Master Bits & Mercenary Bites (Masters and Mercenaries)

by Lexi Blake

  Those times seemed few and far between lately since she worked more and more.

  Perhaps cooking this evening was her way of taking the night off, of spending some time with him.

  He started toward the kitchen and stopped when he heard a familiar and altogether unwelcome voice.

  “You’re sure this is what you want?” Mr. White was asking, his voice deep and perpetually serious.

  Ah, her CIA handler was here. Some of the others called him by his code name, Ezra Fain, but for Simon he would always be Mr. White. Though the man had helped out McKay-Taggart on several occasions, Simon couldn’t trust him fully. After all, Mr. White was the man who would put Chelsea in danger if he needed to. In the CIA’s game, White was the chess master and Chelsea was his queen.

  “I know what I’m doing,” his wife said. “This is what I’ve been working for. Trust me, Si is going to understand. He might not like it, but he’ll support me. He always does.”

  His heart clenched. What was she talking about? Was she finally going to take that job in DC the Agency was always pushing her to take? Or even worse, was she going to go out into the field? She talked about it from time to time. Now that she was physically fit and confident in herself, she often wondered whether or not she could be a good field operative.

  Was he about to lose his wife to the Agency?

  “Is that why you’re setting this elaborate trap?” her handler asked, amusement plain in his voice.

  “It’s not a trap. It’s dinner and I’ll burn it if you don’t stop bugging me.”

  “Oh, that is a big old trap,” Mr. White continued. “The food, your clothes, the soft music and romantic setting. It’s all one big trap so he’ll do what you want. Admit it. You’re not so sure he’s going to like this.”

  He heard her long sigh. “I will admit there are things about this plan he might not appreciate.”

  “What will you do if he says no?”

  “I’ll move forward anyway. We’re going to be fine even if he won’t come with me. Simon and I are solid. We’ll be okay.”

  He wouldn’t be okay if his wife was running around the globe playing the spy. Not that he hadn’t done it himself, but he hadn’t been married at the time. He hadn’t loved someone. He would spend every single day they were apart worried sick that something would happen to her.

  “If you say so,” White was saying. “You know that if you need anything, all you have to do is call.”

  He started to say something else, but he caught sight of Simon and his mouth shut suddenly. His face went a polite blank and he nodded Simon’s way. “Weston, I was just leaving.”

  Good, because the last thing he needed was to have to deal with the man who would send his wife into danger. “You know the way out.”

  Mr. White tipped his head and for a second, a shit-eating grin crossed his face. “Enjoy your evening, Weston.”

  He strode through to the kitchen where Chelsea was standing in front of the stove, her skin flushed. He also now understood what White had meant when he talked about her clothes. She normally wore comfortable clothes since she alternated between working in front of her computer screen and getting up and stretching or exercising. She started and ended the day with a yoga session that kept her once damaged legs loose and limber.

  She wouldn’t be doing yoga in that tight skirt. And the blouse she wore barely covered her pert breasts. She’d put her hair up and had heels on.

  She knew exactly how to dress to get his attention.

  “Hi, babe. How was your day?”

  He stared at her. “I don’t know. I think you’re about to tell me. It must be complicated if you felt the need to dress up and cook dinner.”

  She shook her head. “Oh, I didn’t cook. It’s Sean’s coq au vin. All I’m doing is heating it back up. And I got the wine dude to pick a good wine with it. He said a bunch of stuff about it bringing out the spices or something. It’s a pinot noir from some unpronounceable place. I think it’s French. It tastes pretty good.”

  She hurried to pour him a glass. It was atypical of his wife. She was almost never nervous. Chelsea took life with a shrug, always rolling with the punches. If she was this nervous, it had to be something she wanted very badly.

  Did she really need this? Did she need to get out there and see if she could make it the way her sister had? Chelsea was competitive as hell. She was surrounded by operatives. Did she need to see if she measured up?

  He took the glass from her. She was staring at him, an uncharacteristic plea on her face. He took a swig. He had to admit the “wine dude” knew his stuff. “It’s excellent. And dinner smells wonderful.”

  A relieved smile spread across her face. “Good. I’ve seen you order it before. I thought it would be good. Romantic. Well, if chicken is really romantic. Apparently if something’s French, it’s all kinds of romantic.”

  “Chelsea, what’s going on?” He needed to hear it from her.

  She reached for his hand. “Come on. The chicken stuff needs another few minutes, but I also got some spinach and artichoke hummus. It’s good.”

  She led him through to their rarely used formal dining room and something else her handler had said made sense. She’d decked it out with a crisp white tablecloth and their best china. The room was lit with soft candlelight.

  His heart ached because he wouldn’t be able to tell her no. If she’d worked so hard, this was something she needed.

