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He shakes his head. “Nothing, baby. I just wanted to say I’m glad you had a nice massage.”
My smile is bright, even though I know that’s not what he was about to say.
“The dining area is up here.”
I follow after him, my mouth dropping open wide most unbecomingly when we step out onto an elevated platform designed entirely to take in the incredible view.
The sun is hanging low in the sky, casting a multitude of shades across the darkening sea. The treetops that stretch across the distance between us and those waves are teeming with life.
There’s a low table set for two that’s surrounded by throw pillows in a variety of deep hues, and the whole space is lit up with lanterns that dot the floor.
“Wow!”
My whispered exclamation reaches Alex’s ears, and he smiles broadly while he helps me get comfortable before lowering himself to the cushions opposite me.
We’ve barely gotten settled when the chef’s helpers begin to bring course after course up the small stairs directly to our table.
My mouth waters when platters of tamales, tortillas, and tacos ticos land on the table between us. Bowls of chifrijo—pork rinds on beans covered in chimichurri—and gallo pinto—a simple side of beans and white rice—soon follow.
“Are you planning on feeding a small army?” I pop a brow, trying to suppress my rising smile.
Alex snorts, arching a brow of his own as his eyes drop down my body before returning to mine. “I told you we’d round out those curves again, Sunshine.”
The sound of my belly laughter fills the late evening sky surrounding us and clearly startles some of the wildlife beneath the sea of trees when a shrill screech erupts from somewhere to our left.
I shake my head as I reach for a tacos ticos. “I can’t even be mad at that becausethisis perfection.”
Taking a bite out of the crispy taco, my eyes roll back in my head. “Mmm! This is absolutely out-of-this-world good. Here.” I thrust my half-eaten taco forward. “Take a bite.”
He leans closer, taking a huge mouthful with his eyes fixed firmly on mine the entire time. He nods as he chews, and I watch how his jaw works, utterly caught up in the movement as I nibble on my lip.
“Delicious.” His tongue darts out to lick his lips.
My eyes shoot to his guiltily, and he sends me a knowing smirk as he reaches for a bowl of chifrijo. “I see that crush is still hanging around.”
He chuckles, his eyes holding mine mischievously.
I narrow my eyes and pop the remaining taco into my mouth. Once I’ve swallowed, I lean across the table, a pout playing on my lips.
“I did tell you to be a little less like yourself, Alexander DeMarco.”
Then I throw my arms out wide, gesturing around us. “However, I don’t think you understood the assignment.”
He throws his head back when he laughs loudly, and several more screeches ring out from the forest beneath us, which only makes us both laugh even harder.
I compose myself faster than him, shooting him a narrow look. “You really are striving for perfection, aren’t you, pretty boy? Next, you’ll tell me you can speak five languages and are some kind of math whiz!”
I playfully roll my eyes, and he shrugs as he swallows a mouthful of food. “I’m an accomplished pianist also, Sunshine.”
My mouth drops open. “You’re fucking with me, right?”
He chuckles as he chews a mouthful of his food before shaking his head, making his hair fall across his face.
“Nope! ’Fraid not. Good old Mother, may she rest in Hell, was meticulous in ensuring that I excelled at everything she believed would make me a better heir to the company than Henry.”
Blowing out a heavy breath, he puts his half-eaten chifrijo back onto the table between us. “It wasn’t about helping me be my best self, it was always about how things appeared on the outside. How my talents reflected uponher.”
My heart breaks for the beautifully flawed man before me as he chooses to share his decades’ old, but still very fresh, wounds with me. And my need to comfort him, to bring him even a small measure of peace, flows through me.
