Pent Up 🔒𖦹 ⋆｡♡

Chapter 12 - A Change of Pace

Malakai's blue eyes were glowing in the light of the candle before them. Although the restaurant was illuminated well enough, who could resist the calming presence of a gently burning candle casting small shadows on the plates of food and glasses of wine. Malakai took a bite of her pasta, unaware that Leo was currently gazing deeply into those gorgeous eyes, enthralled by their depth and magnificent beauty. He had already gotten a good, long look at her amazing outfit, a brilliant red dress with shiny black shoes-  gorgeous.

Leo turned away. He didn't want to stop looking at her, but he felt strange to stare for so long even if they were already a couple. He felt nervous, as if he was undeserving of someone as amazing as her. In every sense of the word, she was perfect. 

"Everything okay?" Malakai asked nervously. 

Leo realized that he must've been lost in thought for longer than he anticipated. 

"Yeah everything's fine! Just thinking, is all."

"All good things, I hope." She said while taking another bite of her spaghetti.

"Oh of course! Just thinking about how gorgeous you look right now, even with a mouthful of pasta."

Malakai quickly swallowed her bite of food, but not before her face flushed a bright red.

"You're too smooth for your own good, sir." Malakai quipped. 

"Only for you." He replied with an exaggerated wink. "How's the spaghetti?"

"So good! Did you like your lasagna?" She asked with a smile. 

"It's definitely some of the best I've had." He replied. "I'm a sucker for pasta."

"SAME." Malakai agreed loudly. "Nothing hits the spot like a big bowl of spaghetti does. Or alfredo." 

"How about ravioli?" Leo suggested "I know a great place that serves the best mushroom ravioli."

"Then next time we shall go there!" Malakai replied triumphantly. "Any place that serves good italian food is a place I want to go to."

"Maybe, maybe. How about after dinner we go back to my place?"

"Do we ever do anything else?" Malakai asked halfway joking. Only halfway. 

"Of course not, I just want to treat you like a princess. A gentleman asks permission before whisking his princess away."

Her cheeks got even redder. "You're mean, making me get all blushy in public."

"It makes you look beautiful." He replied completely seriously before changing topics. "I'm just about ready to go. Is it alright if I go ahead and get the check?"

"Mhmm." She said through another bite. "Go ahead. I'll be done in a minute."

Leo flagged down the waiter who brought over their check for them. As Malakai finished her plate, he paid for the meal and left a tip on the table for the waiter who diligently made sure their breadsticks basket and water glasses were filled up all night. At last, they finished up and gathered their things before heading to the front door. 

Leo grabbed the door for Malakai. "After you, my lady."

Malakai skipped through the door. She may have acted bashful about this princess treatment outwardly but internally she loved every bit of it. She smiled as she exited the restaurant, not having touched the door handle at all, and smiled again as he got the car door for her as well. As a cherry on top, he even buckled her up for her, something he hadn't done before. She was a red as a tomato as he walked around and got into the driver seat and began to drive towards his apartment.