  “It’s all right, love. Whatever you’re going to ask me, I’ll say yes to.” He had to trust her. He hadn’t married her because she was some quiet mouse who sat in the background, waiting to do her Master’s bidding. His wife was fierce, and that fierce heart had been why he’d fallen in love with her. He couldn’t ask her to change the very things he adored about her. “I love you and you’re right. We’ll be fine, you and I.”

  She stopped in front of him. “You don’t even know what I’m going to ask.”

  He touched her hair, brushing it back. “It doesn’t matter. If you need it, I’ll make sure you get it.”

  She went up on her toes, brushing her lips against his. “Have I ever told you how amazing you are, Weston? How my whole life changed when I made the very smart decision to not fight you at all?”

  He groaned but set down his glass because he needed to get his hands on her. “I don’t remember it quite that way. I do remember much moaning and complaining about my arrogance.”

  She shook her head. “Nope. I’m going to follow Satan on this one. You know Ian rewrites any bit of history that doesn’t make him look good. I can do the same. The way I remember it, I took one look and knew you were the right man for me.”

  “Such a brat.” It felt so good to have her in his arms. Perhaps when she came in from the field, this was what they should do. When she got time off, he would make sure they spent those precious moments together. He would ache when she was gone, but he wouldn’t let her see it. She’d spent the last few years close to him. If she needed to spread her wings, he would support her.

  Her nose wrinkled up. “Well, I did actually know you were the man I wanted. I simply had to find a way to convince myself I was good for you, too. I’m good for you, Weston. I want you to think about that because I don’t want some automatic yes from you. I want this to be good for you, too. I want to do this for us.”

  “Darling, I do want you to have the career you want. I understand how important your work is, but I can’t tell you I’m ever going to be happy with you going out into the field. I’ll handle it, but I can’t be happy you’re going to be in danger.” He couldn’t lie to her.

  Her eyes widened. “In the field?”

  “Yes, I overheard you talking to your handler.” He let his hands find her hips. He would need to spend a lot of time in bed with her between now and when she went to work.

  Her lips curled up in the sexiest grin. “You are a bad spy, Weston. I quit. That’s what I was talking to Ezra about. I put in my resignation because Adam and I are ready
to go with the facial recognition software and he’s asked me to come in as a partner on the missing persons business.”

  He went still. “You quit the Agency?”

  She nodded. “I quit the Agency. I need something more meaningful. A long time ago you told me I could be more. You told me I would be good at finding missing people and bringing them home to their loved ones. Well, it took me a while, but I do know good advice when I hear it.”

  Relief poured through him. He picked her up and hauled her into his arms, twirling her around. “Yes. Absolutely yes, darling. I’m thrilled.”

  He kissed her long and hard before setting her on her feet again.

  “I’m so glad to hear it because my paycheck just went down,” she admitted. “It might actually cost me to work with Adam and Jake in the beginning, but luckily I married Moneybags.”

  Money wasn’t a problem. He had plenty of family money and he’d invested his trust fund wisely. Neither of them had to work, but he was so happy she was going to be doing something he’d always known she was born to do. “I’m so proud of you, Chelsea.”

  His brave, brilliant wife.

  “Good.” She took a deep breath. “I’m glad you say that because I want you to join me.”

  “What?” Was she asking him what he thought she was?

  She bit her bottom lip and he realized this was what she truly wanted. This was why she’d set her trap. “I want you to quit McKay-Taggart and join me. Help me look for missing people. We’re going to offer our services to the cops and the feds and take lots of pro bono cases. We’re not totally leaving the gang behind. We’re leasing the floor beneath McKay-Taggart and we’ll work with them all the time. I know you love having Jesse as your partner, but I want you to be mine.”

  “You want me to work with you?”

  She took a step back, speaking quickly, as though she only had moments to convince him. “In the beginning, I’m going to travel a lot. Adam and Jake want to work from home, but someone needs to be out in the field. I want to do it, Si. I want to get out there and really work the cases. I spent years too scared to meet people and see the world. I hid behind a computer screen, but I’m more than a keyboard jockey. I can do this, but I don’t want to without you.”

  His heart welled. This was what she could be. She could be a hero. She could change the world for the better. This was what he’d always seen in her. “Yes.”

  “I know you don’t want to leave Jesse behind, but I’ve heard rumors he wants to take more of a training role on so he can be home with Phoebe. I think Ian was going to split you up anyway so you could mentor the younger operatives.” The words came out of her mouth quickly before she seemed to finally hear him. “Yes?”

  He nodded. How could she think for a second this wasn’t what he’d always wanted? “Absolutely, yes. I would love to be your partner.”

  She jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Oh, thank you. I couldn’t stand to be away from you any more than I already am. I want to be with you, Si. I want to see the world with you and help people with you. Always with you.”

  He held her close. “Always.”

  He lifted her up into his arms. Dinner could wait. He had some celebrating to do. “Of course, you understand that I’m the senior partner.”

