Gently, he took my hand and brushed a single kiss on my knuckles. "I will gladly get down on my knees for you. Anytime, anywhere."
"I had a wonderful evening, Catalina,"Marco said in that low, sultry tone of his.
I tried to ignore the way my heartbeat sped up from it. I was still getting used to how frequently he flirted with me.
I gave him a small smile when he held open the restaurant door for me. "Thank you for dinner, Marco. It was very enlightening."
He fell into step beside me. "Whenever you'd like to learn more about me, feel free to let me know. I'm an open book to you."
"Mhmm, I'm sure you are." I hummed.
He chuckled and held his hand to his chest in mock injury. "I'm hurt by how much you don't believe me."
I patted his shoulder. "Aw, I'm so sorry. Did I bruise your incredibly massive ego?"
His eyes darkened as he leaned toward me. "That's not the only thing massive about me."
A shiver ran down my spine, and I had to bite back a curse.
This is ridiculous!
I'd been around men before, I'd beenwitha man before, but I had never had such a hard time getting my body to listen to me.
I forced a smile. "You're right," I started counting on my fingers. "There's your massive amount of self-inflated confidence, levels of delusion, and belief that you're a gift to women everywhere. Should I continue?"
He laughed. It transformed his face, and I lost myself in it for just a moment. The sound was infectious, and it had me chuckling softly as we walked to my car.
I pulled out my remote and unlocked my door, but before I could open it, he grabbed it for me.
"Absolutely not."
I slid into my car. "I am actually capable of opening doors, you know."
"I know," he said as he rested his chin on the top of the door with a serious expression. "But just because you're capable of something doesn't mean you have to be the only one to do it." Then he stepped to the side. "Drive safely, Catalina."
"You too," I murmured before he closed the door.
Marco waited for me to back out, standing with one hand in his pocket and the other in a wave goodbye, which I returned. But even when I could no longer see him, I couldn't get him out of my mind.
I kept thinking about the way he laughed, how he'd dealt with things in Italy, his parents, the things he'd told me. His words about not needing to do everything. They were all moments thatfeltreal.
He had gone through a lot. He knew what it was like to carry not only the weight of the world on your shoulders, but the added responsibility and protection of those around you.
In that way, he was remarkable, and as much as I hated to admit it, there was a part of me that felt inspired by him.
How would it feel to be at ease in my own skin? At ease with my own familia? To have their absolute trust?
"Just because you're capable of something doesn't mean you have to be the only one to do it."
I'd driven home purely on muscle memory, and I simply couldn't do that again. I couldn't let myself get lost in him, or my fantasies, hopes, or dreams, because I had no one who would try to find me if I did.
You're just tired. Yes, that's all. You just have a lot going on. It's okay. You're okay.
The excuse was hollow, but it didn't matter. Maybe I'd fallen slightly under the delusion of dinner, but it would fade by tomorrow. I may have had a good time with Marco, but that was where it ended.
I still didn't know what he wanted from me or what his favor entailed, but regardless of our contract, I assumed it had to have something to do with my familia.
He had money and power. My familia was the only thing I could offer him, the only thing of worth and value to my name.
