Chased By Suits #Wattys2016- Book I

Lamb, Salmon and Stolen Drinks

^her ex is somewhere around there

***

"Reservation for Damiano" Dante told the guy up front, patiently waiting for him to search his list for the name.

"Mr Damiano, Ms Brooks, please let me lead you to your table" he politely asked, led the way with two menus in hand.

"Ms Brooks,huh?" Dante inquires, offering me an arm.

"I come here a couple of times a month for a little treat. Pretty everyone here knows my name" I laugh quietly, noticing that we were led to a more private part of the restaurant, romantically arranged and no other tables near enough to overhear our conversation.

He must've paid a fortune to get this as it was always reserved whenever I called.

He offered to take my coat off, then pulled out my chair, letting me take the seat with the better view of the city.

The landscape consisting of beautifully lit buildings and slowly moving car headlights was mesmerising, making my sight linger.

I turned me head first, then my eyes, still impressed by the simple yet breathtaking view.

As soon as I focused back on the man now on the other side of the table I see him slowly taking in my features, going over my hair,eyes,nose, lips and neck, making an imaginary hot trail slide on my skin wherever he looked.

When a slight lopsided smile made it's appearance, I gulped, making his smile broaden,then glance back at the menu in front of him.

I didn't even notice the waiter leave.

"Would you like to start with something to drink?" He asked in a pleasant tone, still going over the fish options.

"That would be lovely" I say after I get my voice back, glancing at the view once again.

I can't look at him straight. He's just so gorgeous and the lights outside shining on his face make his eyes glisten, causing my knees to go weak.

Dante called the waiter over, a fleeting questioning gaze being thrown my way in the process.

"A mint lemonade for me" he started, waiting for the boy to write it down
" and the lady would have.." He dragged, making me refocus.

"Oh, I'll have your Rouge Fraise" I tell the boy with a small smile, him returning it shyly.

Dante noticed the fact that I didn't even open the menu to place my order,but didn't say anything on the topic.

"And have you decided what you want to eat?" The boy politely asked, glancing between me and Dante.

"Well...What would you recommend?" Dante asked, giving up on the menu.

"Oh! Will you trust me on this one?" I excitedly got out, placing a hand on the table to get his attention.

"Of course" he said after a moment of surprised silence, flicking a hand in the 'knock yourself out' gesture.

"One Greek yogurt salmon with broccoli sides and one Paidakia Capital please" I instruct the man, earning an appreciative look from him.

"Going Greek today Ms Brooks, I see" he laughed with an airy joke in his voice, leaving for his business shortly after.

"You're very fond of this restaurant, huh?" Dante caught my attention again, leaning on his elbows, closing part of the comfortable gap between us, making the atmosphere turn more... private.

My attention focused solely on him at the gesture. I don't know what it is about this man that every move he makes enchants and intrigues me.

He has never made a move without purpose. His confidence is rolling in waves and can be intimidating at times.

"If you'd like, I can purchase this.." He dragged on, flicking his hand in his specific, uninterested manner. "...for you. It wouldn't be much trouble" he continued, sipping his recently received drink.

After a couple of seconds when I didn't respond in any way to his proposal, he brushed it off as a joke, but something told me he was not kidding me at all.

If I would have said yes, he would've have made the arrangements for the restaurant to be bought from the current owners and written under Dante's name.

I feel quite flattered, but also a tad scared of the unknown that this man portrays.

I laughed along with him, keeping the conversation going, not voicing my thoughts on the matter.

***

"Why won't you half with me?" I childishly complain, 5 minutes after we got our dishes.

I wanted to split both of our plates 50/50 and when we were halfway done, we would swap the plates so that both of us would get to taste each other's dish, but Dante insists on buying me a second plate of his lamb, as he doesn't see my point.

"I can't get both meals into my stomach and I have a policy of never leaving food onto my plate. More so when someone else is paying for it!" I try to reason for the hundredth time, trying to make him give in.

I could see that he wasn't used to people refusing his 'kindness'. Especially when his kindness involved money thrown for meaningless reasons.

He just looked at me for a second, then lifted his plate from in front of him and I hurriedly passed him mine.

I was giddy inside. Partly from the lamb in front of me and mostly because I now know for sure that I have some kind of effect over him. He cares about what I think and respects my choices(even though he bitches about some).

He just shook his head and started on his newly acquired dish.

***

"Why are we here again?" I asked in a drunken frenzy aftereffect, rolling my head to the side on something somewhat soft.

"Because someone stole a bottle from my breastpocket when I was away and chugged it down inna hurry, getting herself drunk." He said, no irritation in his voice. He was amused by the situation.

"Oh" I answer slowly, beginning to recall some episodes from earlier.

He looked weird in this position. I didn't think he was capable of a triple chin, but he has one now, especially when he angles his head towards me to speak.

After a few seconds of thinking, I couldn't place my finger on what was going on.

".... And where are we again?" I asked, looking back at the barely visible stars.

He scoffed once, making my soft pillow harden and soften once again.

I must be resting my head on his abdomen.

That explains the view I have of his triple chin.

"We're on the roof of the building in which we were earlier. Zeus, remember? We snuck in here because you kept saying you needed to meet your 'star'.

" Oh" I repeat myself in the same manner, folding my hands over my stomach. "I think we broke up" I seriously add, looking at him fully.

"You and.. The star?" He asks in a smile, lazily looking over my face.

"Yeah... I wasn't a good girlfriend. Letting my eyes lay on other people and stuff... Absolutely gorgeous creature if I may say so myself" I slurred, feeling drowsy.

"Another star, I presume?" He played along,holding back a laugh.

"Nah...He looks like a star, but...nah...he's just.... Just some Italian gang leader I met some time ago..." I say, the world fading out on me, my eyelids getting heavy.

I felt a hand under my knees and one on my midsection, not sensing the ground beneath me anymore.

Well... This smells nice.

The cigarette smoke that usually accompanied this particular combination of aftershave and cologne was gone, letting me bask in the scent.

I buried my face further into the source, letting sleep take over.

I felt safe.