by Lexi Blake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot over low heat stir together the berries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Simmer for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Roll out 2 pie crusts and place one in a 9 x 13-inch greased baking dish to cover the sides and bottom. Pour the berry mixture into the dish and spread to cover entire dish. Place the second pie crust on top and pinch together the sides with the bottom crust. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 25 minutes.
Kahlua Brownies with Coffee Whipped Cream
1 box brownie mix
3 eggs
¼ cup water
½ cup oil
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup Kahlua
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure coffee extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the brownie mix, eggs, water and oil with a hand mixer. Stir in chocolate chips and pour into a 9 x 9-inch greased baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes and remove from oven.
Using a fork, pierce holes in the top of the brownies and pour the Kahlua over the entire surface. Allow to sit for 30 minutes while the brownies soak up the Kahlua.
While the magic is happening, using a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Dissolve the instant coffee in 1 tablespoon of hot water and add to the whipped cream along with the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and pure coffee extract. Stir to combine. Cut the brownies into squares and top with coffee whipped cream.
Eric and Deena - Closing Time
Eric Vail inspected the kitchen with a discerning eye. Everything in the Top kitchen looked perfect, every single pot and pan gleaming.
There was no real reason for him to wait.
“Everything looks perfect, guys. Thanks for the work tonight.” He nodded to his small staff. Well, they were really Sean Taggart’s staff, but Chef had some mysterious meeting tonight.
Of all nights. It was his last one working here at Top. Oh, he supposed he really wasn’t moving so far. He was heading up the new Top in Fort Worth, but still, he’d been here from the beginning. He would be thirty miles away and would only occasionally see these guys he’d worked with every day for three years. He’d kind of hoped someone would miss him. Maybe invite him out for a beer to say good-bye. Nothing. It had been a perfectly normal night. No one had even mentioned it was his last night as Top Dallas’s sous chef.
Javier held out a hand. Javi was taking his place, moving up in the world. “Chef, it’s been a pleasure. Give ’em hell in Fort Worth.”
Ben, one of the line chefs, shook his head. “Is it your last night? Dude, I totally forgot.”
He’d hired Ben, brought him in, and started him as a busboy. He’d been smart and quick and within a month, he’d moved up to making salads. Eric had taken him and a few others under his wing. It kind of hurt.
Still, he put on a smile and shook Javi’s hand. “It is. I’m going to miss this place.”
Ben slapped him on the back. “We’ll miss you, too, Chef. ’Night. Come on, Javi. We’ve got some tequila that needs drinking.”
Javi looked back at him almost apologetically. “Sorry to cut out on you, but we really do have some plans.”
Those plans would almost certainly have hips and breasts. Javi was the resident player. He was showing Ben all his bad habits. “No problem. Have fun. Can you lock up the front of house for me?”
Javi nodded. He had a key because he was often the first one in. He did a good deal of the early prep work for the night. He would go out and party until the wee hours of the morning and then be back at Top by two in the afternoon. “Will do. You lock up the back. Thanks for everything, Eric. I mean it. It’s been a good ride, brother.”
A few of the others also came up and shook his hand, but no one offered to hang around or to have him come along.
One by one they left and he was alone in the kitchen.
Damn, he really would miss this place. This was the place where he’d started his life over. After he’d left the Navy, he’d floated around from restaurant to restaurant, learning new skills. But then he’d found Chef Taggart and known this was a man he could truly follow. Known this was his place. Right here in this kitchen he’d decided on his path.
And he’d met her.
“Hey, Chef, you need a ride?”
Oh, he wouldn’t miss her. His wife. He turned and there she was, as pretty as the first day he’d met her. Deena Holmes Vail was a petite, curvy brunette with blue eyes that always seemed to have a spark of amusement in them. She was perpetually amused with the world around her and he loved her light. “I could use one. How was your day?”
She smiled brilliantly and eased her purse on the counter. “I had a great day. I’ve got everything lined up for the soft open in eight weeks. We’ll start hiring on Saturday and training the week after that. I’ve got a ton of design things for you to decide on, but it can wait until tomorrow. Why aren’t we going out with the crew?”
They’d done it a hundred times before they’d gotten married. He and Deena had spent plenty of time together in the clubs and bars the staff frequented after hours. They would all sit together and drink cheap beer and eat pub grub. They would laugh about their nights and bond over all the shit they had to go through.
He had to face the fact that becoming the executive chef of his own place meant he wouldn’t be one of the guys again. Still, it would have been nice to have one more night.
He wasn’t going to put that burden on her. “I wanted to spend all my time with you, baby. Come here.”
He might be able to have one more memory of this place. It occurred to him that everyone was gone and Top was his to close up. One last time.
She gave him a brilliant smile. “Oh, I’ll come over there. Tiffany sent me a text though. I think she wants us to go out with her.”
Tiffany had left an hour before, along with Ally and her husband, Macon. They hadn’t even said good-bye to him. He wasn’t going to dwell on that. He was going to do what he always did. When life got tough, he focused on the one thing that mattered. Her.
