"Hi. Table for Miss. Brown?" I say stuttering to the girl standing at the reception. She looks through the list in front of her and then looks up at me with a swift smile.
"Miss. Brown, please follow me through." She heads the way and I follow her. The restaurant is very classic and especial for a date or so as it seems. The cream chairs and tables match the cream walls perfectly. The design is so fantastic that I instantly start using my interior design powers inmy head, thinking of new ideas for dining rooms.
There are a lot of couples eating and chatting. She pauses, stays aside, and waves to a table next to her and there he sits, wearing a gray suit and a black with blue dots or shapes on its tie.
His eyes are burning into mine and again, those fireworks blow up in my head. When he see me, his lips squire into a smile, I walk further as he stands up from his seat and turns the table around to reach me. The girl who showed me the way is gone now. His hand grab mine and brings it to his lips. A soft kiss on my knuckles and I'm already gone. I swallow at the electric shock, he sends through me, but I don't back off.
"Hi, Laura. Thank you for coming. Come on, let's sit." He leads me to my seat and sits me on the seat like a gentleman. Then he pushes my chair a little closer to the table. Very gentle of him. Still smiling like he is enjoying a private joke, which I guess I know what it is, he takes his seat. At least it's about what we all think right?
"I see you have a good taste in choosing restaurants," I ask him as guilty as I can, hoping I don't sound too eager. I bet he takes all his girlfriend to this restaurant on the first date.
"Well, I consider meals an important part of any meeting. Especially if I'm going to meet a cooperator. I need to choose carefully so they wouldn't judge wrong. Besides, I thought maybe a dinner would break some of our walls and as well let us forget about what happened the other night or the day." Gee, does he really need to mention that embarrass moment in my life?
"Oh. Well, I don't think I'm interested in co-operating, thanks, though." Of course, I throw a guilty glare at him.
"I was aiming for something else anyways. Who knows what happens a second later?" That statement gets my attention. It just proves I'm not the only one here who feels this tension between us. I snap out of those thoughts immediately before it's too late and he gets to me. No, I can't go there. I can't think of that.
I smile kindly at him just to show him I accept what he said, though.
"I'm sorry, but I have already ordered. I hope you like it!" He is a little nervous. Wow, Andrew Martinez and being nervous. It's so unlike him. Did I just call him Andrew?
Holds on, when did I start getting this cozy with him? I should despise him and then fear him and then be embarrassed of him. Long list, short, this will turn out to be disaster. I nod at him, but for a second our eyes lock into each other, drinking each other's soul. I flush eventually and look away.
Something amuses him, and he softly chuckles. I still ignore him, prete ding the painting next to us is more interesting.
Suddenly,he growls and takes out his phone from his pocket. He answers it with such bitter taste.
"Martinez," he pauses, "what? ... No... Don't do it until I tell you." He looks at me and then smiles again. I think he notices that he is being a little harsh and that I have noticed it. He continues,
"No no... Look, I can't answer you now. Call me later." He hangs up without a goodbye. Such a business man! He turns his phone off and then put it back in his pocket. "Sorry, I should have answered it."
"Oh, it's fine by me. Don't worry."
"So, how's work? How are holding up with the new collaboration?"
"Everyone and everything is good." I gaze at him intimidating. What is his game this time?
"Are you in a relationship?" He asks seriously. Oh, that's a shock. Now he is making sure if I'm not with someone. Knowing by the sight, I can tell it was bothering him holding back not to ask. I shake my head while smile sweetly at him. He smiles back. I can see his satisfaction behind his smile. He is about to say something when a strawberry blonde brings our dishes. It is truffle and cheese pasta. Wow, one of my favorite food. How did he know that!
"Curious, aren't we?" I raise an eyebrow, a smirk on my face. I feel like playing games. "I'm here, aren't I?" Raising my head, I smile at him ridiculously; I wonder if this has to do anything with stalking skills which is so usual in nowadays men, apparently, and to top it all, Andrew is a proficient.
He nods. He freaking nods, like he finds it pleasing or something, "do you like your order?"
"Yeah. It's my favorite starter. I love all kinds of pasta," I get a fork and fill it with the delicious truffle. I put it in my mouth and taste it. Hmm, it has been a long time I haven't tasted truffle. Six years to be exact.
