As a woman she wasn’t immune to that top-cream voice. As a reporter, she was well aware of the importance of her assignment. “It’s all pretty confused.” Ms. Tribly wiped damp hands on her napkin. “Mr. Van Ness is having a baby. That is, what I mean is, his wife went into labor just a couple of hours ago.”

“So, we should drink to them.” Carlo signaled a waiter. “Margaritas?” He phrased the question as a statement, earned a cool nod from Juliet and a grateful smile from the reporter.

Determined to pull off her first really big assignment, Ms. Tribly balanced a pad discreetly on her lap. “Have you been enjoying your tour through America, Mr. Franconi?”

“I always enjoy America.” Lightly he ran a finger over the back of Juliet’s hand before she could move it out of reach. “Especially in the company of a beautiful woman.” She started to slide her hand away then felt it pinned under his. For a man who could whip up the most delicate of soufflés, his hands were as strong as a boxer’s.

Wills sparked, clashed and fumed. Carlo’s voice remained mild, soft and romantic. “I must tell you, Ms. Tribly, Juliet is an extraordinary woman. I couldn’t manage without her.”

“Mr. Franconi’s very kind.” Though Juliet’s voice was as mild and quiet as his, the nudge she gave him under the table wasn’t. “I handle the details; Mr. Franconi’s the artist.”

“We make an admirable team, wouldn’t you say, Ms. Tribly?”

“Yes.” Not quite sure how to handle that particular line, she veered off to safer ground. “Mr. Franconi, besides writing cookbooks, you own and run a successful restaurant in Rome and occasionally travel to prepare a special dish. A few months ago, you flew to a yacht in the Aegean to cook minestrone for Dimitri Azares, the shipping magnate.”

“His birthday,” Carlo recalled. “His daughter arranged a surprise.” Again, his gaze skimmed over the woman whose hand he held. “Juliet will tell you, I’m fond of surprises.”

“Yes, well.” Ms. Tribly reached for her water glass again. “Your schedule’s so full and exciting. I wonder if you still enjoy the basics as far as cooking.”

“Most people think of cooking as anything from a chore to a hobby. But as I’ve told Juliet—” His fingers twined possessively with hers “—food is a basic need. Like making love, it should appeal to all the senses. It should excite, arouse, satisfy.” He slipped his thumb around to skim over her palm. “You remember, Juliet?”

She’d tried to forget, had told herself she could. Now with that light, insistent brush of thumb, he was bringing it all back. “Mr. Franconi is a strong believer in the sensuality of food. His unusual flair for bringing this out has made him one of the top chefs in the world.”