“Take off your blouse, pet.” He made his voice deep and dark, the same voice he used on her when they were at Sanctum or playing at a friend’s place. His dungeon voice. His Dom voice.
He watched as she took a deep breath and her nipples puckered. He could see that because she was wearing a thin silk blouse and likely a delicate, lacy confection of a bra. Her pretty nipples made the faintest impressions on her shirt, but he knew those breasts intimately. He knew how they felt in his hands, how they tasted in his mouth.
He’d worshipped this woman a thousand times and would continue to do so as long as his body could handle it. He intended to be on top of her when they were old and gray. They would embarrass the hell out of their grandkids because they were going to be passionate even when they needed walkers.
“Eric, we should go home,” she said, her voice already a little breathless.
But he wanted one last memory of this place. “Was that an option I gave you, pet? I don’t recall.”
She turned a lovely shade of pink. “It’s the kitchen.”
“And I’ll clean up when we’re done.” If he’d thought it would truly bother her, he would have packed up and hustled her home, but she was merely being her own cautious self. She needed affirmation that it was all right to indulge. “Everyone’s gone. Javier just locked up and we’re the only ones in the place right now. I want one more memory here. This is where I found you. This is where my real life began. Come tomorrow, we’ll have a new home, but I’ll always remember here. I’ll always remember that first moment I saw you.”
Her hands went to the buttons on her blouse, her eyes shimmering. “You know exactly what to say, Vail.”
“Excuse me?” If they were playing, he wanted a diff
erent name.
Her lips curled up as her hands moved down the blouse, revealing all that beautiful skin. “Master. I would love to play with you here one last time, but you should know I fully intend to christen the new restaurant, and I’m not talking about hitting it with a bottle of champagne.”
Oh, they would definitely take care of that. “Good, because you know Sebastian flips out when someone wastes champagne. How about a little role-play?”
She folded the blouse and then deftly unhooked her bra. Her breasts came into view, the nipples tight little buds that begged for his attention. “I believe you asked to see me about my performance, Chef. I swear I worked very hard to get those appetizers out while they were still hot.”
He was the one getting hot. He needed this. Tomorrow would bring a new adventure and it would take all his focus and concentration. She would be with him. His wife was coming along and she would handle the business, but there would still be so much hard work ahead.
He let it all go. This was exactly what they would have to come back to again and again. While they worked together all day, he would ensure they came back together at night. She would move from location to location, handling publicity and business. He would listen to her and let her handle all the things she was so very good at, but then at night, he would be in charge. He would take that pressure off her and remind her of how well he could love her.
He reached out and found a good-sized spatula. He slapped it hard against his palm. It made a nasty smacking sound that had her skin flushing a pretty pink shade. Yes, it would do. “Deena, I believe I mentioned that the customers complained. I don’t think you moved quickly enough. You know I have very exacting standards for anyone who works under me.”
She bit her bottom lip. “Please, Chef. Don’t fire me. I love working under you. I wouldn’t ever want to work under anyone else.”
She never would. He intended to keep her forever, but this was play and he knew his part.
“I’m going to have to think about it,” he said, his voice deep.
“Please, Chef. There has to be something I can do to make up for it.” One elegant hand ran up to her neck as though she was truly anxious about her chances to keep her precious job. “I would really be willing to do anything. Anything at all.”
That same hand brushed over her collarbone and then down to her chest.
“I think we can come to some sort of arrangement, but I’m going to have to make sure you can properly do your job.” He strode over to where they stored the large serving trays. Deena had started out as a hostess here at Top. He’d watched her petite form carry heavy trays many times before. She was more than capable, but this was a game. He pulled the tray clear. “You are to hold this at a proper height. Servers should look elegant and graceful as they carry dinner to our patrons. You should be able to do this even when there are distractions.”
She nodded eagerly. “Yes, Chef. I can do it. I’ll prove it to you.”
She held up her hand at the proper height, allowing him to place the tray there. It was heavy enough, but she was used to handling the thing when it was laden down, so he knew he could get some play in before it truly bothered her.
“I’ll have to test you. Let’s begin with a stationary test. You are to stand there and not tilt the tray. I’m placing a bowl on top. If you waver, the bowl will fall and you’ll be punished.” He pulled down a large metal mixing bowl and placed it in the middle of the tray she held. “Do you understand?”
The way she held the tray forced her shoulders back, leaving her breasts beautifully thrust up toward him. “I do, Chef. I’m going to do everything I can to prove I can do this.”
He was going to do everything he could to push her to the point that he got to punish her. His punishment would bring them both incredible pleasure. “Excellent. Your test begins now. Let me go over some of the finer points of this job you want to keep.”
He moved behind her, inspecting the body he loved so well. He’d kissed and loved every inch of her and knew he would never get enough. He drew her hair back, brushing it over her shoulder so he could see the nape of her neck. “When you’re in the dining room, you wear your hair in a bun. You will keep your uniform neat and professional looking. Your shoes will be comfortable and clean. Your uniform will be modest, as the food is what shines here at Top.”
