Love Beyond Love

Chapter 21

EDITED

After buying the chocolates Sonia wanted, they both walked around the market for a little bit as Drago finished his shopping of fruits as well. He was quite a huge fan of apples, Sonia noted, as he bought two bags of them and even ate one as they roamed around.

It was almost eight pm now and Sonia wondered if they were going to have dinner or not. She hadn't eaten anything since four pm when she had had a salad and some coffee. Her stomach felt as if it was closing in itself and she didn't want to be embarrassed if it made any noises.

"It's quite late." She started but stopped as Drago nodded.

"The place is almost here, just one more turn." He said, indicating the turn to the right.

"We were...walking towards that?" She asked, looking in the said direction.

"Yes. It opens at eight so I figured we should just look around till then." Drago shrugged and she nodded with a smile.

"So, what do they sell there?" She asked, trying to walk faster.

"Everything. It's an osteria, which sells many local delicacies. What would you like to try?" He asked with an excitement which made her miss Tara.

"Anything." She shrugged with a chuckle.

"You can try everything too." He smiled as they took the right turn and Sonia could see a small but vintage looking set-up in the distance. As they neared, she could smell the meat and the smoke and her mouth watered.

They walked inside and she couldn't help but gasp a little at the beauty of the restaurant. It wasn't very huge but was maintained very nicely. The whole place looked like it was made of wood and yellow lights lit up the the large room whose walls were filled with exotic and antique looking wine bottles. It had a few tables and they were already filling fast, although it was only eight-two-pm.

"Let's sit here." Drago said and they quickly sat on the first table he saw.

"What do you want?" He asked and Sonia looked around.

"I don't know, is there a menu?" She asked but he shook his head.

"Forget about the menu, I will order for us, if you like?" He asked and she nodded.

"Okay." She chuckled.

"Are you a vegetarian?" He asked and she shook her head. "Lactose intolerant?" She shook her head again and he smiled. "Do you drink?" She nodded and smiled widely. "Then we are good to go."

He quickly ordered a bunch of dishes in fluent Italian, obviously, and the food was on their table in the next ten minutes.

"Wow, that's a lot of food." She mumbled as she looked at the eight dishes and a bottle of white wine in front of her.

"That's a lot of good food." Drago chuckled as they stared at a cheese plate, two kinds of appetizers, two kinds of pasta, one large pizza and two desserts in front of them, waiting to be devoured. "Shall w-

Drago hadn't even finished and Sonia was already helping herself with the pasta. He chuckled as she shrugged and started eating. He poured some wine for them as they started their meal.

"Thank you." Sonia said as they ate. "For this. And for...everything. And sorry because I believe I've been quite rude to you."

"Quite?" He chuckled as she pursed her lips and looked down.

"I am really sorry. I don't know why I said all that the last time you were at the site. You are the first person I've ever said things like that to." She confessed.

"Well, you are the first person that has ever said things like that to me." He chuckled as she bit her lip in embarrassment.

"I am really, very sorry. You and your family have been nothing but nice to us and I was-

"It's okay, I didn't mind any of it. It was very funny actually, to see you getting all riled up." He chuckled and she stopped eating.

"You said all that on purpose?" She asked with surprise written all over her face.

"Maybe." He mumbled. "How's the pizza?"

"Huh, it's...great, really. If I'd known there was such a good restaurant near my place, I would have been here earlier." She said and ate the cheesy pizza with a slow groan.

Drago smirked and watched at her enjoying her food. It had been hardly fifteen minutes and she had already finished her pasta and appetizer and was down on her third slice of pizza while he was only halfway his pasta. He stared at her as she put some cheese from the cheese plate on top of the pizza slice and moaned in satisfaction. A strange warmth filled his chest as he just looked at her eating with such gusto.

"You were really hungry, huh?" He said absent mindedly and she stopped.

"I haven't eaten anything since four." She said and licked her lips. "I am not ashamed of my appetite." She shrugged and continued eating.

Drago couldn't help but laugh softly and nod.

"I didn't mean to make you feel ashamed. You are the only woman I know who-

"Eats so much in one go?" She completed his sentence.

"No. I know women who eat a lot without shame but they just order salad after salad to fill themselves so that they can keep their pretentious ways. I mean, if you are hungry or not full, eat whatever you like, no one's going to judge you if you eat steak or lobsters!" He said, shaking his head.

"Well, maybe they like to eat salads and don't want to eat steak or lobsters in case they get pimples." She shrugged while taking a long sip of the delicious wine.

"What?" He frowned but she just shrugged as she started on the dessert. As she popped one in her mouth, her eyes widened.

"Oh my, what is this!" She said with her mouth full.

"It's Sfogliatelle." He said. 

"It's what?" She asked, shaking her head. 

"Sfogliatelle." He said in his Italian accent. 

"It's seems kind of hard to pronounce." She said and ate another one. "But it looks like small puff pastries. And so delicious. Can I get them packed?" 

"Glad you liked them." He smiled as he finally started on his pizza. "I think you can get them packed." 

"I'll go and ask." She said and walked up to the reception area to ask someone. 

Five minutes later, she came back with two packets in her hand. She took the small one and passed him the bigger one. 

"This is for you and your parents, from me." She said and he accepted it with a smile. 

After half an hour, they were standing outside Sonia's apartment and waiting for Drago's driver to come. Sonia was already eating the dessert she had gotten packed and Drago was able to hide his amusement regarding this peculiar yet interesting woman, who was so different from anyone he had known in all his life.

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