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“Winston, sit your ass down.” Lisa giggled, slipping on oven mitts. “I said you’re not bothering me. Don’t be silly.”
He sat on the stool by the kitchen counter, nostrils perking up at the aroma of chocolate and caramel. “What are you making?”
“Chocolate caramel brownies.” She got the tray out the oven and set it on the stove.
Winston hopped from the stool. “O.M.G.”
Lisa laughed. “Not every day a grown man speaks in teenage girl text speech.”
“Ooh. I’m definitely staying now.”
“Wait until I cut into them.” Lisa got the knife. “I love brownies when they’re so hot they’re falling apart.”
“You too?” Winston salivated. “I used to toss my mom out the way like a linebacker and snatch the brownies before she got them out the oven.”
They laughed.
Lisa cut the brownie into individual squares, caramel gushing out the center of each one.
“Look at that. Damn, Lisa.”
She put one on a saucer and handed it to him with a fork. “Careful, it’s steaming.”
Winston sunk his fork into the gooey thickness and blew on it. “If this tastes half as good as it looks...” He tasted the treat. “Oh.” He chewed, eyes going in the back of his head. “Lisa.” His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, hindering his speech. “This is incredible.”
“I can’t understand a word you said.” She laughed, getting her own piece. “I take it they’re good.”
“Fantastic.” He licked chocolate crumbs off his teeth. “You’ve really taken to baking since you moved in with Jake.”
They sat at the counter.
“Jake always said cooking made him feel alive, and I discovered baking does the same for me.” She ate some of her brownie. “Damn, I put my foot in this, didn’t I?” She laughed, licking the fork. “So, is there a reason you showed up unannounced?”
“Sorry I didn’t call first.”
“I’m just joking.” She patted his shoulder on the way to the refrigerator to get milk. “You and Dee are welcome any time. What’s up?”
Winston struggled to swallow the chocolate and caramel, which had turned into concrete in his mouth. “Kinda awkward that I keep coming to you when I have issues with Dee since she’s your best friend and—”
“Oh, jeez.” Lisa poured milk into two Scooby Doo cups. “What did Miss Dee Dee do this time?”
Before he choked, Winston grabbed a cup of milk and drank. “Ah.” He wiped his milk mustache. “She threw me off again.”
“Okay, Dee made another misstep?” Lisa put the milk in the fridge and sat on the stool. “You gotta be patient with her. You’re the first long-term relationship she’s had in a long time. I don’t even count Grayson since she wanted you when she was with him. What did she do?”
“Has she told you about Jonathan Wild?”
She sipped milk. “Hm-mm.”
“Sounds like she’s been talking about him a lot.”
“She’s confused concerning him.”
Winston chewed the brownie. “He kissed her today.”
Lisa gaped, brows wrinkled. “For real?”
“She came clean about it and also said she’d been going over to his compound outside the investigation.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Seems like neither me nor her know why.” He propped his elbow on the counter, stroking his curls. “I got so mad I couldn’t see, Lisa. How could she do this to me?”
“Wait, she came clean. That counts for something. Besides, can we judge Dee on this considering what happened between you and me?”
“That’s the past, Lisa.”
“It’s not that long ago.” She crossed her legs at the ankles. “We had a deep attraction for each other, Winston. And, even though I loved Jake, you tempted me. I did everything in my power to ignore it.”
He looked at his saucer. “We didn’t act on it though. That’s the important thing.”
“But, we kissed and flirted.” She exhaled, shivering as if she’d gotten a quick chill. “And, it could’ve gone farther.”
“You love Jake.”
“But, I wanted you, and I hated myself for that.”
“You’re a good woman, Lisa.” He touched her hand. “I feel guilty for interfering in your relationship with Jake. Now I know why he hated me so much. It’s scary to think of losing the woman you love to another man.”
“Jake didn’t lose me and you won’t lose Dee because she loves you.”
“What about the temptation though?” He stared into her enchanting, brown eyes. “There’s something about wanting the forbidden that overtakes you. What if saying no to Jonathan is too much for Dee?”
“Not so.” She waved finger hand left and right. “Dee loves you more than she’s loved any man.”
“I can’t lose her.” He finished the brownie and pushed the plate away. “I want to spend the rest of my life with Dee Quarter.”
She smiled.
“What do I do?” He scratched his forehead. “I told Dee to stay away from Jonathan but get the feeling that wasn’t enough.”
“You got to do what Jake did and fight.” Lisa ate more of her brownie. “Dee’s biggest fear is being alone. She acts tough and talks tough but out of all of us she’s the most vulnerable.”
He nodded, sipping milk.
“Your love has to be so strong that you won’t ever give up no matter what mistakes she makes. You’ve got to vow to be there, to keep coming back even if it’s hard.”
“Even if she hurts me?”
“Dee wouldn’t hurt you on purpose. That thing with you and me, Jake fought for me and our love when he could’ve walked away. Who could’ve blamed him? He didn’t deserve what I’d put him through.”
“We never had an affair, Leece.”
“We had a mental affair and sometimes that’s worse than sex. Don’t give up on Dee. You and Dee have the power not Jonathan.”
“What if she has feelings for Jonathan?”
“She might.” Lisa shrugged. “It doesn’t mean she wants to be with him. I had feelings for you, but I didn’t love you. I didn’t want a relationship with you. No offense but it was desire, lust.”
“Is that all it was?”
“I’m not trying to hurt your feelings.”
“It’s fine,” he lied, stung by her admission.
“Put yourself in her shoes, Winston. It’s probably killing her to have these feelings and thinking she’s betrayed you. I’ve been there.”
“What if she’s fallen under his spell? He’s a cult leader. He can twist her mind like no one could.”
“Then you gotta make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“You’re right.” Winston made a fist and held it to his mouth. “I have to protect my woman and make my presence known.” He stood, hitting the countertop. “Thanks, Leece.” He kissed her cheek. “It’s all clear now.”
“What are you gonna do?”
He turned back when he reached the doorway. “I’m going to show Jonathan who’s boss.”