  Her eyes widened. “Wait a minute, mister. I never said that.”

  He strode back to the bedroom. It looked like they had some negotiating to do. That was all right. He knew just how to make her happy.

  Coq Au Vin

  4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

  1 (5-6 pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

  2 cups baby shitake mushrooms, sliced

  1 Vidalia onion, diced

  1 tablespoon garlic, minced

  4 sprigs fresh thyme

  1 tablespoon flour

  1 tablespoon butter

  1 cup dry red wine (I use Pinot Noir)

  1 cup chicken broth

  Salt and pepper to taste

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 3-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, leaving bacon fat in the Dutch oven.

  Salt and pepper the chicken on all sides. Increase the temperature to high and place 4 pieces of chicken, skin side down in the Dutch oven. Brown chicken on both sides for 3-4 minutes then remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining 4 pieces of chicken.

  Drain the bacon fat except for about 1 tablespoon. Over low heat, add the mushrooms, onion, garlic and thyme and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Add the flour and butter and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Pour in the wine and chicken broth and bring to a boil while scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Boil for 5 minutes. Place the chicken in the Dutch oven and cover with lid. Bake for 1 hour.

  Transfer chicken to a large platter and reduce wine sauce by half over low heat, about 6-8 minutes. Pour over chicken and serve.

  Pasta Primavera

  1 zucchini, thinly sliced

  1 yellow squash, thinly sliced

  1 cup button mushrooms, thinly sliced

  1 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

  1 tablespoon garlic, minced

  1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

  ¼ cup olive oil

  1 pound linguine

  1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

  ½ cup chicken broth

  Salt and pepper to taste

  1 cup grated Parmesan

  Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss together the zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, onions, garlic, Italian seasoning and oil until coated. Spread out on a large cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

  While the vegetables are roasting, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Toss with roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes and chicken broth until combined. Salt and pepper to taste and top with grated Parmesan.

  The Perfect Steak with Blue Cheese Garlic Compound Butter

  1 tablespoon salt

  1 tablespoon pepper

  1 tablespoon garlic powder

  1 tablespoon onion powder

  1 tablespoon paprika

  1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  4 (12-14 ounce) ribeye steaks, 1½-inch thick

  4 tablespoons butter, softened

  1 tablespoon oil

  8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened

  1 tablespoon garlic, minced

  ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled

  1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

  Blue Cheese Garlic Compound Butter:

  Combine 8 tablespoons of butter, the minced garlic, blue cheese and parsley in a small bowl and mix together with a fork until well combined. Place the compound butter on a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a log shape, sealing the ends tightly with a twist. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until steak is ready to serve. Slice a ½-inch disk of butter and place on top of each steak.

  Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and cayenne pepper. Spread evenly over all 4 steaks. Allow the steaks to marinate and reach room temperature, about 30 minutes.

  Spread 1 tablespoon of butter on each steak, making sure to cover both sides. Heat a large cast iron skillet to high heat on a stove top. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to cover the base of the skillet. Place 2 steaks in the skillet to sear. You should immediately hear a sizzling noise and see smoke. This will ensure a perfect sear. Sear each side for 2 minutes, then, using tongs, sear each edge for 30 seconds. Set steaks aside and repeat this process with the remaining 2 steaks.

  Place all 4 steaks in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees for medium rare. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

  Osso Buco

  2 pounds veal shanks, cut into short lengths

  ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  ¼
cup butter

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  1 large onion, chopped

  1 large carrot, chopped

  ⅔ cup dry white wine

  1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

  ⅔ cup beef stock

  Salt and pepper to taste

  Dust the veal shanks lightly with flour. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium. Add the veal, and cook until browned on the outside. Remove to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

  Add the minced garlic and onion to the skillet; cook and stir until onion is tender. Return the veal to the pan and mix in the carrots and wine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and beef stock, and season with salt and pepper.

  Cover and place in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1½ hours. The meat should be tender, but not falling off the bone.

  Mixed Berry Shortcake

  1 cup strawberries, sliced

  ½ cup blueberries

  ½ cup blackberries

  1 cup sugar

  1 tablespoon lemon juice

  2 cups biscuit mix (I use Bisquick)

  3 tablespoons sugar

  1 teaspoon salt

  8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter

  1 cup buttermilk

  1 (8 ounce) container whipped cream, thawed

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together the berries, sugar and lemon juice until the fruit is covered and the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and allow the sugar to form a syrup.

  In a large bowl, stir together the biscuit mix, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Stir in the buttermilk until well combined.

  On a greased cookie sheet, drop 3 tablespoons of batter per shortcake until all batter is used. (An ice cream scoop works well.) This will make about 12 shortcakes. Sprinkle shortcakes with the remaining sugar and bake for 15 minutes.