AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Opening her door for her, he held his hand out, waiting for her to take it. “I’ve surprised you?” he asked.
“I don’t know what I was expecting in all honesty. I…”
“Something fancy? More than anyone could afford? A valet to take my car and all the celebrities that make it a maze for the press?” he asked.
“Something like that, yes,” she said.
“You have the cutest smile.”
“You don’t have to flatter me, Gideon.”
“I’m not. You’ll soon learn that I don’t say anything I don’t mean.” He looked toward the restaurant. “Come on, they have the best food. It’s always busy here, but it’s a quiet place, safe, and far away from everything that is our city life. Everything I know you’ll like.”
Chapter Three
Seated inside the restaurant, Emma was surprised to see that it was indeed quiet and sweet. It was busy, but no one paid them any attention.
“How do you know about this place?” she asked.
Gideon seemed to be a man of many secrets.
“I stumbled upon it several years ago. I was hungry. Stopped by to eat here. It was doing a little worse for wear, so I put some money in to invest in it. Best thing I ever did.”
“Do they know you did?”
“Nope, and I like to keep it that way. It’s always busy, and I make sure to pay for any refurbishment costs through a private company. It all works out in the end. I get good food and now great company.”
She didn’t like the spike of jealousy that rushed through her at the thought of him being here with anyone else. “Do you bring other women here?”
“No. You’re the first and only woman I’ve brought here. This is my place, Emma.”
“Does that make me special?”
“Yes.”
She didn’t know what to think about that, so she grabbed the menu. Opening it up, she scanned through the list of foods and they all looked amazing, comforting, warm. She didn’t know which one to pick.
“I’ve tried everything on this list. If you’re getting garlic bread, we’ll both eat some.”
“Why?”
“When I kiss you at the end of the night, you’ll know why.”
“You want to kiss me?” she asked. Her face started to heat up, and she couldn’t believe she asked that.
“Shouldn’t every single date end with a kiss?”
That she didn’t know the answer to either. The men she’d dated looked like they wanted to drop her into the nearest well rather than kiss her.
“I guess.”
“Don’t look so afraid. If you don’t want to kiss me at the end, it’s fine.”
“It’s not that. I’m just … ugh, I’m not good at this.”
“Relax, Emma. This is not some kind of test I want you to pass. I just want you to have some fun. Now, pick what you want.”
He signaled the waiter over. Pushing her hair off her shoulders, she ordered the chicken parmesan with extra garlic bread, and held off dessert.
