Master Bits & Mercenary Bites (Masters and Mercenaries)

by Lexi Blake

  He set down the bag and made his way to her. “Holly isn’t some girlfriend. She’s…well, I’d rather show you.”

  She shook her head and let her hands find his lean waist. The minute she touched him, she felt a sense of peace fall over her. His hands moved over her neck and she loved the connection. “I’m okay. I don’t need to know. If it’s something you’re working on that doesn’t concern me, then I don’t need to know. I trust you.”

  His lips curled up in the sexiest smile. “Oh, you are so good because I promise if I saw some random guy I didn’t know was texting my wife, I’d sic my brother on his ass and I would already know where he lived, what his routine was, and how I was going to kill him.”

  His brother was McKay-Taggart’s resident computer guru. If anyone could track someone else down, it was Adam Miles.

  “Seriously? You wouldn’t trust me?” It was actually pretty nice to know he would be as jealous as she was, but she wasn’t going to let him off the hook after she’d made the very mature decision not to attack.

  He tilted her head back, his mouth hovering over hers. “I trust you implicitly. It’s all the asshole men out there who stare at your pretty ass that I don’t trust. And yes, I would track them down and end them if they did anything but stare. I can’t honestly fault them for that. I did it, too.”

  She went on her toes, unable to wait a second longer to feel his lips against her own. His mouth covered hers and she felt a familiar rush of warmth flood her system. She wound her arms around him. This was where she needed to be. He kissed her, his tongue stroking into her mouth and inviting her own to play. Heat and need began to thrum through her because no one on earth could get her ready like this man could. No one ever had or ever would again because he was it for her.

  He pulled back, letting his forehead drop to hers. “I want to take you in the back and finish this, but we have an appointment.”

  An appointment? She had no idea why they would have an appointment at this time of night. It was well after midnight. Were they meeting one of his friends in the business? They often caught up late at night because they were fairly nocturnal in the restaurant business.

  It didn’t matter. She let it go. If he wanted to make it all a surprise, she wouldn’t take that from him.

  “Okay.”

  He gave her a smile that curled her toes. “Just like that?”

  She shrugged because it had been nothing more than a choice and one she should have made a week before. “I’d follow you to hell and back, so why not to wherever you’re taking me tonight?”

  “I love you, Allyson. You’re absolutely everything I want, and don’t ever doubt it.”

  “I love you and I’m going to think about taking a few less hours next semester or at least try to schedule all my classes on the same days because I’m tired of spending all my time in traffic when I could be with you. I think we need to schedule time together.”

  He took her hand and there was suddenly an air of excitement around him. “And I might have a solution so you don’t have to change a thing. The problem is traffic.”

  He grabbed the bag as he began to hustle her out the door, allowing her to sling her bag over her shoulder as he turned out the remaining lights and closed Top for the night. She followed him outside, wondering what his grand surprise was. Her fear was banished, replaced with a sense of anticipation.

  What had her husband done? What was the miraculous solution to all their timing problems?

  She started for the car, but he stopped her.

  “We don’t have to drive. Come with me.” He took her hand in his after he locked up, his fingers tangling with hers.

  “What have you done?” She was starting to get a suspicion.

  “Something every guy I’ve talked to thinks you’re going to murder me for, but I wanted it to be a surprise.” He hustled her down the street. Even at this time of night there were still people in the West End, milling about and enjoying the nightlife.

  It was a vibrant part of the city. She loved it here because it was always filled with life and music. She probably loved it also because it was here she’d fallen in love for the first and last time.

  Macon walked another block and then stopped outside a big building. It was one of the chic condo sites that dotted this part of the city. He turned to her.

  “It’s small, but it’s got a giant kitchen with all the right equipment. It’s two bedrooms, so for now we can use the second one as an office and you can study there. The master is nice sized though, and the bathroom has two sinks so I won’t get in the way.”

  He kept talking, but she was in shock. This was a nice part of town. The building looked incredible. They could walk to work. She could take the train to school. It would be a ten-minute commute versus the hour she faced now.

  They could spend far more time together.

  “Ally, baby? You’re crying. Are you that mad? Sebastian thinks I’m an idiot because women want to pick their houses, but this one just hit the market and I had to make a decision really fast. I’ve had Holly looking for a couple of weeks and this is the only one in our budget that’s in the perfect area.”

  Holly. His realtor.

  He stood in front of her, shaking his head. “Do you want to look at it? I can still shut down the deal. I can tell her to start over and let you pick.”

  “Stop talking.” She could feel the tears rolling down her eyes. She wanted to breathe in the moment. It was one of those times that she would remember for the rest of her life. She would close her eyes and feel the cool night air on her skin, hear the distant music playing. She would recall how he looked and the way his hand felt in hers. Long after they’d left this place, she would remember how in that moment she’d felt so loved.

