Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 25004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Red and blue lights hit my eyes when I enter the restaurant. Through the window, I see two cops standing ten yards from the front door. They’re coming closer. I make a beeline toward the double doors to see what is going on. I spot a man sitting out front.
“Sir, you okay?” one cop asks.
“Drunk?” the other suggests. When I get a better peek at the man, I immediately know who it is. I flick the locks, opening one of the doors.
“Sorry, I ah—” Jase sounds confused. I don’t think he’s drunk; I think he was asleep.
“He’s fine.” I hold my hand out to the two officers. They give me a funny glance. “I live above the restaurant. I’m the chef here.”
“Little Lucia?” one of the cops says. “You’re all grown up. You make me feel old. How’s your dad?”
“He’s good.” I swear everyone knows my freakin’ dad. Jase comes to his feet.
“Are you sure everything is okay?” The cop eyes Jase suspiciously.
“Yeah, he’s my boyfriend,” I lie. It sounds like the most reasonable explanation. “Thanks.” I wave the police off, grabbing Jase by the arm to pull him into the restaurant and lock the doors behind us. He rubs his eyes. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Boyfriend?” is his only response.
“You’re strange. You know that?”
“You live here?”
“Yeah, upstairs. It’s convenient.” He nods in understanding. From the small bits of information I picked up here and there and maybe some googling, I found that Jase is obsessed with his work. “You hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“So hungry you were going to sit outside till I showed up to feed you?” I tease. He gives a shrug. “Did I not make enough to last?”
“You did.” I drop my head back to stare up into Jase’s handsome face, but it’s clear he’s also exhausted.
“Did you want to see me?”
“Yes.” I smile at his response.
“Okay.” I grab his hand and lead him back to the kitchen to make him something to eat. Food doesn’t heal, but it often helps, and I think Jase has a bit of a broken heart. Working himself to death isn’t going to heal it either, but maybe someone taking care of him might. “How’s your mom?” I ask. A soft smile pulls at his lips.
“Better today. She remembered me enough to dig in about grandbabies.” I let out a small laugh.
“Sounds like my mom.” I point to a picture on the wall of my parents. There is a small plaque under it with their names and wedding date.
“She loved your food. Wants to meet you.” I glance up from the pan I pulled out. Jase is now right in front of me.
“I’d love to meet your mom, Jase.”
“Was it wrong that I showed up like this?” He puts his hand over mine.
“I’m not going to sleep with you.” His eyes widen. “I mean, I’m going to feed you, then drag you up to bed where you will sleep, but we’re not having sex.”
“I didn’t come here for that. Sex.” He shakes his head. How does Jase manage to be both all man and have these sweet doses of a shy boy inside of him that peek out.
“Not tonight, I mean.” I peek up at him through my lashes. “You could get a kiss, though.”
CHAPTER 13
JASE
I can’t always tell what people want from reading their faces. They aren’t lab samples that I can stare at for hours and compare to other slides collected for years. Humans are a mystery, but even I, as dense as I am, understand that this is an invitation. I slide my hand into her hair and dip her head back.
She tastes better than any dish she’s served me. Kissing her is like shooting an endorphin cocktail straight into my veins. I’m dizzy, hot, and hard. She makes a sound at the back of her throat. Her hands come up to clutch my shirt. I pull her tighter to me, deepening the kiss until we’re breathing the same breath. Our tongues tangle together. Her teeth catch the edge of my lip. I return the favor, biting her full bottom lip and then kissing the sting away. I palm her breasts, and her nipples perk to attention.
“Not here,” she mumbles against my mouth. “I can’t. Food hazard.”
She chokes the words out between kisses. I nod, but I’m unwilling to release my grip on her body or her mouth. I scoop my palms under her ass and wrap her legs around my waist.
“Where to?”
She points toward the door. “Up the stairs in the back. The door’s unlocked. I was supposed to make you a meal and then put you to sleep.”
“I’m having a meal right now.” I kiss her again. Walking brings her core in contact with my aching erection. She sucks in a swift breath at the first connection. “Sorry. Can’t help it.” Don’t want to, either. It feels good to be hard and even better to have her hot sex rubbing against my shaft even though it’s through layers of cotton and wool.