Speak Easy (Speak Easy 1)

“Sure.” I got to work at the table while she stood at the counter. While I worked I snuck a few glances at Joey’s back as he talked Molly through adding a little red wine—which he’d brought—and then salt, pepper, oregano, basil, cinnamon, and sugar to the sauce. He was fully clothed, of course, but I couldn’t help picturing his back like I’d seen it last night, naked and muscular. As I tossed the lettuce into the bowl, I thought about some girl’s hands clutching at those muscles, maybe sliding down to grip his hips as he moved over her. My face burned and my belly hollowed just thinking of it. I brought my feet primly together. But I wondered…what would that feel like? Would Joey be gentle or rough? What would his skin smell like? Probably garlic and tomatoes tonight. I lowered my face to hide a smile, but when I imagined how he might put his hands on the girl, it slid right off my lips. I didn’t like thinking about his hands on anyone. I didn’t want to know about their capacity for tenderness, or for violence.

Liar.

I looked at him again and found him studying me. He averted his eyes quickly and cleared his throat. “Do you want a glass of wine?”

“Yes. Pour one for Evelyn too. She deserves it for helping me sell forty bottles of whiskey today.” I smiled gratefully at her. “Actually, she practically sold them by herself.”

“Yeah?” Joey smiled as he handed her a tumbler of wine. “Good for you.”

Evelyn’s cheeks pinkened. “It was nothing.”

Joey poured two more and handed one to me. “Salut.” Lifting his glass, he leaned toward me and spoke low. “Here’s to a big night.”

We tipped our glasses, eyes on one another.

Chapter Twelve

We ate by candlelight, with an ivory linen tablecloth underneath matching plates and the radio playing softly in the front room. The meal was delicious, and I was more ravenous than I’d been in weeks, maybe months. The wine took the edge off my nerves, but I kept finding it difficult not to look at Joey, who sat across from me. I’d never noticed how long his eyelashes were, or the sweet way he closed his eyes during grace before meals.

That is the wine talking. Eat your goddamn dinner and get upstairs.

But I could have sworn I caught him looking at me once or twice too.

When everyone had finished, the girls and Evelyn started on the dishes while I said goodbye to Joey. “Be careful tonight,” I told him at the door. “And let me know as soon a

s you can how everything went.”

“You be careful too. I know he’s good-looking, Tiny, but he’s one of them.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Look who’s talking. I don’t need any lectures from you, pal. Except maybe on cooking.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” He pulled his cap from his back pocket and slapped my shoulder with it before setting it on his head. “See you.”

I watched him jog to his car and said a quick prayer for his safety.

#

When the dishes were done, Evelyn and I went up to my bedroom so I could change. “Tiny, what the hell?” she burst out as soon as we shut the door.

“What?” From my closet I took out the blue dress, holding it at arm’s length to check for wrinkles.

“You and Joey, that’s what!” She plopped down on my bed. “It’s completely obvious.”

I pressed the dress to my body and looked in the mirror over my dresser. My cheeks were flushed from the wine. “There is no me and Joey.”

“Yet.”

“Ever.”

She looked at me in the mirror. “Why not? He’s gorgeous. He’s sweet. He cooks.”

Because I’ve already had my hands on another gangster’s cock. “Mmmm, supper was good, wasn’t it? I don’t remember when I’ve eaten so much.”

“Yes, it was, although I don’t know how you two got any eating done the way you kept stopping to stare at each other.”

I turned to her, lowering the dress. “Evelyn, stop it. I’m not interested in Joey.”

“You think you’re not, but I know you. You are.” She crossed her arms, watching me lay the dress on the bed. “And I think you should do it.”