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She didn’t think twice after that and bounced off her bed with a delighted giggle.
***
Scarlett clutched my arm as we stepped onto the sidewalk. I waved my driver off to go park and turned to face her.
“This is my favorite restaurant,” I said, motioning to the twenty story building in front of us.
Scarlett craned her neck as she took it in. My eyes, however, were fixed on her face. Her beauty was ethereal in the cool yellow wash of the street lights, those green eyes speckled with hundreds of tinier versions.
The ghost of a smile played on her lips. “I got dressed up for this?” she asked sarcastically, tugging at her faded Rolling Stones T-shirt. “It looks closed, and not surprisingly. The sun isn’t up yet.”
“Closed?” I flashed her a winning grin as I shook my head slowly. “Scarlett, you should know by now that time is inconsequential to me.”
She frowned up at me, but I held up a finger and made a call. While still on the phone, the night guard appeared at the rotating doors and waved. He pointed to the side entrance and rattled his keys.
“Luca, what’s happening?” Scarlett asked, stunned.
“Trust me,” I said, leading her to the door.
“Buongiorno, Signore.” The night guard nodded as we walked in.
“Good morning to you, too, Miguel,” I greeted. “We’ll be going up, thanks.”
Scarlett tightened her grip on my hand as she followed me with small, hurried steps as we made our way to the west elevator. The building was deadly quiet and deserted, adding an extra thrill to what we were doing. As much as she was confused and afraid, I could feel Scarlett’s excitement as the elevator opened up on the roof level.
“Il Giardino Segreto,” she read slowly off the large metallic lettering that marked my restaurant. “The Secret Garden? On top of a skyscraper in the middle of the city?”
I simply smiled at her and pushed through the doors, tugging her hand to follow. I flipped on the lights, and Scarlett’s mouth dropped open once she found herself inside the intricately detailed outdoor dining area. Exotic plants, creepers, and flowers adorned every open space that didn’t hold a table and chairs, with finishing touches that made it feel like we’d stepped through a magical portal.
“You get it now,” I said with a smile.
“Luca… it’s magnificent.” She twirled slowly on the spot, taking in everything. “It’s like we really are in a garden somewhere.”
She looked up at the stars then cocked her head to the side.
“I’m particularly proud of that,” I said. “No traffic. No outside world at all, in fact.”
Scarlett beamed at me. “I can see why it’s your favorite. But… are any of these flowers edible?”
“This way,” I said with a laugh, leading through an arch of greenery to the kitchen, also outside but hidden from view.
Another flip of a switch turned on stronger overhead lights, and I grabbed one of the aprons slung over a work station.
I winked at her as I secured it around my waist. “What are you in the mood for tonight?”
“Oh, no, Luca.” She shook her head vigorously. “You’ve already cooked for me once tonight. Please, let’s just order in or something.”
“Order in? Like fast food?” I asked, pulling a saucepan from the rack and getting it on the heat. “You want to bring burgers and fries into my Michelin star restaurant?”
She stifled a laugh. “A burger would actually—”
“Enough.” I held up a finger to silence her. “I won’t allow any more of this blasphemy. Sit. I’m going to share my grandmother’s secret risotto recipe. You’ll forget all about your burger and fries.”
Scarlett’s eyebrows went up. “Are you sure she won’t hunt me down and kill me if she found out?”
“I…” The rest of my sentence caught in my throat, and I just stared at her staring back at me.
I swallowed hard, my heart thundering in my chest at the remaining two words I fought to hold back. Because how could I possibly love her? I barely knew her. And Luca Moretti didn’t fall in love.
