“Nobody else around?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
He shook his head and smirked. “We’re all alone.”
Trying to act like his flirting wasn’t affecting me, I hitched myself up onto the counter opposite his workspace and folded my arms. Looking around, I knew it must have cost a pretty penny to do the place up, not to mention the rents in London weren’t cheap. Though I didn’t suspect he’d used dirty money to fund the new business. Selling the garage would’ve left him with more than enough to start over.
“So how’s everything been going? You had any old acquaintances sniffing around?”
“No, and if they’re smart, they’ll steer clear. A couple of the boys who used to work for me wanted to go clean, too, so I gave them jobs here. If anyone comes trying for a protection racket, they’ll be shown where the door is.”
“That’s good. Do you expect they will?”
Lee shook his head. “Spent years building up a certain reputation, Karla. If anyone tries messing with this place or me, they’ll have to be dumb as fuck.”
I let out a breath and braced my hands on the edge of the counter. “Well, I’m glad to hear it, but if you ever have any problems, let me know. So, what are you making?”
He motioned to the ingredients. “Isn’t it obvious? Tacos.”
“I love tacos.”
He smirked. “Me, too.”
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help smiling. Lee went to wash his hands and then returned, throwing some minced beef into the pan and mixing in a few spices. I found it strangely relaxing to watch him cook, and my stomach was rumbling by the time he was finished. He set three tacos on a plate for me and pulled up a stool.
“Okay, so each one has a different spice mix in the beef. Tell me which one you like best.”
I grinned, enjoying myself. “The second one is best. I like the smokiness,” I told him after I’d tasted all three.
“Yeah?” Lee asked, his eyes lighting up with interest. “What about number three? I tried a pinch of cardamom just for shits and giggles.”
“It’s good, but not as good as the second.”
He stood before me, his arms folded. “Okay, I’ll take your word for it. Now we move onto my béarnaise sauce recipe. I’ll make mini-steaks to go with it.” He tried to take my plate, but I pushed his hands away.
“Hey! I’m not finished yet.”
Lee chuckled and raised his hands in surrender. “No need to bite my head off. I just thought you might get full.”
“Ha! I’m a cop. I’m never full.”
“This is true. I should see about frying you up some donuts.”
I narrowed my gaze, still chewing. “Don’t be a dick.”
“You want my dick? Whoa, ease up there, serg. I’m not a piece of meat.” His cheeky wink held pure mischief as he bent to pull a pot out of the cupboard.
I scowled playfully at his comment, slightly annoyed by how easily he could get to me, and honestly, feeling a little turned on now that he’d switched up the conversation. I watched as he began melting butter in a saucepan and adding shallots. Already the smell was heavenly, and he hadn’t even put in the other ingredients yet. When he got some melted butter on his thumb, he stuck it in his mouth to suck it off, and without even realising it, I was clenching my thighs at the visual. When the steam made him too hot, he lifted his T-shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow, exposing his abs. I swear, if anyone ever decided to make a cookery show about Lee, they’d get top ratings.
I put down my empty plate and took a sip of water. Yes, because I was thirsty, but also because I was too warm.
“The sauce looks great,” I told him, and he glanced up.
“Yeah? You should come over again tomorrow. I’m makin’ a Ruby Murray.”
“Oh, my God, you’re such a Cockney sometimes.” I mock-cringed.
Lee grinned impishly. “You don’t like it?”
“Danny Dyer doesn’t really do it for me.”
“You lie. All the ladies love a bit of the Danny. They want him to take them down the rub-a-dub and dip his Hampton Wick in their Morris Minors.”
I almost wheezed, I laughed so hard. “That’s truly awful. Please don’t ever talk dirty to me in Cockney again. It’ll put me off sex for life.”
Lee was laughing too, his face handsome as he raised his hands. “Okay, understood. We wouldn’t want to put you off sex.”
“And why’s that?” I asked, suddenly feeling flirtatious.
“Because you get the orgasm version of hangry. If I don’t make you come, you’re in a right mood.”
“Shut up! That’s not true.”
“Happened a few times, Snap,” he asserted teasingly.
“Oh, you’re a little liar.” My expression showed my annoyance, and he looked pleased as punch that he was riling me. Clearly, that had been his intention all along.
After we ate the mini steaks, and I told Lee which version of his béarnaise recipe I preferred, he grabbed two beers from the fridge and brought me upstairs where there was a rooftop terrace. It was only a two-story building, so you couldn’t exactly see for miles, but it was still nice. The weather was mild, and the sky was starting to darken.
Lee popped open the bottles, handed one to me, and took a long swig of his own. We sat side by side on folding chairs, our feet propped up on an old wooden bench.
“I like it here,” I said, breaking the quiet.
“Yeah? I’m gonna get some of those funky coloured lights and hang them over the fencing, set up a few outdoor heaters and get some deck furniture. Make a nice little outdoor dining area.”
“Sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into it.”
“If you’re gonna do something, might as well do it right,” said Lee, tipping his bottle to mine.
“I’ll drink to that.”
We sat in quiet for a few minutes, letting the nighttime city noises wash over us. Lee had pulled his chair up close to mine, so our shoulders were only inches apart.
My hair was up in a ponytail and my old T-shirt hung lazily off one shoulder. I was vaguely aware of a feathery sensation before realising it was Lee’s lips brushing just below my hairline. Letting out a low sigh, I tilted my head farther to the side to grant him more access.
“You know I love you, right?” he whispered, shocking me out of my reverie. My heart pounded, and I momentarily lost the ability to breathe. He’d told me he loved me once, while drunk beyond belief, but this was different. This time I knew it was true. Emotion clogged my throat, blocking my voice, and I felt wetness prick at my eyes.
“I know,” I finally managed to whisper.
“I understand if you can’t say it back yet. I just wanted to tell you how I feel.”
Involuntarily my mouth dropped open as I stared him. How could he ever think I didn’t feel just as strongly for him as he did for me?
“Lee,” I said, my voice scratchy, “I know I never admitted it, but I started falling for you a long time ago. It was impossible not to.”
I saw him hesitate, his face stoic as he watched me. I knew what he was waiting for. He needed me to say the words. After a moment that felt like forever, I managed to muster the courage.
“I love you, too,” I said, and he reached over to caress my cheek.
“Yeah?” he asked, his eyes searching mine like I might change my mind between one second and the next.
“Yeah,” I whispered.
In quick succession, he took both our bottles and set them down on the bench. Then he was back, his mouth devouring my neck, kissing and nipping in a way that sent tremors throughout my entire body. How was it that a few carefully placed kisses could reduce me to a quivering, breathless pile of need?
Lee tugged me over to sit on his lap, dragging my mouth to his and kissing me with a relaxed, confident sort of urgency. The spot between my legs ached to be touched while his erection dug into my hip. Before I knew it, I was straddling him, and he’d pulled the tie from my hair, letting the strands fall around my shoulders.