The Omega Team: Lethal Intent (Kindle Worlds Novella) (MacKay Destiny Book 7)
Page 10
“Jamie, we’d like you to join The Omega Team,” Grey continued. “Your skills as a drone pilot would be a valuable asset to the agency.”
“I, um….” He shook his head and shrugged, bewilderment creasing his brow. “I’m flattered by the offer.”
“Jamie owns a bakery, Grey,” she added. “He can’t just pick up and go on missions.” Not like she could…and would again. But she didn’t want to think about leaving him behind for months at a time while she flew to the ends of the earth.
“Not today. But Desserts du Jour is a big hit.” Grey chuckled. “It’ll grow. He’ll have to add more staff, one of whom could hold down the fort while he was gone…say to culinary conferences and meeting with chefs around the world.”
The corner of Jamie’s mouth twitched—the idea intrigued him. “Would I be attending these events alone?”
“Of course not. You’d need someone to make sure all your trips progressed smoothly.”
He lifted his gaze to hers, his bright blues twinkling. “Let me think about it.”
“Do that while you heal up. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. And be sure to ask Lily about the compensation package. I’m sure you’ll be more than pleased.”
“Will do.” Jamie rubbed his hand over his jaw. “Any word on Tariq Faraz?”
“Not much at this time. He’s in FBI custody, being psychologically evaluated while they try to determine how he fits into the big picture. It all depends on what they find.” Grey cleared his throat. “And William Harmon has returned to D.C. Though he’s on strict medical leave, he did make a direct call to me, requesting Jacquie do some digging on Faraz as well. Seems he was very impressed with her tech setup as well as her ability to use it.”
Lily touched her fingertips to her throat. Knowing the man who’d tortured Jamie and almost strangled her to death was in a secure facility helped her sleep at night.
Jangle-jing!
“Hate to cut this short,” Jamie said, “but I’ve got a customer.”
Grey chuckled. “Go. We’ll talk later.”
Lily smiled as she watched him exit the kitchen.
“It’s good that you’re happy, Lily.” Grey’s voice softened. “He’s a good man.”
“Yes, he is.” Her heart had never felt so full. “So you and Athena aren’t upset?”
“That you fell in love? No. You two make a good team. Which, actually, offers opportunities for different types of assignments in the future.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Good.” He cleared his throat. “All right, so I have to prepare for a client who will be here any moment, and you need to bake more cakes. Have you thought about introducing a guava turnover to your repertoire?”
“I have.” Guava turnovers were big in Cuban bakeries in Tampa, not to mention delicious. “I’ll send you one overnight. Get your thoughts.”
“I’ll hold you to it.”
The call ended just as Jamie and his cousins hustled into the kitchen. Reaching under the counter, Lily pulled out two boxes and set them on the table.
“Jamie said you wanted to talk to us?” Kat approached, her long black hair flowing over her shoulders.
“I did. It’s about your wedding cakes.”
“Nothing’s wrong, right?” Brigit’s eyes sparkled with determination. “Because my horoscope said something good would happen today, and when Jamie said you wanted to see us, I had a feeling—”
Kat elbowed her. “Hush. Let the woman talk.”
“As long as my blue velvet cake’s still on the table, I’m good.” She licked her lips.
“The cakes are fine,” Lily assured them. “With the wedding a month away, I thought we should discuss how to decorate them.”
Kat nodded. “Okay. What were you thinking?”
“Well, for yours, Kat, I imagined stacked rectangular cakes with a traditional basket weave on the sides with some other artsy touches. But the main focus would be a waterfall of red and pink roses with baby’s breath and leatherleaf down the front, all of it edible. And”—she pushed one of the boxes toward her—“this on top.”
Kat’s brow furrowed. “What’s this?”
She smiled. “Open it.”
“Ohhhh.” Kat removed a bright red fire truck with a bride and groom embracing on top.
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to use it. Or you may have had another cake topper in mind—”
“No!” A huge smile lit her face. “It looks just like the one Dante was driving when he came into town.”
Brigit snorted. “You mean the one where you two got down and dirty the first time?”
Kat’s cheeks pinkened. “Shut up.” She looked to Lily. “This is perfect. I don’t know how you did it, but thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
“My turn!” Brigit clapped her hands. “Do me. Do me.”
Lily laughed. “Okay, for yours, I’m thinking stacked oval cakes with puffs of spun sugar that look like clouds and a wide garland of airbrushed sugar paste flowers and deep-green cedar boughs with stargazer lilies as the main focus wrapped around the cake. All edible.”
“And on top?” The younger sister’s voice held anticipation.
“Maybe this?” She pushed the second box toward her.