He does the same after looking at me chewing pasta awkwardly. I swallow only to ask him something. Well, it's time for me to harass him with weird questions.
"What about you?" I point at him with the back of my fork to get his attention.
"Hmm, I like it too." He nods at his dish. I giggle and he raises his head with a question face.
"That's good to know, but what I meant is that, do you have any girlfriend?" I laugh softly. If there is anything I'm good at, it's playing with words.
"Oh no, I don't." He laughs. And I don't know if it's because of his thinking to something else or that I ask him that question. Either is not what I expected.
"Oh. I thought so." I get the cheery red wine in my hand, which I haven't noticed it is there. Steady, I take a sip. Hmm, it tastes good. Everything here tastes good. I bet it's a very expensive one. But who cares for as long as it's free on my account. It tastes like strawberry, delicious and soft. I'm blessed that he chose the menu since I know nothing about drinks.
"Did you?" His voice brings me to life from the chilled expensive wine in my hand to the multi-mega billionaire in front of me who is now arching his eyebrows at me. Did I what? Ah yes, knowing he doesn't have a girl. That's so simple. I thought he can figure it out himself.
"You wouldn't have invited me to dinner if you had a girlfriend," I put my Sherlock-face on to tell him, 'yes, this girl in front of you is wiser than you thought'. "The fact is you wouldn't have been there either at the club the other night to clarify the air between us." And now I feather in my cap for being this smart. He confirms with his head.
"Why don't you talk about yourself a bit? So I can know you better, Ms. I-know-everything." Oh god, he wants to know more about me. That's a good step.
"Well, what do you want to know?"
"Tell me about your family," Cliché as fuck.
"My dad passed away when I was eight. I lived with my mother until she decided to marry and I decided to stay with my aunt and uncle. That was when I was thirteen and from then on until my college, I lived with my aunt and uncle."
"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss,"
"That's okay; I don't remember much, just some vision of three of us walking happily on the beach, so dramatic right?"
"How about college?" that's very affable of him. He changes the subject, aware of my awful face when I remember my dad.
"I went to UCLA, School of Art and Architects. But by then my uncle had to leave here to New York, so you can say I have just a couple of friends to keep me accompany,"
"So, why aren't you working as an Interior Designer then? You are so smart I'm sure you will be so successful on this."
I shrug. "I applied for some jobs, but they said I'm not professional enough, so that's why I'm still sticking to being a P.A., at least it's better than being unemployed." His frantic face after I told him so is hair-raising. Anger and discomfort flow by in those dark eyes of his. I guess that's the look he gets when something at work doesn't satisfy him.
"Which company said that?" I admit his voice is way more nightmarish than his face. Remind me to never make him furious. "No one gets to decide about a job based on being professional or not. It's the quality that matters."
"It's not important. I have a job now and I'm content with it."
Abruptly, his former mood switches into a captivated smile and those two icy blue eyes. "Then why don't come and work for me, I have three Building Construction company, you can choose whichever you like, I'm sure we could use some of your brilliant ideas." Working for him? He's either high-handed or it's just another game of his. Well, on one hand, working for such a massive empire is very well-off. On the other hand, it means I will see him more, which leads to reminding more of what happened between us. Plus, I'm not like those people jump at some opportunity others drop for them. If I want something I will get it myself, not with anyone's help.
"I don't think that's a good idea, thanks, though, I may consider it someday." When I don't remember what happened anymore, I add it silently to myself. Although I refused him, he keeps his unreasonable grin on his face.
"What about your college?" It was killing me to know if he was a girl killer body like he is now.
A soft chuckle escapes his mouth, with glory eyes and an amusing grin he looks at me like I just drop a funny bomb. "I didn't have time to go; I was busy building up my company and business, plus I've got dropped out," Wow, he didn't go to college. That's so unusual. Usually, people with his power went to college and then become so famous.
"How many sources of jobs and companies does your industry include?"
"Well, it includes so much, from the Building Construction to Farming and Agriculture, from Technology Management Co. to Production Companies."
