“Thanks for your honesty.”
“I don’t make a habit of lying.”
Chewing slowly, she looked down at her half-empty plate as she curled her fingers together in her lap. Should I tell him about the restaurant? Does he need to know? After all, neither of them were rushing to put any kind of label on their relationship. It was one night. He said he liked her. I’ve heard that before. And while the night had been phenomenal, and way overdue, she didn’t really owe him anything.
So by not saying anything about owning the bistro, it wasn’t really a lie, more of an omission. Most men were scared off by her success, and she really wasn’t interested in making this one run for the hills. Not to mention the fact that once she told him about the restaurant, there was no way of keeping her feelings about the extortion under wraps. She could barely handle not thinking about it now, let alone keeping it a secret when the assault was still fresh in her mind, and part of the reason she had sought solace in Tank the previous night.
Lena had no doubt that her bringing up the extortion would ruin the whole morning. And a man like Tank? He would feel the need to make things personal and seek some kind of vengeance on her behalf. He was that kind of guy. She couldn’t risk putting him in the line of fire for something that was going to be taken care of by the sheriff and his department. It didn’t make any sense to bring this man any further into her closed-off world.
“You went quiet.” His forehead creased in concern. “What’s going on in your pretty head?”
A smile grew on her lips as she took his hand. “Things are just a little chaotic in my life at the moment.”
He nodded, squeezing her hand back. “If you wanna talk about it, just let me know.”
“Thanks.”
Tank rose from the chair and cleared the plates from the table.
Leaning back in her chair, she beamed. “Such good service. You’re more of a gentleman than first impressions give you credit for.”
“Don’t judge a man by his cover. My mother raised me right.”
“I’ll have to send her a thank-you card.”
Finishing her coffee, she watched Tank clean up in her kitchen. His fumbling to figure out where everything went in her cabinets was endearing, and it was only when he was halfway done that she even considered helping him out.
“It took you a while to get your sweet ass over here.” He teased, nudging her with his large shoulder before taking the coffee mug from her hand.
Tank caught her around the waist and pushed her back against the island, staring down at her with an intensity that made her arousal flash hot.
“Tank…” she whispered, enjoying the feel of his name on her tongue, and the heat of his body pressed against her. “We really should get going.”
His hand curled around her neck, forcing her to look up at him as he smiled, slow and pleased, in a purely masculine way that made her toes curl.
“Not until I have you again, baby. Can you make room in your busy schedule for another round?” He sealed his question with a light, teasing kiss that left her dizzy.
“I think I can move some things to accommodate you.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” he said against her lips.
Desire crawled wild through her veins and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.
You’re irresistible,” he rasped.
Their tongues intertwined as he moved his hands up her legs and cupped her ass. Hauling her up against him, she locked her legs around his waist as he strode into the bedroom.
Lena
Sarah, the bistro’s day manager, stuck her head inside Lena’s office, wearing a look that said she was at the end of her rope.
“There’s a lady trying to order two hundred pearl-dotted cupcakes for a party tomorrow. She won’t take no for an answer and insists on talking to the owner. When I told her I was the manager, she didn’t care. I’d appreciate a little help with this one. We’ve got a line down the block waiting for our croissants and cookies, so now isn’t the time for this chicanery.”
“Is that the new word of the day?” Lena asked.
“Yeah. Well, it’s technically tomorrow’s word. I had to shift the calendar because I knew today’s vocabulary word, and I don’t like resting on my laurels.”
“No one would ever accuse you of such a thing.” Lena grinned, got up from behind the desk, and took a deep breath. “Difficult customers. Just what I wanted to deal with today.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Oh, this one is a beaut.”
Lena understood what her employee was talking about as soon as she walked into the front area of the bistro. Quinn Fitzgerald stood by one of the cases in a designer dress and shoes, tapping a pink manicured finger against the glass. This was the same woman who’d thrown herself all over Tank the night of the engagement party and dismissed Lena like she was the snob’s personal hire. A frown deepened between the woman’s brows, and Lena braced herself for the inevitable fuss the snotty woman was going to make.
“Hello, Ms. Fitzgerald. How can I help you today?”
Lena made a point to come out from behind the cases and walk toward a far corner where there were no other customers. Quinn glanced at her, shrugged, and flounced over to meet her with a pained expression, as if going over to Lena instead of her going to Quinn was way more trouble than someone from the Fitzgerald family should be subjected to in public.
The young woman gave Lena a look of disdain. “I need your pearl cupcakes for a party tomorrow, and your unaccommodating manager tried to tell me it wasn’t possible. I’m sure we can come to an arrangement here, or do I have to assume your little place is unequipped for my needs?” Quinn pursed her pink-glossed lips. “I probably shouldn’t have come to an establishment with so little fanfare, but I heard you make the best cupcakes in town.”
“With enough time, that wouldn’t be a problem at all.” Lena smiled and clasped her hands in front of her so that she didn’t act on her instinct to claw the woman’s eyes out for insulting her business. “Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate your request with so little time to order the supplies and pay for the hands needed to decorate for that kind of project in the turnaround time you’re looking for with your party. With all the parties and events you attend, you must know that.” Touché, bitch.
Quinn shifted on her towering heels and switched her designer purse from one arm to the other, giving her the once-over. For a long moment, she didn’t say anything. It was as if the young woman was weighing Lena’s words and trying to find a hole in them. Well, she won’t find one. Lena had been as pleasant and professional as humanly possible to the spoiled little rich girl.
Lena watched as Quinn turned her back and gossiped with her two girlfriends behind their cupped hands. It was such a middle school move that Lena straightened her shoulders and kept a professional smile on her face. If she didn’t watch herself, she might burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Not to mention, the timing of Quinn’s visit was impeccable.
It had been two days since Tank had left her condo, leaving her with a kiss in the doorway before he walked back to the Devil’s Surfboard, where she assumed he’d parked his bike. Although he didn’t turn around to wave again as she watched him walk away, it didn’t hurt her feelings. It gave her more time to stare at his delicious ass. Even the memory heated her blood as a flood of warmth shifted beneath her cheeks. It had been practically a decade since any man had made her blush.