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I could relate to that.
Enzo was hard and rough despite his put-together and composed exterior. I felt a shiver move through me once again as I thought back to the things I found online about him. That one word that kept popping up in reference to Enzo slammed into my head over and over again.
Capo dei Capi.
I hadn’t known what that meant, so of course my curiosity had won over.
Boss of all bosses. Supremely powerful.
And that certainly fit his persona. I could never see him working for anyone else, not really. He had an ultra-dominant air about him, one that called dangerously loud to my feminine side.
“Are you ready?”
I licked my lips and nodded. I didn’t miss how he let his gaze linger on my mouth after I did the act, but he added more pressure to my back until I started moving forward.
We followed Antonio through the restaurant, and I’d been so caught up in my thoughts and surroundings that I just now realized we were literally the only customers here. I didn’t know why that was shocking, given the fact that the parking lot had been totally deserted.
I sent a questioning look to Enzo, but all he gave me was a small tilt at the corner of his mouth. If he was a man who could have looked amused, I was pretty sure right now he would have gifted me with that expression.
“Where are the other customers?” I asked in a hushed whisper only Enzo could hear. He looked down at me and gave me a devilish smirk before lowering his lips so they were right by my ear. I shivered at how good it felt to have him so near, at how his body heat and the way he smelled was short-circuiting my brain.
“I wanted you all to myself tonight, so I reserved the entire restaurant just for us.” He pulled back, and I felt the shock move through me, knowing my eyes must look huge at his admission.
I didn’t have time to respond, not like I could have found the words anyway, because Antonio stopped by a table and smiled broadly—proudly—at us.
“The best spot in the restaurant for Signor Santini and hisbella donna,” Antonio said with a thick Italian accent, the respect and admiration clear on his face as he glanced at Enzo.
I didn’t have to speak Italian to know whatbella donnameant. Beautiful woman. I blushed fiercely and dropped my gaze down to the table.
Enzo held the chair out for me before taking his seat across from me.
“Buon appetito,” Antonio said before I sensed him leaving to give us privacy.
I felt Enzo’s gaze on me like a heavy weight, so I chanced a look up. He watched me with this strange expression on his face.
“W-What?” I asked softly and straightened my shoulders, not wanting to seem like some dimwit who couldn’t take a compliment from a stranger.
“Antonio embarrassed you.” He didn’t phrase it like a question. “Why?” He wasn’t teasing me. His tone implied he was genuinely curious.
I cleared my throat and felt my face flame. “I don’t hear a lot of compliments, so when they are directed at me, I guess I don’t know how to take them.” I started smoothing my hands up and down my knit-covered thighs, a nervous habit I was realizing I did around Enzo.
He didn’t respond, just kept watching me with that intense dark gaze of his. And then he shocked me by reaching across the table and smoothing his fingers along my cheek, tucking a few locks of hair over my shoulder.
“Bellissima,” he murmured, his gaze first holding mine before he lowered it to my mouth.
I sucked in a breath at his gentle touch and softly spoken word.
“What does that mean?” I asked in a whisper. He let his fingers linger on my cheek for a prolonged second before he pulled away and straightened.
The corner of his mouth lifted as his gaze roamed over my face, no doubt noticing my flushed appearance. “Very beautiful.”
Oh God, this man definitely had a way with words that could turn me to mush.
Before anything else could be said, and before I could make a fool out of myself by sputtering words in return, red wine, warm, fresh bread, and an antipasto platter with different kinds of meats, cheeses, and vegetables were set in the center of the table.
I felt myself relaxing further as the conversation started on neutral ground, with me talking about my family and upbringing, my likes and dislikes, and what I saw for myself and my future. And the entire time, Enzo was attentive and focused only on me. I wanted to ask about him and the rumored ties to the mafia, but the evening was going so well I didn’t want to ruin it. There’d be time for that, time for all the questions… and truths to come out. I wouldn't wait to find out. I couldn't. I had to know what and who I was getting involved with.
And that was important, not only for practical, obvious reasons, but also because I knew without a doubt that if I let myself, there was no way I wouldn’t fall hard for this man.