"Like Film-making Companies? You mean meeting celebrities and famous people?"
"Yes, actually if you like I can take you to one of our events so you can meet some of them." Wow, that's really holy shit. I haven't met any of those guys, but I would really like to meet some of my crushes. It's been really a dream for me to meet them, I'm sure Alice would be on the seventh sky if she knew it. I smile like a Cheshire cat, showing my glee. His response is well-aware grin as well.
Our dinner comes. Wow, it smells so good, even from the distance. It's more than one! The new waitress puts our plates, two in front of me and one in front of him. Why two? I look at each one. One is roasted half Mary's chicken and the other is roasted Colorado lamb.
"I didn't know what you would like. So I ordered both." He explains as he waves his hand to plate.
"That's a very considerate of you, but I would like chicken," I smile at him. I didn't know he could be such a gentleman.
"Take the other one." He orders to waitress number two without looking at her, his eyes are fixed on me.
She didn't and when I take a look at her, she is looking at him. Oh great, I'm not the only one. Of course, it is so. Girl's killer. Who doesn't love blue eyes and hot work out body tycoon? She continues looking at him.
"Excuse me, would you..." and she comes back to life. I bet she is flushing in the way back to the kitchen. I shake my head. Does this happen to him a lot? It seems so; he was so confident that he never takes his eyes off me to look at the blonde. Wow, that's a good sign. "You're welcome," I say to Andrew for awakening the girl from her daydreaming.
I drop my head into my eating as I take my fork and knife to take a piece. I look at him through my lashes; he ordered a half grilled steak. It seems like he is on steak fans while I'm on the chicken team. Oh, how many similarities we have. Our generation gap, money, tastes, even dress, is there anything to add? At least we think of one thing and that's that we like each other.
He doesn't need to tell me, I can see it in his eyes. For as much as I want to hate him and get away from him, I think I finally found my own prince who can love me as much as I love him. These things don't bother me anymore, speaking about these facts, because I know I have no reason to stop myself. I smile and scoff quietly. The silence gets us over. I want to know more about him, though.
"It must hard to control an empire like you have,"
"No, actually, I'm so powerful, control is above of all my skills, and I enjoy controlling things. It gives me more power." Open mouth, I gape at him.
"Of course, You do, you're... you," From somewhere inside me, I shiver at the thought how controlling he could be in real life. The man does control an empire. It's hard to believe, I'm sitting in front someone who can make money like swallowing water.
That answer banishes every other nerve in my mind. My mind wanders around, dirty thoughts bring distraction, and distraction takes me away from reality, I continue to those thoughts until there is an ache between my legs. Seriously? Like here now, in public. I abandon the thoughts and leave them to hang around somewhere else and silently continue my eating and enjoying the taste the roasted chicken.
Twice our eyes lock into each other as his eyes burned into mine. And each time, it was me who break the connection. Ordinarily, he is the one who talks and asks questions about me, but now he keeps his own peace and silence. I take a sip of my wine and it gives me the opportunity to peer at him from behind the glass. He is deep in thought; looking at the napkin he grips it in his hand on the table, pressing it to the table.
His eyes look so deep in thought. I don't know what's wrong. Did I say something? What if I reminded him a bad memory or something? Perhaps, I offended him. Me and my big mouth! That's why he doesn't speak. His thoughts are stronger than asking weird things about me. I should rip this string of thoughts. How? Oh yes, wine. It's a good thing to talk about.
"This wine is so good. It tastes like raspberry. What is it?" I succeed, he raises his head slowly and gets his smile back. He was and still definitely girl killer. That sexy smile does a lot of things to me, things that I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself from not jumping into his embrace and kiss him. Shit! Shut up... He doesn't look in thoughts anymore, but I can guess anything it was, it was hurting him. He was so lost in himself.
"It's Sojourn Cellars Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. I knew you would like it." What? Is it a wine name or something anyway? His satisfaction is extreme. He knows how to please a girl.
"You were deep in thought. Did I bother you?" I murmur.
"Of course not, Laura. You are far away from bothering me." He is surprised by my sudden question. Well, I just want to know if it's me who bothered him. Could it be because of that phone call? Fortunately or unfortunately, the blonde comes and takes our plates with herself.
