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Mina recognized the duchess’s shrill tones immediately. “What were you thinking traipsing around with that woman? One of the kitchen staff? This is a new low.” She felt the words like a punch in the gut. She almost turned away, but she wanted to hear what Leo would say. Would he defend her? What would his mother say if he did? If he told her Mina was more than just a fling? Mina imagined the shock on the duchess’s face. But when Leo spoke, he sounded bored. “You’re making a huge deal out of nothing, Mum. Everyone will forget about the story and the girl soon. None of it matters. She doesn’t matter. She certainly doesn’t mean anything to me.” Mina was furious, but most of all, she felt so foolish. To have hoped he might feel for her what she felt for him... A duke and a trainee chef? A new low. The duchess’s words echoed in her head. How could she have ever thought a duke would choose her?

***********

Chapter 1

Fired.

It didn’t make sense. One minute Mina was sprinkling a garnish on top of the saffron risotto and sending it out to the corner table. The next, renowned Swiss Chef David Brandenberger––her boss––was dragging her to a corner of the kitchen, his rage catapulting off the pristine chrome-finished appliances.

Mina Harper had been preparing her entire life for a position in a program like the one at the Brandenberger, a chance to study under someone like David. But he was screaming at her like she’d poisoned someone instead of forgotten to leave out the onions usually featured inside of the dish.

“Imbecile! You’ve ruined my signature dish and upset my family!” David had spit at her, a vein throbbing on one side of his neck as he snatched her crisp white apron from where it was folded in her hands. “We have no place for mistakes like these at my restaurant. You’re dismissed.”

Mina racked her brain, step by step. She could have sworn she’d made sure to omit the onions. She knew how important it was, that David’s aunt had a mild allergy to them. But she’d been so busy. The restaurant had been crazier than most nights and that was saying something.

She’d stuttered back at him, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know how this happened. Please, give me another chance, and I’ll prove to you how capable I am.”

David had only pointed a shaking finger at the kitchen’s back door, his eyes narrowed in condemning silence.

###

Mina wrapped her fingers around the shot glass on the bar in front of her, blinking into the remaining clear droplets. Losing the position in the Brandenberger program was awful and heartbreaking and the worst thing that could have happened. But there were other things she’d lost too––like absolutely gorgeous Cillian Walsh, with his thick Irish accent and roguish smile. He’d jogged after her as she was trudging from the kitchen and insisted on putting his number in her phone. He’d been sweet, but there was no way she’d call him.

She never wanted to see the other nine colleagues from the program again. She’d definitely never see Cillian. She couldn’t face any of them.

And it was all her fault. She’d been so sure, when she was preparing it, that David’s aunt visiting from London would rave about her dish. She’d been so sure it was perfect. There’s no way she could have put in onions when she’d gone over the instructions again and again.

But obviously she had forgotten.

Sigh.

She stared down at her empty glass again, lost in her thoughts.

“Can I get you another?” A sarcastic, accented voice next to her cut into her misery.

Mina looked up and––wow. The stranger smirking at her was drop-dead gorgeous. The kind of hot you only see in movies and underwear ads. His dark hair was swept to the side with some kind of hair product and his chin was peppered in black scruff. His eyes––blue––laughed at her.

She thought for a moment. What did she have left to lose? And she did want another drink. “Sure. Thanks, um––?”

“Leo.”

“I’m Mina. Thanks, Leo.”

He nodded, taking a stool next to her. “Having a bad night?”

Mina shook her head, laughing in spite of herself. Where to start? “Well, I got fired from my dream job. I can basically bid my dreams of becoming a chef goodbye. And now I’m homeless and jobless in a foreign country.”

He cocked an eyebrow, gesturing to the bartender for another round of drinks. “I’m sorry to hear that. It’s lucky for me, though.”

“Lucky?”

“I’ll wager you wouldn’t be sitting here drinking with me if you hadn’t been fired.” His grin was pure trouble and he clearly knew it.

Mina couldn’t help but smile back at him. “You wager correctly.”

“I’m not having the best time myself in the city, if I’m being honest.”

She swept her gaze over his sculpted cheekbones and sharp chin, his bright eyes and clearly expensive clothing. He looked like he was doing just fine. “Oh?”

“I’m on vacation with my family, and my mum won’t leave me alone about finding a girl. She can’t seem to understand that I don’t want my mum setting me up. Not to mention, we don’t exactly have the same taste in women.” Leo winked at Mina.

Her cheeks burned, and she ducked her head to let her auburn hair hide the evidence. “Moms are like that all over the world, I guess. Though mine has never tried to set me up while on vacation. Is that why you’re hiding?”

