Page 27 of Slow Simmer

Suzannah grimaced. “Shows how much I notice. I thought the two of them were quite close, which is why I suspected her.”

“Oh, Suzannah.”

She must have looked quite pitiful, because Carlo got up and rounded the desk, leaning down to pull her to her feet and then into his arms for a hug. He smelled good, Suzannah noted as she buried her face in his neck, like sugar and vanilla and almonds. Sweet and delicious.

“We’ll find out who’s doing this,” Carlo vowed, holding onto her tightly, one hand stroking her spine soothingly. “And then I’ll kick their ass.”

“I can’t trust anyone, and it’s a horrible feeling,” Suzannah mumbled, feeling tears prick at the back of her eyes. “Except you… because the sabotage started before you came.”

“I hope you’d know you can trust me even if it hadn’t,” Carlo said, but he understood Suzannah’s paranoia. There were so many ways to wreck a restaurant’s reputation by accident, never mind the mischief someone actively trying to sabotage them could get up to. Thinking about it, he frowned. “Have you told Luke?”

Suzannah nodded against his shoulder. “He’s arranging to have a couple more cameras installed, discreetly. The work will be done after midnight, when the kitchen is closed, so nobody knows about it.”

“Good plan.” She didn’t seem inclined to pull away, so Carlo kept on holding her, enjoying the way she was leaning trustingly against him. Tall and sturdy, she felt wonderful in his arms as her body curved into his embrace. His cock swelled to attention, and Carlo eyed Suzannah’s desk thoughtfully for a moment before putting the thought from his mind regretfully. They still had dinner to get through.

“We’d better get back to work,” Suzannah said, her tone reluctant as she echoed his thoughts.

“I know, but don’t for a moment think I don’t want to keep you in here and ravish you on your desk.” Deliberately, he made his tone light and teasing, and it had the desired result. Suzannah laughed, pulling back to look at him.

“Maybe later,” she said archly.

“Promises, promises.” Letting her go reluctantly, Carlo turned to the door, about to open it when her voice stopped him.

“I’m glad you’re here, Carlo.”

He turned to look back on her. Expression serious, she gazed at him steadily, but he saw the way her long, capable fingers twisted together.

“I am, too,” he said.

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