"Are you an only child?" Oh good. Mr. Weird & None of His Business comes to life.
"Yes, Mr. Martinez I am. I have a stepbrother, though." I actually called him by his family name. Well, he didn't ask me to call him Andrew. Perhaps he finds me calling his first name somehow impolite or maybe he just doesn't like to be called by his sexy name Andrew. Or maybe he isn't that kind of men saying 'be comfortable with me' after all he is the master of more than thousands of employees who call him 'sir', and 'Mr. Martinez'.
Something is certainly bothering him. He looks away to the space far, far away from my eye contact.
Soon after, dessert comes whipped cream with chocolate biscuits and strawberries. My favorite again. I smile sweetly at the dish. We are almost in the middle of the desert when a tall man comes by and says Andrews's name. Andrew snaps from his thoughts and looks up, politely he stands up and shakes hands with the man.
"Sorry, Martinez for interrupting, I wanted to just come by and say hello." He turns to me nods, "ma'am," I nod back, not sure if I have to stand up as well. "I didn't know you are the date-type of man, Martinez. What happened to you?" the sentences get me by surprise as they do with Andrew. He looks on my way nervously, but doesn't say anything. I guess, it's a first for him. But maybe the man hasn't seen him with dates. After some business exchanges dialogues, the man says goodbye and leaves us.
"Sorry again, these things come along when I'm out usually."
"So you're not the date-type of man." The words blurt out before I can even stop them and soon I regret it when I see Andrew's face changes into the discomfort one. Shit, what was I thinking? We are not on a date. I'm not his date. Who am I? He must think what a nervy girl I am.
"No Laura, dates and girlfriends are not my type." It would be way better if he just slapped me in the face. Cliché you might say, a typical billionaire refusing love, but when in the situation the pain is more yet to come. All blood dried away from my face. My breath hitches. I want to leave the restaurant. He officially told me that I'm not his date and he doesn't do girlfriend things and obviously I've been daydreaming all this long. Why does he send mixed signals then? Ahhh, of course, silly, you thought this Adonis Greek god whom women drop at his feet actually likes you. Who am I, really?
"Penny for your thoughts, Miss. Brown," I dart a dirty look at him. My breathing is pacing as my anger is bustling out
"No, Everything is fine, Andrew." Andrew's gasp pulls me away from my madness and I face my harsh words I just throw in his face. I look down not able to face him. This was supposed to clear air between us, but now the air is thicker than it was. After what seems like forever, I dare a glance at him, he arches his eyebrow surprisingly. Clearly, he wasn't expecting me to talk like that. Crap! What was I thinking? I bet he's regretting inviting me to dinner. My. Big. Mouth! Swallowing hard, I take my glass of wine and take a sip. The anger and irritation are buried away and I can say I'm just calm. I lick my lips dry from the wine. He is still looking at me but now at my lips. Uncontrollably, I part my lips and stare at him. He feels my stare as he drops his head down. But still I can see his smiling, at what? I take a look at the clock on my iPhone, it's nine thirty and we are almost over. He ate his dish out, but I didn't. I mean I couldn't.
For god sake, I was having dinner with a multi-billionaire bachelor who just told me to back off because something namely named us couldn't happen. With having him in front of me gazing at me, looking at how I put the fork in my mouth, how I chew, looking at my lips and all those, my appetite is taken away. Another waitress comes and gets our plates.
He pushes back his chair and stands up. I get my purse and stand up after him but with one step he reaches to my side and offers his hand for me to take it. What should I do? Should I? Shouldn't I? Oh shit, damn this mixed signals. I put mine in his anyway, but as usual that electric shock turns me and my hair on like a wave. He doesn't seem to notice. But then why should he? For a second, I thought he was gay. But if it was so Alice would have told me right?
Wait, he doesn't pay for the food. How? I take a look at him and with that confidence he starts walking out of the restaurant. He seems so pleased that he is holding my hand. We walk out to the reception. He says his name to the man standing at the reception and he nods at him. He turns back and tells him that it's ready. What is ready!? Did he reserve a room here? I was not aware that I'm frizzing on my spot until he tugs my hand and wanting me to move with him. At the front door, a doorman comes near and gives him a key car.
