Take one smoking-hot top chef who thinks food should be a
sensual adventure, add a venture capitalist who has
struggled with her weight since she was a teenager, and mix
well. Is this a recipe that sizzles, or is he just another
craving she must resist?
* * *
Deanna Sloan has worked too hard, dieting herself from a
chubby teenager to a sleek businesswoman, to give in to her
hunger now. Enduring four years as the target of her high
school classmates’ cruelty taught her that only three things
matter—power, money, and looks.
Leaving her small town behind, shedding the excess pounds,
and obtaining a job with a six-figure salary are all steps
in the right direction. However, in order to keep on target,
she needs to outshine the other twenty venture capitalist
associates at her new firm, maintain her weight loss, and be
prepared to double-cross anyone who gets in her way. Walk in
the park, right?
Wrong! Her first assignment is an investment appraisal of
one of Chicago’s top chefs. Nico Thorne has come to her firm
for the seed money to open his own restaurant. He is smoking
hot and just a glimpse of his navy blue eyes in a photo
clouds Deanna’s brain and dampens her panties. Will the
flesh-and-blood man make her dissolve into a puddle of
mindless lust that will derail her fast track to success?
Like Deanna, Nico’s past drives his present choices. He
hates his father for using his mother’s social status to
further his career, then abandoning her. As a teenager,
Nico’s anger at his father resulted in a hair-trigger temper
and a vow never to fall in love. Although Nico may have
learned to control his demons, he still avoids women who
even hint at wanting anything deeper than a few nights of
uncommitted fun.
That is until he sees Deanna. Her cinnamon curls and soft
green eyes totally captivate him. As they spend more and
more time together, Nico’s determination to keep their
relationship casual dissolves and he realizes that she might
be his amore mio. But will he be able to convince Deanna
that he’s the one for her?
Deanna fights her attraction to Nico, fearful that giving in
will mean the loss of both her figure and her job. Can Nico
overcome a lifetime of distrust? Can Deanna embrace
life—imperfections and all?