her new sangria. Shelby should be here soon. He leaned back and rested one arm along the banquet. “You usually go by Meredith? Seems like an awful big name for such a petite woman.”
    She screwed her face up. “I’m not that petite.”
    Not everywhere you’re not. His gaze skimmed her chest and when he looked up, he realized he’d been caught. He started to apologize when she burst out laughing.
    Her laughter faded as she shook her head. “I knew this dress was trouble.”
    The kind of trouble I want to get into. “I think that dress looks mighty nice on you.” He had to behave himself if she was going to help his sister but a little flirting never killed anyone. “You sure look different than the day I met you. Different in a good way.”
    A curious and slightly perturbed expression crossed her face. “Do you really have a sister or were you trying to lure me here and get me drunk?”
    He nodded, reminded of the evening’s purpose. “I have a sister.” He sighed. “I better ring her and see what’s up.” He swung his legs out of the booth, then stopped and twisted around. “Weren’t you bringing friends with you?”
    She adjusted one of her straps. “They’re downstairs mingling.”
    “Which is what I should to be doing. Let me make this call then we can head down together. You can introduce them to me.”
    He went back into the hall by his office and called Shelby’s apartment, but she didn’t answer. He sent a quick text, not that she’d probably answer that either. He tucked his phone and way and returned to Meredith, who was happily eating the hors d’ouvres that had been delivered. She still had half a glass of sangria left. He was glad to see she’d slowed down. She’d probably blame him if she got drunk, and he needed to be on her good side.
    He held out his hand. “Let’s go meet these friends of yours.”
    Meredith placed her hand in his