Leo leaned forward, his eyes on hers. “What makes you think I’m hiding?”

Mina gestured around the bar, vacant except for the two of them. It smelled faintly of vinegar and dirt collected in the corners. She then gestured at him, raising her eyebrows with a slight smirk. Leo wasn’t exactly dressed for a dive bar in his crisp button-down and form-fitting khakis. He looked more like he was ready to lead an important meeting or, better yet, sit down for a late dinner at the Brandenberger. “I’m here to hide, too. I can’t risk anyone from my old job seeing me and reliving that embarrassment.”

Leo chuckled. “You’re observant.” He downed his drink. “But I know of a better hiding spot, if you’d like to join me.” He was still leaning into her, his knee inches from hers.

Mina picked up her drink, pretending to take a sip as she thought. Meeting Leo might be the only good thing to come out of this entire fiasco. And after her day, didn’t she deserve something fun?

She set her glass down on the bar with a clink. “Where exactly are you thinking?”

Leo reached out to her, pulling her up with him. He leaned down, his face brushing against her hair as he bent to whisper in her ear. “There are a lot of chalets in the area that aren’t open for the season yet. It just so happens that I know how to sneak into one.”

A shiver coursed down Mina’s back at his voice and their closeness. She peered up into his eyes, a wicked smile forming. “Lead the way.”

As they walked down the dimly lit cobblestone streets, Mina halted. She didn’t have anywhere to go, or anyone waiting on her, but Leo was supposed to be on family vacation. “Won’t your mom wonder where you are?”

Leo tugged on her hand, pulling her along with him. “Don’t worry about Mum. She won’t be arriving until tomorrow.”

They wound their way through the darkened streets, turning off a haphazard cobblestone road to find themselves on smooth pavement. A row of bronze streetlights lit the path, leading up a hill to a chalet. Mina had seen the enormous vacation homes when she’d first arrived in the country, but she’d never dreamed she’d see the inside of one.

“Are you sure this is okay?” She didn’t know why she was whispering, except she was starting to think this was a dangerous idea. All of it.

Leo chuckled lightly beside her. “Trust me. I’ve done this before.”

As they crept onto the chalet’s wrap-around balcony overlooking the small town and countryside, Mina’s mouth formed an O. She’d never seen such a picturesque view. Leo pulled her toward the back of the chalet to a tall-framed door with an old-fashioned crystal doorknob. He jiggled the knob, watching Mina over his shoulder with a sly grin as he pushed the unlocked door open a few inches.

Mina sucked in a breath and followed him inside. Even in the near dark she could tell the house was more beautiful than anywhere she’d stayed before, with sharp-lined modern furniture and chandeliers winking at her from each room as they made their way upstairs.

Leo opened a door at the end of the second-floor hallway, revealing a California King bed with tightly tucked sheets and a large window sandwiched between gauzy curtains. He waved Mina into the room ahead of him.

Mina shook her head, gazing at the luxurious bedroom. “Can you believe people actually live like this?” But her mind stopped there, because Leo crossed the room and threw himself on the bed. He settled his head on the pile of pillows, his arms folded lazily behind him.

Her heart raced at the sight of him stretched out like that, a sliver of muscled stomach peeking out above his pants. His mouth curved into the same taunting grin she’d first seen at the bar. Leo patted the space next to him on the bed.

Mina sunk into the mattress facedown and exhaled into the freshly laundered sheets. When she lifted her eyes, Leo had turned to her and he was so close she could smell the alcohol on his breath, mingled with a citrusy scent she thought might be from his hair. His hooded eyes locked on hers and her mouth moved to his before she could stop herself.

Leo’s lips and tongue roamed over hers with exactly the kind of expertise she would have expected from someone as handsome as he was. His hands trailed along her back, up under her shirt and along her exposed stomach.

Mina let a moan escape through her teeth. She pressed herself closer and raked her hands down his solid back. Maybe this day wasn’t all bad after all.

Chapter 2

Mina felt dizzy as she stared up at Leo. His hands moved expertly across her, and she marveled at his silken touch. She wrapped her arms around his back and, with his help, lifted his shirt and pressed her palms to his muscular chest. He watched her toss his shirt to the floor before slipping hers from her head as well. Mina moved to take off her shirt, but Leo stopped her. “Allow me.”

Mina bit her lip as he smoothly pulled her shirt over her head, threw it aside, and palmed her in his hands. “Beautiful.” He dipped his head and planted a kiss on each mound.

Mina shivered. She kissed him harder, pulling herself so close to him her skin burned. “Do you have any protection?”

