The Slavic Shamble (Femme #4)

Chapter 9

Marco Conti's POV

I have convinced Anna to have dinner with me. It was not easy but after we shared a kiss in front of her boss, she knew that she had to play the part of being a wife well. My wife to be exact.

I smirked as I sipped on the chardonnay that we ordered. Anna was still looking through the food that she wanted to order. Her eyebrows were knotted together as she decided to pick one dish.

"Come on, cara. We don't have all night you know," I said as I put down my glass. She glared at me from her menu before she sighed.

"I don't know. I'm not familiar with Italian food. Maybe you should pick one for me?" She said as she closed the menu and looked at me. I smiled at her before I looked at her.

"What do you like?" I asked her. She bit her lower lips and something stirred in my pants.

"Well, I like spicy food. Is there anything Italian that was spicy?" She asked. Was it? I mean, being an Italian, I should have the answer to that question but I could not conjure one at the top of my head right now. Perhaps I should look into more details of Italian cuisine.

"We can always try Alfredo fettuccini. But it was not as spicy as you might like, I suppose," I said as I looked at the menu. Anna nodded.

"It's fine. I'll take that," she said before I signaled the waiter. I ordered our food for more wine.

"Cheers," I said as I held my glass. Anna arched her eyebrow at me.

"For what?" She asked. I smiled before I looked at her.

"Well, I did save you from that ugly man. Does that not deserve a cheer from you?" I asked her as I was smirking at her. She rolled her eyes before she took her glass and clinked it with mine.

"Cheers, to more meddling in my life from you, psycho," she said before narrowing her eyes. I chuckled before I raised my glass and winked at her.

"I can always cheer for that," I said before I took a sip of my wine. Anna did not take hers. I guess she did not like me. Yet.

"So, while we wait, how about we talk about each other, hmm?" I asked her as she was playing with the edge of her glass. She looked up at me.

"Why should I tell you anything?" She said as she was laughing. I smiled charmingly at her.

"Well, you never knew what life throws at us but I guess we just need to leave at the moment, don't you think so?" I said as I took another sip. Anna did not touch her wine. Was she allergic to wine?

"You seem down. Is it because of the wine? Do you drink wine?" I asked her before I could stop myself. I cursed under my breath at my insensitive question.

"Anna, I'm sorry. I don't mean that—"

"My mother died from malfunctioning of the liver. She was addicted to alcohol," she finally said as I was blinking at her. Was she telling me about her life right now?

"So, you don't want wine because you're afraid of your mother's cause of death?" I asked her. Oh my god, Conti, can you be more sensitive? Instead, Anna just laughed.

"Well, you can say that but I supposed it's because I don't like to drink. It's helped me to let loose, sure, but I never took it for myself. I was the guard when my friends went out to drink," she said as she was playing with her glass. I cleared my throat as she looked at me with those big blue eyes.

"Would you like water then?" I asked her. She shook her head before she smiled. She has a very cute smile.

"No, I think I might indulge in this since you were paying," she said as she raised her glass to her mouth and sipped on the chardonnay. Her eyes were twinkling with mischief. I smirked at her as I took a sip of my own.