  When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her expectantly.

  “I love it. It’s perfect.” It wouldn’t be. There would be little things they had to deal with, but it would be perfect in her mind because it would be the first place that belonged to them, and he’d bought it with her in mind. He bought it so they could grow together and never apart.

  His shoulders relaxed. “You haven’t seen it yet.”

  “I don’t have to. It’s our first real home.” She squeezed his hand. “Are we broke again?”

  He brought her fingers up to brush his lips across. “Surprisingly no, though you should be prepared that we are going to have the shittiest car in the building. Chef gave me an advance. I’m going to make some appearances with him, and the network wants me to do some demos on their other shows. I signed a contract with Top for the next four years.”

  “But you want to be able to open your own bakery.”

  He kissed her fingers again as though the act of touching her brought him peace. “I need a strong base and that means getting you through college. Let’s concentrate on building this thing the right way. I can be patient. Top is the place for me right now and this is going to be our home. You and me, we’re more important than any career, you get that, right?”

  She nodded and felt her whole soul ease. “I do. Now let’s see our new pad, and I suspect you brought something to celebrate with.”

  He leaned over and kissed her swiftly before producing a key. “We’re on the fourth floor and yes. I made Mom’s mini key lime pies for dinner and I might have saved two for us. You know I never skip dessert.”

  She followed him inside. She never skipped it either. It was a food reminder that life was so very, very sweet.

  Sean

  Guacamole

  Crab Bisque

  Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil

  Grilled Cheese 3 ways:

  ~ Southern Grilled Cheese

  ~ Italian Grilled Cheese

  ~ French Grilled Cheese

  Coq Au Vin

  Pasta Primavera

  The Perfect Steak with Blue Cheese Garlic Compound Butter

  Osso Buco

  Mixed Berry Shortcake

  Grilled Peaches an
d Cream

  Guacamole

  3 ripe avocados

  1 lime

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  1 small onion, diced

  1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

  3 Roma tomatoes, diced

  2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

  1 tablespoon garlic, minced

  In a large bowl, toss the scooped avocado with the juice of 1 lime. Using a fork, mash together the avocado with the salt and cayenne pepper. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and allow to cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

  Crab Bisque

  8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

  1 Vidalia onion, chopped

  1 celery stalk, chopped

  3 tablespoons garlic, minced

  2 tablespoons flour

  4 cups chicken broth

  2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 cup heavy cream

  1 pound lump crabmeat

  ¼ cup green onion, diced

  1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  Salt and pepper to taste

  In a 3-quart Dutch oven over low heat, melt 1 stick of butter. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for 3 minutes

  Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and mix well until a roux forms. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring constantly. The sauce will begin to thicken.

  Stir in the Cajun seasoning, salt and heavy cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the crabmeat, green onion and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil

  8 Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered

  1 head of garlic

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  ½ cup milk

  4 tablespoons butter

  2 teaspoons salt

  1 teaspoon pepper

  2 tablespoons truffle oil

  In a large stockpot with 4-6 cups of water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender. Drain potatoes in a colander and return to pot.

  While the potatoes are boiling, cut the top of the garlic head off and place entire head in tinfoil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the garlic, milk, butter, remaining salt and pepper to the potatoes and blend using a hand mixer. Stir in the truffle oil and serve.

  **Grilled Cheese 3 ways**

  Southern Grilled Cheese

  Oil for frying, approximately 5-6 cups

  1 cup yellow cornmeal

  1 cup flour

  1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

  2 eggs

  ½ cup milk

  2 green tomatoes

  8 slices sourdough bread

  1 cup mayonnaise

  Pimiento cheese (click here)

  8 slices bacon, cooked

  In a deep fryer, heat oil to 350 degrees. Combine the cornmeal, flour and Cajun seasoning in one bowl and whisk together the eggs and milk in another bowl. Slice each tomato into 4 slices, discarding the ends. Dredge each slice into the egg mixture and then into the cornmeal mixture. Place 2-3 slices at a time in the oil and fry for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

  Spread 4 slices of the sourdough bread with mayonnaise. Spread the other 4 slices with pimiento cheese, then top with 2 slices of fried green tomato and 2 slices of bacon, then top with the 4 slices of bread with mayonnaise. After the sandwich is assembled, spread mayonnaise on the outside of the bread to cover. Place in a skillet over medium heat and cook while gently pressing for 1-2 minutes on each side.