Leo’s mouth split into a devilish smile. “I’ll find something.” He pulled away from her, leaving Mina to catch her breath and smooth her hair as Leo rolled from bed. “These chalets are always fully stocked. I’m sure they’ll have something.” He disappeared down the hall and reappeared again just a moment later, an entire package clutched in his hand.

Mina arched an eyebrow. “Feeling optimistic?”

He gave a lazy smile and a half-shrug in response that Mina took to mean he was. She leaned forward and snatched the box from him, quickly unwrapping one of the small packets. Leo’s eyes widened as he unbuttoned his pants and stepped out of them.

Mina’s breath caught in her throat as he pulled his black boxers down, revealing that he was just as eager as she was. He moved forward and they kissed until Mina fell backwards, heady with the feeling of him. Finally, she lifted her head from the pillow and urged him toward her...

###

When morning light cracked through the curtain-framed window, Mina had to gaze at the room around her for a few seconds before she registered where she was.

Oh right. The Brandenberger fiasco. The bar. Leo and the chalet.

Beside her Leo was still asleep. He was a different kind of attractive than he had been last night. With his eyes closed and his smirk missing, he looked younger. Not to mention a lot less smug.

Mina forced herself to stop ogling him and tore herself from bed. As fun as last night had been, she needed to focus on the future. After visiting the bedroom’s adjoining bathroom, she fished her cell phone from her bag on the floor and sighed, seeing a string of unread messages. Her sister, Devin, wanted an update after the frantic texts Mina had sent after being thrown out of the Brandenberger program.

Sorry, wild night. I’m still not sure what to do. If I don’t find another job soon I’ll need to use the rest of my money to book a flight home.

Her sister responded immediately. I was just about to call you! I felt bad about how freaked you were and submitted your resume to a Swiss chalet service in your area. Emailing you details now! How fast can you get to that address for a catering gig?

Mina’s phone pinged with directions to an event space in the same neighborhood as the one she was currently holed up in. Her heart pounded. Okay. This was good news. She didn’t have to go home and face her mom. And, best of all, her dreams of becoming a professional chef weren’t completely dead.

You are the best sister in the world. I owe you!

Big time. But you need to get there soon. Like, now!

Now?

Mina blinked at her phone before staggering to her feet.

From the bed, Leo’s eyes flitted open. His lips quirked as she fumbled through her haphazard traveling bag for something presentable. Another blouse and pencil-skirt combination would have to do.

Leo’s gaze traveled to her as she tugged on her clothes. “You won’t stay?” He patted the space beside him like he had the night before, his eyes hooded. Mina had the distinct feeling he was not used to being left like this the morning after.

She sat on the edge of the bed, comfortable flats in hand. “I have to go. I’m late already. But it was really nice to meet you, Leo. You turned my night right around.”

His arms hugged her middle from behind, his facial hair bristling against her shirt. “Just once more? I’ll make you a nice breakfast afterwards.” She could hear the teasing in his voice.

Mina pulled her shoes on and stood. She shook her head. “Sorry, no time.” She turned to the mirror hung on the adjacent wall, combing wildly at her hair with her fingers.

Leo frowned and sat up to watch her go.

She waved from the bedroom door, already out of breath. “Bye!”

Mina didn’t have time to look back as she galloped down the stairs, past an older woman in a black-and-white maid’s uniform. Wait, what? Hm.. She should probably warn Leo that he wasn’t alone in the fancy chalet anymore. But she didn’t have a second to spare, and besides, he’d be fine. He was so charming, he could easily worm his way out of the situation if he was caught. And he had said he did this kind of thing all the time.

Outside, a cab was running. The driver, a frail older man with bright blue eyes, had been nearly ready to pull away from the chalet after dropping the cleaning staff off. Mina almost squealed at her luck. She climbed in, read him the directions from Devin’s email, and sank back against the leather headrest. She wished her sister wasn’t all the way in Italy attending fashion school so she could hug her for the enormous favor. She found her phone again to let Devin know she’d make it to the gig on time.

Omw! Did I mention you’re the best sister ever??

No kidding. Once again, Devin’s response was instantaneous. You had a wild night?

Ya….may or may not have slept with the hottest guy in the world….

YOU SLEPT WITH SOMEONE?! Where is my sister and what have you done with her?

