“So..." he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back onto his heels. "You come here often?"Picking up on his mood with the lightning quickness that had won them a space in the finals, Jules flirted right back."Pretty often. But you must be new. I'm sure I'd remember if I'd seen you here before, hot stuff."That made him grin and saunter closer, close enough to reach out and smooth a lock of dark gold hair behind her ear. "What do you say we low this joint?...”

“Max rocked back on his heels, shoving his hands into his pockets, and said, 'So. Juliet Cavanaugh. I assume my parents have been talking your ear off for the last however many months, telling you how awesome I am, and filling your head full of stories of my impressive talents in the kitchen.''Um. Not so much,' Jules said, shooting a glance at Danny, who shook his head and went back to his prep work.'No? I should take this opportunity to set the record straight, then.' Max heaved a deep sigh. 'It's all true.''What?''Everything they should've told you about me,' Max explained. 'And I don't know why they didn't, because it's all true. No exaggeration or family bias plays into it at all--I am the best chef in the entire world.”

“Giving a nod to his old pal, Fate, he felt a slow smile crease his cheeks,"So," he said. "We really are alone.""Yeah," she said, then her eyes widened comically."Hey, no-stay over there. What are you doing? Personal space!”

“Well, thank you kindly, pretty lady," Max said, twisting his mouth into a grin... He blinked. "Wow, that came out creepier than I was expecting. Sorry about that.”

“ whatever," Winslow snorted. "The first team that got judged, from the Italian place on East Thrity-Sixth? They came back in here looking like whipped dogs. Come on, I Know i'm not the only one here about to wet myself." There was a short pause while they all looked at Win, and the way he was sort of dancing in place. "Dude," Danny finally said, "Maybe you just need to pee.”

“His head was thrown back, his chestheaving, and the look on his face was more indicative of pain thanpleasure.Rosemary snatched her fingers back, certain she’dmisunderstood the technique somehow.But he whimpered piteously and she realized, no, she couldn’thave misunderstood. Because (a) she was a genius, and (b) it justwasn’t that complicated”

“I need to pull away from this - She gestured between them languidly - "because When I'm with you, I lose my balance. I don't feel calm and happy.She leaned forward, and Kane swallowed down his immediate urge to leap across the table and crush her thin lips under his."When I am with you," Claire said, her accent rolling through the words like thunder, "I am a starving lion, raging at my captivity.”