  Pimiento Cheese

  1 jar pimientos, undrained

  1 (8 ounce) block sharp yellow cheddar, shredded

  1 (8 ounce) block sharp white cheddar, shredded

  1 tablespoon garlic powder

  ¾ cup mayonnaise

  Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

  Italian Grilled Cheese

  8 slices crusty Italian bread

  1 (8 ounce) jar basil pesto

  8 slices sandwich-style pepperoni

  2 balls fresh mozzarella, sliced

  1 (8 ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained

  2 tablespoons butter

  Spread each slice of bread with 2 teaspoons of basil pesto. Top 4 slices of the bread with 2 slices of pepperoni, 2 slices of mozzarella, 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomatoes and top with remaining 4 slices of bread. After the sandwich is assembled, spread butter on the outside of the bread. Place in a skillet over medium heat and cook while gently pressing for 1-2 minutes on each side.

  French Grilled Cheese

  4 large croissants, sliced lengthwise in half

  1 jar pepper jelly (click here)

  8 slices deli smoked turkey breast

  1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced

  1 (8 ounce) round of Brie cheese

  2 tablespoons butter

  Spread each croissant halve with about 2 tablespoons or so of pepper jelly. Top 4 croissant halves with 2 slices of turkey, 3 slices of apple, 2-3 slices of Brie and top with remaining 4 croissant halves. Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat and cook all 4 croissants for 1-2 minutes on each side, pressing gently.

  Pepper Jelly

  2 cups fresh hot peppers (jalapeno and cayenne), pureed

  2 cups fresh bell peppers (green, red or yellow), pureed

  5 cups sugar

  1 cup apple cider vinegar

  1 pouch liquid pectin

  12 4-ounce jelly jars or 6 8-ounce jelly jars

  Red or Green food coloring (optional)

  In a large saucepan, mix first 4 ingredients together and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 10 minutes. While the mixture is boiling, add the liquid pectin and stir continuously for 1 minute. Ladle the mixture into the jelly jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Apply caps and let jelly stand in refrigerator until set, about 12 hours, or transfer to your pressure cooker to seal for a longer shelf life.

  If you are not using a pressure cooker to seal the jars, the jam must stay refrigerated. Refrigerated jams are good for about 3 months. Sealed jars have a shelf life of about 18 months to 2 years.

  Simon and Chelsea “Reservation for Two”

  Simon Weston strode through the private lift doors and into the gorgeous penthouse he shared with his wife, Chelsea. He glanced around and noticed the flowers on the table in the front hall. They weren’t the usual weekly arrangements he had delivered. Those were selected strictly for beauty and color and to match the décor.

  These were different. The bouquet was smaller, with seven red tulips and some lovely greenery.

  He had to smile because he was sure the florist had been surprised at the order of exactly seven tulips and not an even dozen. Of course, the florist they used likely wasn’t used to Russians and their superstitions about flowers.

  Simon could read the language of those flowers like a book. The red was for passion, for love. The tulips had been selected to commemorate their first trip together as a married couple. They’d gone to the Netherlands, touring through the countryside and staying at some of the most romantic inns. At first Chelsea had been fidgety without her computer, but then that was the point of him selecting the countryside for their honeymoon. He’d wanted her to himself. After a few days, she’d relaxed and they’d enjoyed walking together and seeing the fields of tulips.

  The number was simply because Russians did not purchase even numbers of flowers for anything but funerals.

  He frowned and checked his phone. Had he forgotten an anniversary? He was usually the one to remind her. His wife was a fascinating woman. He never tired of her complexity and loved trying to figure out how her brilliant brain worked, but he had gotten used to the fact that she often was so busy solving some Agency problem that s
he forgot things like anniversaries.

  Chelsea worked for the CIA. She tended to lose herself in the dark games the Agency played. Oh, there was no doubt that the work she did helped keep the country safe, but he worried she would fall back into the power games she’d played before they married. Chelsea’s darkness sometimes glimmered on the edges of her new happiness. Sometimes he worried he would lose her to it, and he had no idea how he would handle that.

  Chelsea had become his whole world.

  He smelled something wonderful and his worry ratcheted way up. Chelsea didn’t cook. They had a chef who prepared meals for them for the week, but Simon was the one who followed Chef’s careful instructions on how to heat his handiwork and prep it for a meal.

  Chelsea tended to burn toast.

  It wasn’t his birthday. Their anniversary was a month away. Why on earth would his wife be cooking?

  Or perhaps he should ask other questions. Was it even his wife at all in the kitchen? Given her work, it could be some insane assassin who got hungry in the middle of his kill.

  That was his real fear. Chelsea was reckless. She was always on the Dark Web, always dealing with the world’s worst human beings in order to do her job.

  She wasn’t at her computer. She had a big setup with several systems in the front office. It was where he always found her. He would walk in after a long day at work and he would brush back her hair and kiss the nape of her neck. Sometimes he would simply lift her up and into his arms and carry her back to bed.

  He loved those times. He would make love to her. They would play and then he would make their dinner and spend hours lavishing his affection on her. Their evenings would be spent playing games together or he would read while she watched TV. They were happy simply being in the same room together.