Mina grinned. His name was Leo, he was GORGEOUS, and we snuck into a chalet. I’m WILD now

The cab stopped in a crowded parking lot in front of a tall, spiraled building Mina could only describe as akin to a castle. The Brandenberger was Michelin rated, but this place put it to shame. As she wandered through the lobby looking for someone who looked like part of the catering company, Mina took in the ornate stairways, the carved oak doorframes, the gold-framed paintings. Finally, she spotted a scowling woman with dark, smooth skin and a head wreathed in curls who stood in a corner of the wide room, holding a clipboard and barking orders behind her. Mina hurried over to her. “I’m Mina Harper. Are you with catering? I’m a little lost.”

The woman consulted her clipboard, a line drawn between her eyebrows. “You’re new? Don’t stand there. We need you in the kitchen.” She jabbed a thumb behind her, dismissing Mina.

The kitchen was hard to miss as it was filled to the brim with workers, bustling in every direction and chattering in a jumble of voices and accents. Mina stepped in only to be brushed aside by a tall, skinny guy who looked even younger than her. A nametag pinned to his uniform identified him as Carl. “Are you the new girl? Uniforms are in that closet, and we need you stat. Julia didn’t show up today, and some king is coming.”

Mina nodded and moved toward the closet as an older lady clucked her tongue at Carl. “Julia is one of our line cooks and she went into labor. And it’s the Duke and Duchess of Brinovia, Carl.”

Carl and the older lady were both gone by the time Mina had put on her uniform and found her spot with the other line cooks. The rhythm was easy to get used to, once she started. The ingredients were all familiar to her and her coworkers were quiet, but nice for the most part. She mentally sent Devin even more gratitude. Maybe she could build something from this.

She swiftly chopped white onion into tiny, even pieces, careful to angle the knife the way she’d learned at the Brandenberger restaurant. Carl burst into her work area. “New girl––we need wine. You know where the cellar is, right?”

Mina had seen a sign for it when she’d been looking for the catering people. She wound her way through the lobby—there, on the far side. Mina jogged down the stairs until she found a heavy wooden door. She pulled the brass door handle just as the door swung toward her, nearly smacking her in the head.

Leo smirked at her, three expensive-looking bottles of wine tucked against his chest.

Chapter 3

Mina’s mouth hung open. “What are you doing here? Did you follow me??”

Leo’s eyebrows narrowed momentarily, and then he pursed his lips, as if containing a laugh. “A happy accident, I suspect.”

Mina wasn’t buying that excuse for a minute. This was ridiculous. She refused to be charmed by Leo, especially now. With a nod toward the bottles in his hands, she said, “You can’t take those. And you need to leave. Now!”

Wrapping her hand around his bicep, Mina dragged Leo up away from the cellar, up the stairs, and out the back door. She hissed at him, “You’re going to get me fired.”

He wagged one of the bottles in front of her face. “Sure you can’t join me for a quick drink? We never did get to have breakfast together.”

Mina scowled at him, her hands on her hips. He couldn’t be serious. His lips cracked into a grin, and he was still extending the bottle of wine and gazing at her invitingly. Of course the hottest guy she’d ever slept with would turn out to be some sort of stalker-grifter.

“So this is like, your thing? You just sneak into fancy places like this and the chalet, and you steal things?” Her voice rose in panic. What had she been thinking, hooking up with a complete stranger?

Leo’s eyes laughed at her. “I don’t think of it as sneaking in, exactly.”

Mina’s blood boiled with irritation. Of course he didn’t. “I don’t know how you found me here, but if you don’t leave, I swear I’ll call the police.” She shoved him toward the door. “And give me those,” she added, reaching for the wine bottles.

Leo handed them over easily, still smiling widely. Mina had no idea why he thought everything was so funny, but it was starting to get on her nerves. She put her palm against his back and gave him another shove out the door, closing it firmly behind him. Even with the door between them, Mina could still hear him laughing to himself outside the event center.

Ugh.

Mina slipped her phone from her uniform’s pocket. Devin would love this new development.

So…Leo may or may not be a stalker. SOS

What?! Deets, like now! Did you make it to the catering gig?

Catering gig is great. Thank you!! But LEO SHOWED UP. Caught him stealing from the wine cellar. NO idea how he knew where to find me

Yikes. Are you okay?

I kicked him out and threatened to call the police. Don’t worry!

Mina marched back to the kitchen, wine bottles secure. She didn’t have time to think about Leo and his burgeoning criminal empire. She had a job to do, and she refused to get fired from this one.

The front of the kitchen was still bustling and Mina had trouble navigating through the mess to find Carl and give him the wine. The entire place smelled like roasting vegetables and warm, savory dishes that made her stomach grumble. She nearly stepped on a tall blond guy’s foot as she sidestepped a chef carrying a huge, steaming pot.

“Oops, sorry,” she said as she backed away, almost bumping into him again.