“Yes, Chef. I am very good at keeping my appearance professional. I make sure of it.”
“Ah, but you’re going to have to take the closing shift for a while. You’ll be working with me until such time as I am assured you can truly do your job.”
“Of course. I’ll stay clean and professional all day and even late into the night.”
“Ah, but the minute the restaurant closes, your uniform is going to have to change. During service hours, you are to serve your customers.”
“But there aren’t any customers after hours?” She sounded so beautifully naïve. His wife enjoyed role-play and she certainly excelled at it. “What will I do?”
“After hours, you will serve me.” He let his hand drift until he covered her left breast. “When the doors are locked and the staff has finished cleaning and gone home, you will begin your second shift.”
He felt her sigh, her breast lifting against his palm.
“What will my uniform be for my second shift, Chef?”
He leaned over so she would be able to feel the heat of his breath on her skin. “You will undress and wear absolutely nothing except a pair of high heels and any jewelry I see fit to give you.”
“Jewelry?”
He cupped her other breast and started to play with her nipples. “Yes, but nothing like a necklace. I’ll have you wear your jewels to show off your femininity. I’ll buy you jewels for your nipples.”
She gasped as though surprised. “Chef, I don’t understand. How would I wear jewels on my nipples?”
It gave him the perfect excuse to roll the buds between his thumbs and forefingers. “Well, Deena, I will have to attach them to a clamp and then tighten it around each nipple until we’re sure it won’t fall off. The teeth of the clamp will bite into your sweet flesh and these buds will get dark pink before I’m done. The jewels will dangle off you and they’ll make your tits sensitive. You’ll ache, but nothing like the ache you’ll get when I ease them off and the blood flows back.”
The tray in her hand was still perfectly steady. “Oh, Chef. That sounds like it will hurt. I don’t know if I’ll like it.”
She would. She did. He loved making her squirm and moan. “I’ll make sure you like it. If you’re very good, I’ll ease that pain.”
“How will you do that?”
Oh, he would show her. He tweaked her nipples hard, pinching down on them. She shuddered and for the first time the bowl wobbled. Her back arched and she sighed against him. “Did that hurt?”
“It did at first, but I liked it. It made me feel warm.”
“When I clamp you, it will hurt at first, but then you’ll like how the jewels tug on your breasts. You’ll show them off to me. When I command you to move, they’ll sway and jiggle and they’ll please me. You want to please me, right?”
“Oh, yes, Chef. You’ll be the one I’m serving. My whole job will be about pleasing you in any way you prefer. After hours, I’ll be yours. My breasts will be yours.”
He licked the shell of her ear. His cock was already straining against his slacks. “I think you’ll please me quite well.”
He tugged on her breasts again, twisting them harder and making her squeal. Somehow she managed to hold the tray up. “Let me show you how I’ll soothe those nipples after I’ve tortured them.”
“Please, Chef. I want to know.”
He moved from behind her, allowing his hands to brush along her body. He felt the sweet curves of her ass under her skirt. He dropped to his knees when he was in front of her. His wife was petite to his tall, and that placed her breasts right where he wanted them. He could also see that her arm was wavering a bit. He
wanted that, too. It was time to shake her up a bit.
“After I pull off the clamps, I’ll do this to ease your pain.” He leaned over and sucked her nipple into his mouth. He whirled his tongue around the bud, letting her feel the barest edge of his teeth before moving to her other breast.
He could feel her body begin to shiver as he lavished affection on her breasts. He licked her nipples, tonguing them over and over as he held on to her waist, forcing her to remain still as he had his treat. Better than any dessert. The only thing he loved to taste more than her breasts was her pussy.
He leaned back, staring up at her. Her gorgeous face had flushed and that tray was going to tip at any moment. Yes, he was going to win this game and then he would give them both the prize.
But it was obvious she needed a little more before she gave in.
“I can see you’ll serve me quite well, but there’s more to your duties. You know I spend my entire day cooking for others. At night, when the doors are closed, I need a treat, too. I’m afraid I’ll expect you to provide that for me.”
Her lips tugged up because she very likely knew what he was about to do. She seemed to remember her role and got serious again. “Yes, Chef. I’ll do whatever I need to do. I can cook a little. I’ll learn so I can please you.”
“Oh, that’s not the treat I’m looking for, pet. What I want, you don’t have to cook. All you have to do is get hot for me so I can lick up all your cream.”
Luckily, she was wearing a nice, flowy skirt. It made it easy to skim his hands up her legs. He felt her knees wobble and knew it wouldn’t be long. He didn’t bother to drag the skirt off. He simply shoved his head under it and let the scent of her arousal wash over him. Familiar and comforting, he loved the way his wife smelled. Like peaches and cream and a hint of spice he couldn’t call anything but Deena.
She wasn’t wearing any undies. “You seem to have forgotten your underwear, pet. Not that I’m complaining. You won’t be allowed any when it comes to your after-hours uniform.”