“Oh wow!” She held clear platter with a helicopter on it and a motorcycle to the side. Between them stood a bride and groom twined together. “That looks just like Carter’s Harley. And look! The helo even has my tail number on it!” She turned the ensemble this way and that, inspecting it. “It’s…perfect. How did you do this?”
Lily shrugged. “I know a guy in New York.”
“You know a guy?” Jamie slipped his arm around her waist. “Should I be jealous?”
“He’s probably close to seventy, lives in the SoHo district, and still has all his own teeth, so….”
“I can’t compete.” He chuckled.
After Kat and Brigit left, the bakery got busy. Lily didn’t see much of Jamie until closing time that afternoon when he came to the kitchen with a bag from Gondola. After they ate, he swept her upstairs where he proceeded to worship her body from head to toe, kissing and stroking her in all the places she loved. His avid attention culminated in her screaming his name multiple times—which he appeared very pleased about. By the time they paused to catch their breath, nighttime had fallen.
She lay snuggled next to him, her leg draped over his and the sheets tangled around them. Warm and satisfied after their lovemaking, Lily toyed with the hair on his chest. “Have you thought anymore about Grey’s offer?”
“I have from the moment he made it.” His fingertips drew lazy circles on her back. “The bakery is doing great, and I guess I got some of Aunt Bethany’s genes because I’m surprised how much I enjoy running this place.”
“But?”
“But Grey’s offer sounds pretty interesting. I like the idea of helping people, making a difference. Which is why I got in the military to begin with…to make the world a safer place.”
She set her hand on his chest. His steady heartbeat thumpa-thumped against her palm. “The Omega Team isn’t all-consuming. There’s plenty of downtime. Grey’s right. You could do both if you wanted.”
“What about you?”
“Me?” She shrugged. “Omega’s my employer. Once I heal up, there’ll be another mission.”
“I don’t mean work.” He combed his fingers through her hair. “I mean us. Have you thought about making things more permanent?”
She giggled. “I already sleep here every night. Work in the bakery every day. All my stuff is here.”
“Is it? Don’t you have an apartment in New York?”
“Oh right.” That life seemed so far away. Was she ready to give it up, to let her apartment go?
He rose up on his elbow. “Let’s make this permanent, Lily. Move in with me.”
“Move in?”
“I know it seems fast, but I feel like we’ve known each oth
er forever.” He brushed his lips over hers, the familiar electric tingles rushing over her body. “I want all of you.”
“What about my job with The Omega Team?”
“I’m not asking you to give anything up. I want to know that this is where you’ll come after you complete a mission. Home. To me.” He trailed his fingers down her arm and over her hip. “Maybe I’ll take Grey up on his offer to work with you.” He kissed her again, deeper, his tongue caressing hers. “Move here to Cedar Valley,” he whispered in his deep, husky voice.
Desire wound through her. “I don’t know…. Making this my permanent home would mean filling out change of address forms.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled onto his back, bringing her on top of him, his need for her already nudging between her thighs. “Move to Cedar Valley, and I’ll fill them out for you.”
Pushing against his chest, she rose upright, straddling his hips, and stared down at the man who’d saved her life and owned her heart. Was she ready to let the last vestiges of her old life go? Was she ready to move forward? “Yes.”
Desserts du Jour
Bear Claws
Pastry:
1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 (12-ounce) can almond filling
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon, divided
6 Tbsp butter, softened
Glaze:
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
1/3 C toasted almonds slices
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Cut each pastry sheet into 9 (3-inch) squares. Place about 2 teaspoons almond filling onto one side of square and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Fold dough over and press edges to seal. Cut 4 slits about 1/2-inch apart along edge of dough then curve dough to resemble claws and place on baking sheets
In a small bowl, melt butter. Brush pastry tops with melted butter.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheets to a wire rack. Cool.
In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over pastries.
Garnish with toasted almond slices.
Yield: 18 Bear Claws
About the Author
Though born and raised in the south, L.J. Garland has lived on both the east and west coasts. She adores traveling, the latest adventures added to her Bucket List: Machu Pichu and Australia’s Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef.
Married to her best friend for over twenty-five years, she spends her time home schooling three rambunctious boys, editing in the epub industry, and writing stories that she hopes catches her readers’ imaginations as much as the characters and plotlines captivate her. In her spare time (what there is of it LOL), she has a multitude of hobbies, including building archery equipment from scratch and creating stained glass. She and her husband are both rated helicopter pilots and spent their 10th anniversary flying cross-country from East to West Coast—an adventure she highly recommends.
L.J. loves hearing from her readers! You can contact her at: LJGarland.author@gmail.com
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