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I bet they'd choke on their expensive food if they knew I was just some average girl from the hood. The thought has me smiling at the Chef.
Leo stands and takes the man's hand, "Mr. Alonso, it is a pleasure to have you dine here."
"I'm sure the pleasure is all mine. After all, it's not me back there cooking." They both laugh and I can't get over how charismatic Leo is. It gives me a strange sense of pride, but it also widens the divide between us.
"Chef, I'd like for you to meet mi amor, Dice Garza."
Chef comes over to me and kisses both of my cheeks, "Such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. If Mr. Alonso doesn't give you the time of your life, it'll be a shame."
I cock a brow at Leo, "It would be."
The chef laughs, but Leo's eyes gleam something dangerous. My core tightens at the delicious menace.
When the chef leaves us to our meal and the servers have gone back to... wherever it is servers go, Leo takes his seat next to me, and picks up the conversation right where we left off.
That small detail fills me with appreciation. All too often, men derail a conversation or welcome a distraction when the questions get too serious. Leo didn’t do that. He’s not hiding from me.
"I don't ride the waves, Dice. I make them. I don't let life dictate to me, I make my own way and I've been doing it alone for too long.” His hand grips my wrist like a manacle, squeezing slightly before leaving his thumb over my pulse, “Before meeting you, I didn't mind that loneliness. In fact, I never realized that's what it was until I stepped foot in that bank. After seeing your beautiful face, stunning body and hearing your whiskey voice, I wanted you. But witnessing your fire burn brightly despite my threats and watching your loyalty even after I treated you wrongly, I knew I had to have you. You have what no other woman I've met has."
With each word he speaks, the weight of indecision and uncertainty lifts a little more. Not completely gone, but enough that I don't feel weighted.
"And what is that?"
"My attention, protection, interest… name it, the list goes on."
My brows hit my hairline and all the oxygen gets sucked out of the room. That's heavy for only having a couple of conversations with me. How can he believe that and say it with such conviction?
"I see your thoughts but try to see it from my perspective. I've found what I never realized I was looking for and I will not stop waiting for you to catch up to my level."
"What if you're waiting a while? What if I'm not fast at catching up?"
Leo lifts his hand and brushes his fingers along my shoulder, smiling at the goosebumps that seem to chase his fingertips. Leaning in, he kisses my shoulder, and a shiver runs up and down my spine. Fuck! That feels amazing.
With his lips still touching my skin, Leo answers me in his deep voice, "I don't think I'll have long to wait."
With the way my body reacts to him, he might be right.
"Now eat, I want to take you somewhere special."