"Let's go." He says and we step a few more to outdoors when I'm stunned by a very, very expensive Lamborghini. It's black, but so awesome, that's all I know. It's that kind you want to take it into the air and fly with it over miles. I have never been in a Lamborghini. It must be so exciting, I guess. He releases my hand only to open the passenger door for me. Hang on, me! I'm going to sit in this expensive all-leather-and-miles car.
Oh, wait. Wasn't it him who just said he doesn't do dates? I keep still and don't sit; he cocks his head to one side. I get into the car, finally. Wow, it smells good. It smells of expensive leather as expected. He turns around the hood and comes to the other side. When we are both buckled up, he roars up the engine. Oh gosh, people are right. This is called life. I'm so stunned by it.
"Do you like it?" He asks when he pulls into the night traffic of L.A.
"Yeah, who doesn't? Honestly, I have never been in these things." I keep my hands to myself before I can touch anything and probably break it.
"Really? Well, you should be more." Does this mean I'm going to sit in his car a lot, which only concludes him looking for a relationship with me, which means he just lied earlier or he is playing, again? Ah, mixed signals.
And there is a really bad silence. Nobody talks; it's even more awkward than it was in the restaurant. After a long time driving, I got that we are heading to my apartment. Ok, next challenge. Should I ask him to come up? Or I should thank him and let him go! This is so hard.
"Do you always drive in silence?" I ask him 'Cuz I'm sure a person who has a Lamborghini doesn't drive in silence.
"No, I don't, I thought maybe you don't like music, that's why I keep it off."
"Oh. But no I like music so much. It's my hobby when I'm bored I listen to music."
"Ok, so then," he turns on his player. It starts with a soft voice singing in the background, I don't recognize it. I hear this song before, but I can't remember who is the singer or the song.
"Who is this?" I point to the player.
"It's Birdy, skinny love. Her voice is soft and romantic, right?" He takes his eyes a few seconds to look at me. Romantic? Hmm. He is really playing with me.
"Yes, it's so calm." I don't want this to be finished. We drive back the entire time in deep silence, just thinking what we should say while we still keep quiet. And now I'm getting to think that it's my fault. But he must know that his appearance and being with him in a Lamborghini is overwhelming or something which makes me to just stare at the road and thinking about each second he might say he can get some exception on date part, get my hand or will put his hand on my knee. Ugh.
My dirty mind! I should get this stopped, none of them are going to happen; He pulls out next to my apartment complex. That's it, the end of the line. Well, time for goodbyes. My worst fear is that he won't like to see me in the future or maybe after tonight he changes his mind and doesn't want to have anything to do with me. And of course, he won't, after all, he's not into dating. Andrew turns his head from the road to face me. I do so.
Lack of words gets me so intense on how I'm going to end this night. "Thank you. It was a really good time I had. Your choice for dinner is awesome." I can't thank him anymore. I try my best to show I'm not happy it's coming to an end, knowing that it wasn't a date.
"You're welcome. It was a pleasure of mine. Thank you for accepting this dinner and spending your time with me." He nods at me. He seems so pleasant with what he's done. I can't let this end.
Curiosity is killing me, and before I can think of anything, I pop my mouth open, "You said, you don't do date, May I know what it was then. I mean... I don't like to... You know-"
"I know what you mean," Grinning like he's enjoying my misery in expressing what I want to say, he takes my hand in his, the warmth of it surrounds me like it always does. "You can say it was sort of a clarifying-the-air-date."
I take a look at our tangled hands and then into his eyes, "You mean, there is an exception."
"You could say that."
For two more seconds there is silent, with the music muted, it only makes it worst. Thinking of what he just said makes the black hole of my hopelessness lighten up. So, there are chances there. Maybe I just should give it some time, or something I guess, not every guy jumps through the opportunity to be with someone. For this so long, I haven't been on a date much, and for the first time, I found someone who maybe, just maybe could be the prince I'm looking for.
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I'm waiting impatiently for your comments and thoughts, tell me what you think about this chapter or what you expect from the next chapters. also, i want you to comment your favorite song so i can put it in my book during each scenes.
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