Giovanni Romero had been dealt his fair share of heartbreak throughout his 30 years, including losing his beloved parents in a horrible car accident. After suffering yet another devastating loss, he decided to chase his dream of opening his own restaurant and was soon the proud owner of Romero’s, a hugely successful and critically acclaimed Italian restaurant, nestled in the heart of Chicago.

Knowing that one more blow to his heart could destroy him, Giovanni had built walls up around his heart to protect himself. He had created strict rules for himself about the men he slept with, which included never exchanging names and absolutely no repeat performances. That was until he met a young man whom he found impossible to forget. 

After spending the last few years traveling throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, working as an apprentice to some of the world’s top chefs, 23-year-old Caleb Greene was finally moving back home. While he had enjoyed his studies, he couldn’t wait to reunite with his big, crazy, loving family, especially his twin brother, Carter. Most importantly, he hoped to finally begin his career working as the head chef for Chicago’s most prestigious Italian restaurant, Romero’s. 

After a night of celebration with Carter, Caleb finds himself in a rare position, going home with a tall, dark, and sexy stranger. Caleb had never had a one-night stand before, but there was something about the man that drew him in. Unfortunately, the man insisted they could be together for only one night.

Unable to get the intriguing young man off his mind, but resolved to let him go, Giovanni was shocked to find that Caleb had been hired as his new head chef. Working in such close proximity to each other, could he keep his carefully erected walls in place and protect his heart, or would Caleb have the strength to tear those walls down, setting Giovanni free?