He turned and his face lit, accentuating brilliant green eyes. “Mina?”

Mina almost choked. “Cillian! You’re working here?”

His eyes were wide. “Yep. The extra money’s great. But what about you? How are you doing?”

Mina hated the look he gave her. Like he pitied her. Still, it was sweet of him to worry. She suspected everyone else at the program was glad to be rid of more competition. She sighed.

Cillian smiled softly and Mina’s heart skipped a beat. “Everyone knows David’s a real piece of work. We all think he was wrong for firing you like that.”

Mina bit her lip. “Thanks. It sucks. I’ve never messed up like that in my entire life. And it was at such an important time.”

Cillian clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Hey. You’re still gonna make a great chef. And, if you don’t mind me saying so, I’m glad to see you’re still in town.”

Mina blushed. Cillian’s hand hadn’t moved, and for a second she thought about moving closer and hugging him. He had given her his number. “I’m glad, too.”

“So, where are you staying? You didn’t end up on the streets last night, did you?” He wrinkled his nose and finally let his hand drop.

Mina winced. “Oh, you know. I found a last-minute Airbnb.”

###

Staff weaved around the kitchen like worker bees swarming to pollen in spring. Everywhere Mina went––to the sink to rinse vegetables, to the freezer to grab ice, to a quieter corner to center herself––the arriving royal guests were all anyone talked about. Royalty and nobility started arriving nearly an hour before dinner was supposed to be served. According to the waiters flitting in and out of the kitchen, all of the guests were dripping in jewels. One of the earls was wearing a custom Valentino suit that reportedly cost him well over ten thousand dollars.

Mina felt faint over the figure. She’d never spent over a hundred dollars on any one item of clothing.

And that wasn’t all. Apparently, the Duchess of Brinovia was wearing a dress stitched with so many rubies and other jewels that one of her maids had to walk behind her to make sure she didn’t topple over.

Mina tried to tune out the rest of the gossip and keep her focus on her work. She couldn’t afford any more distractions. Not on her first night of work, and definitely not with the high-profile guests, considering that’s what had gotten her in trouble at her last job.

As she was halfway through chopping a pineapple into bite-sized chunks, Carl busted into the room, announcing in a high-pitched voice, “Joann passed out in the hallway; she’s sick or something.” He stared around the room, waiting for someone to jump in and take action. Suddenly, Irene, the head chef, circled to where Mina stood cutting. She put her bony hands on Mina’s back and pushed her toward the door.

“You’ve been great tonight. If our cook is ill, we need you tableside for a special meal. Go. Go now!”

Mina blinked at Irene, but she only shooed her with her free hand. Carl clicked his tongue. “Don’t worry, new girl, it’s only the Duchess and Duke of Brinovia.” He leaned over to brush off a streak of flour dusting her uniform. “Good luck out there.”

Mina gulped. She wasn’t supposed to be with the guests! She was supposed to be safely hidden in the kitchen, where there was less chance of her making an awful mistake.

No. It was going to be fine. She didn’t have a choice, so she just had to do her best. Mina raced to where the carts were kept. The table where the Duke and Duchess were seated was at the front of the luxurious dining hall. Her heart fluttered as she rolled her cart to the table and immediately identified the Duchess. She was seated at the head of the table, and her slender frame was draped in the glittering dress described by the staff. She looked to be in her early 50s, and even without her outrageous outfit, her gorgeous high cheekbones and stiff, elegant demeanor would have been a dead giveaway.

An earl seated to the Duchess’s right addressed Her Grace before Mina could work up the nerve to stutter out a greeting. “Has our young Duke been up to his usual? Still bringing home a new lady friend every other night?” He gestured to an empty seat next to the Duchess.

Whoever this Duke was, apparently he had some sort of reputation.

The Duchess sniffed at her glass. “No, actually. I believe he’s quite ready to date someone a little more up to his standards.” At this, she shot a meaningful glance at the young lady seated across from her. The girl, presumably another member of the nobility, smirked into her salad fork. The Duchess continued, “I apologize for his tardiness. He should be along shortly.”

The earl lifted his chin at an approaching guest as Mina sliced Beef Wellington, preparing each serving for the hot plate on the center of her cart. “And speak of the devil. There’s the young man we’ve all been waiting for.”

The young lady who’d shared a smile with the Duchess spoke, her voice honey-sweet. “Good to see you again, your Grace.”

“Hello, all. Hello, Mum. Sorry I’m late.”

That accent. That voice, which had been whispering very dirty things in her ear that very morning. Mina knew it immediately. Her head snapped up and her knife-hand paused mid-air.

Oh hell.

It was Leo.