from Paolo.
“Yes, right there, Francie,” he said. “Thatta girl. That’s the spot.”
Michaela couldn’t believe that after all the commotion this morning about his sister going into labor, Chef Casanova found the time to flirt with “Francie” and be massaged too!
“How is Claudia? Why aren’t you at the hospital with her?” Michaela asked, giving him a pointed glance.
“It was false labor. She wasn’t even dilated. That’s why I came looking for you. We can meet tonight,” he said, sounding quite pleased with himself. He closed his eyes as Francine continued to work on him. “Yes, right there, Francie.”
Francine smiled smugly. “Okay, gotcha. I’ll concentrate there. Just tell me how hard and for how long.”
Michaela didn’t care for the way the two of them were enjoying the impromptu massage, oblivious to how inappropriate they looked. At this point, she didn’t feel like meeting with Paolo, but she reminded herself of her greater goal—winning Miami Spice .
“So, we’re back on for tonight then? No more unforeseen interruptions?” Michaela asked.
“I’m all yours,” Paolo said amiably.
“Good, then please be on time. We don’t have a minute to waste,” Michaela said, all business.
“Hey there. What’s going on?” Lisa called out, approaching them from the massage area. “Since when are you a masseuse, Francine?”
Francine’s hands dropped to her sides as she gave Lisa a sheepish grin. “Paolo’s neck is in bad shape and he’s in pain. I thought I’d ease it a bit until he could make an appointment with you.”
“Paolo, you deserve a proper massage. Why don’t you schedule one with me?” Lisa suggested with a friendly smile.
“I think I will. My neck is stiff and sore.” He groaned as he got up from the chair and joined them in front of the desk. “It’s been a crazy day. I’ll try to squeeze in some time for a massage soon.”
“Yes, please do. Francine, the phone’s ringing,” Lisa said.
Francine returned to her chair and answered the call.
“Thanks, Francie. It feels better already,” Paolo called out, his dimples deepening on either side of his sexy mouth.
When Paolo aimed his killer smile at Francine, her whole demeanor brightened and she ended the call fast. “Anytime, Paolo. Really…anytime at all!” She had the nerve to send him a seductive wink from beneath her lowered eyes.
“I was on my way to see you just now,” Michaela said to Lisa.
“Don’t worry, we can chat later,” Lisa replied, giving Michaela a private look. “I have a client arriving for her appointment now.”
“Okay, sure,” Michaela said.
“Bye, Paolo. I hope you feel better soon,” Lisa said before turning to leave. “In the meantime, alternating hot and cold compresses will help your neck. And you might want to take an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen.”
“I will, thanks,” he said.
When Lisa left, Paolo took Michaela’s arm and led her away from the reception desk toward the glass doors at the entrance. “What time should I come back here?”
“Actually, I’d rather you come to my place…if you don’t mind.”
“ ¡Perfecto! I don’t mind at all.” He seemed to love the idea. Of course, he would. Paolo liked to keep everything on a personal level.
Just as Paolo leaned forward to kiss her good-bye, his iPhone buzzed and he answered it right away.
“Bernice! How are you?”
He looked heavenward with exaggerated patience. “ Sí , sí , of course, my dear. Don’t worry. Your dinner party will be perfect. Remember, you have hired the magnificent chef,” he said, winking at Michaela.
Oh, brother, she had forgotten about his business card with “magnificent chef” under his name. Enough was enough; she needed to get back to the kitchen. Michaela waved at Paolo and turned to walk away, but he pulled her back.
“Don’t go yet,” he said, covering the mouthpiece so Bernice wouldn’t hear.
“I have to. The kids just got
“Yes, right there, Francie,” he said. “Thatta girl. That’s the spot.”
Michaela couldn’t believe that after all the commotion this morning about his sister going into labor, Chef Casanova found the time to flirt with “Francie” and be massaged too!
“How is Claudia? Why aren’t you at the hospital with her?” Michaela asked, giving him a pointed glance.
“It was false labor. She wasn’t even dilated. That’s why I came looking for you. We can meet tonight,” he said, sounding quite pleased with himself. He closed his eyes as Francine continued to work on him. “Yes, right there, Francie.”
Francine smiled smugly. “Okay, gotcha. I’ll concentrate there. Just tell me how hard and for how long.”
Michaela didn’t care for the way the two of them were enjoying the impromptu massage, oblivious to how inappropriate they looked. At this point, she didn’t feel like meeting with Paolo, but she reminded herself of her greater goal—winning Miami Spice .
“So, we’re back on for tonight then? No more unforeseen interruptions?” Michaela asked.
“I’m all yours,” Paolo said amiably.
“Good, then please be on time. We don’t have a minute to waste,” Michaela said, all business.
“Hey there. What’s going on?” Lisa called out, approaching them from the massage area. “Since when are you a masseuse, Francine?”
Francine’s hands dropped to her sides as she gave Lisa a sheepish grin. “Paolo’s neck is in bad shape and he’s in pain. I thought I’d ease it a bit until he could make an appointment with you.”
“Paolo, you deserve a proper massage. Why don’t you schedule one with me?” Lisa suggested with a friendly smile.
“I think I will. My neck is stiff and sore.” He groaned as he got up from the chair and joined them in front of the desk. “It’s been a crazy day. I’ll try to squeeze in some time for a massage soon.”
“Yes, please do. Francine, the phone’s ringing,” Lisa said.
Francine returned to her chair and answered the call.
“Thanks, Francie. It feels better already,” Paolo called out, his dimples deepening on either side of his sexy mouth.
When Paolo aimed his killer smile at Francine, her whole demeanor brightened and she ended the call fast. “Anytime, Paolo. Really…anytime at all!” She had the nerve to send him a seductive wink from beneath her lowered eyes.
“I was on my way to see you just now,” Michaela said to Lisa.
“Don’t worry, we can chat later,” Lisa replied, giving Michaela a private look. “I have a client arriving for her appointment now.”
“Okay, sure,” Michaela said.
“Bye, Paolo. I hope you feel better soon,” Lisa said before turning to leave. “In the meantime, alternating hot and cold compresses will help your neck. And you might want to take an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen.”
“I will, thanks,” he said.
When Lisa left, Paolo took Michaela’s arm and led her away from the reception desk toward the glass doors at the entrance. “What time should I come back here?”
“Actually, I’d rather you come to my place…if you don’t mind.”
“ ¡Perfecto! I don’t mind at all.” He seemed to love the idea. Of course, he would. Paolo liked to keep everything on a personal level.
Just as Paolo leaned forward to kiss her good-bye, his iPhone buzzed and he answered it right away.
“Bernice! How are you?”
He looked heavenward with exaggerated patience. “ Sí , sí , of course, my dear. Don’t worry. Your dinner party will be perfect. Remember, you have hired the magnificent chef,” he said, winking at Michaela.
Oh, brother, she had forgotten about his business card with “magnificent chef” under his name. Enough was enough; she needed to get back to the kitchen. Michaela waved at Paolo and turned to walk away, but he pulled her back.
“Don’t go yet,” he said, covering the mouthpiece so Bernice wouldn’t hear.
“I have to. The kids just got
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