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“That smile on your face.” Shocked and unsure how to respond, I drop my head also to hide the blush. He has been doing that a lot lately. Shocking me and making me blush. Who is this man?
We walk to the table, and a waitress appears right away like they have been watching us. “What can I get you two to drink?”
“I will take some water,” he says before looking at me.
“Do you have lemon ginger tea?” I don’t look at him, hoping he doesn’t pick up on the significance of the request.
“Yes, ma’am. Right away.” When she leaves the room, and we are finally alone, I turn to him and ask the questions burning my tongue.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” His head jerks back like I have punched him. His face scrunches up, and he looks almost distressed.
“Am I normally mean to you, Scarlett?” Panic has stricken his face like he will jump off a cliff if I say yes. Placing my hand on his, I answer him softly and honestly.
“No, Sam. You are never mean to me. I am sorry I made you think that.” He takes a deep breath and exhales before turning his hand over and gripping mine. “But, lately, it has been different.”
“It was always different.” He answers back without looking up. “For me, anyway.” What the heck does that mean? Before I can ask him, the waitress comes back with our drinks and a tray.
“Since you ordered the sample feast for tonight, I will be bringing your courses out in six phases, starting with our from the sea platter. For a starter, we have a crouton cracker with a piece of fried sea bass and a Chilean salsa on top. We also have a salmon spread on a rosemary focaccia and a garden salad with strawberries. Enjoy.” When she leaves, Samuel looks at me and lifts his eyebrow.
“Shall we?” he asks, pointing to the covered dishes. I nod, excited because everything sounds so delicious. He lifts the tops, and I squeal at how adorable it looks. I am so excited that I forget about my condition and lean over to smell it. Big mistake. Standing and stumbling back, my hand shoots over my mouth. “Scarlett? Are you alright?” I shake my head frantically, looking overhead for a sign for the restroom. Spotting one to the left, I turn and sprint there as fast as I can. Barely make it to the toilet before the nothing I ate today comes up. “Oh, precious. It’s okay. I’m here.” I am startled that he followed me, but I am too busy to care. He pulls my hair back and holds it for me, rubbing my back while I curse this invader and my stupidity.
Finally, when all the life has drained from my body, I sit back, sagging and wind knocked from my sails. I hear water running somewhere in the distance, and then a cold cloth touches my face. I moan, grateful for this man who has taken it upon himself to be my support right now, even though he doesn’t know the truth about my condition.
Opening my eyes after a few minutes, I just stare at him, allowing myself to wonder what it would be like to be loved, cherished, and wanted by a man like him. Someone strong, loyal, and capable. Someone who would allow me to follow my dreams but keep me protected. Someone I can depend on and not have to be out here in the world alone. I let myself float it around like a fantasy, except, no matter what, I will never be alone again. Will I?
He stops whipping my face and smiles at me. “So fucking beautiful,” he says before lifting me in his arms. “Even your damn hair smells sweet.” I don’t have the energy to unpack any of this right now. So, I lay my head on his chest and let him carry me away. Too bad it can’t be like this forever.
CHAPTER6
SAMUEL
Enough of this shit.I lift her into my arms and carry her out of the bathroom and through the restaurant, the other patrons stare at us as we go by, but I don’t give a flying fuck about them. I hand my valet ticket to the attendant and wait for my car with her still in my arms.
“You can put me down, Sam,” she says, clinging to my neck like a scared kitten. I don’t hate it.
“I will, precious. I will,” I tell her, but hold onto her tighter. Finally, my car pulls up. “Do you want to lie down, or do you want to sit next to me?” I ask.
“Sit,” she says, and the attendant opens the passenger door, having overheard her. I deposit her in the seat and buckle her seatbelt for her. The waitress runs out of the restaurant and hands me her purse.
“Your wife forgot her purse, Mr. Rawlins,” she says, looking worried.
“Thank you. Please let Pierre know I will call him tomorrow to settle the bill. I must get my wife home now.” Wife. Fuck. I love the sound of that.
“Of course, sir.” I hand her a hundred-dollar tip and move around to the other side of the car, where the valet attendant is waiting.
“Thank you, kid,” I say, peeling another hundred out of my wallet and handing it to him.
Thank you, sir,” he says, grinning at me. I get into the car and pull into traffic after buckling my seatbelt.
The drive to my neighborhood, South of Fifth, is blessedly short and much closer than her place. I pull into my driveway. She pops her eyes open.
“This is where you live?” she asks, confused. It’s a new place for me, and she’s never been here.
“Yes.”
“I thought you had a condo downtown.” She’s had to go to my place on more than one occasion, all work-related, unfortunately.
“I sold it about a month ago and moved out here.” It was a nice place, but a bachelor pad through and through. Once I set my plan into motion, I knew I’d need a bigger place. This is a five-bed, three-bath property with a pool and a guest house. It’s perfect for a future family.
