Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“See. I was right.” Eden misinterprets my reaction. “Rich people like you will always look down on the poor.”
Standing up, she walks to where her coat is hanging.
A coat that’s so fucking worn it can’t possibly keep her warm.
“I’m shocked because you live in a dangerous area,” I explain. “Sit down.” She hesitates, which has me adding, “Please.”
Eden looks visibly upset as she takes a seat again, and I wait for her to meet my eyes before I say, “I don’t care whether you’re poor or rich, but hearing you live in such a dangerous place, where drug dealers and gangs are out of control, worries the fuck out of me.”
Her shoulders hunch forward. “It’s home and not all bad.”
She’s living in a fucking war zone, but if I make an issue out of it, she’s going to walk out of here, and I’ll never see her again.
Fuck.
She leans a little forward in her seat. “Most of my neighbors are hard-working people. We look out for each other.” She stares at me for a moment, then says, “If it’s something that’s going to bother you, then it’s best we end things now.”
Knowing she has people looking out for her makes me feel better, but I need to get the word out in Brownsville that no one’s to lay a finger on her.
“It doesn’t bother me,” I say to put her at ease.
When I resume eating, Eden clears her throat. “I tend to get defensive about my circumstances.”
I let out a chuckle. “I’ve noticed.”
“I don’t expect anything from you,” she blurts out. When I glance at her, she explains, “Like…stuff. I don’t need you buying me shit to win me over. I’m here because I like you.” When I nod, she adds, “And the sex is good.”
She likes me. It’s a start.
Laughter escapes from me, which eases the tension in the air. “Eat your food so I can take you home, and we can check whether the great sex was a one-time thing.”
“I’m warning you now, you and your sports car are going to stand out like a sore thumb.”
Every drug dealer and gang member knows who I am, and they won’t dare fuck with me.
“I can handle it,” I murmur.
We eat for a while longer before Eden asks, “Do you enjoy what you do?” Her tongue darts out to lick her lips then she adds, “Working with ballerinas.”
“I love it.” Wanting her to know a little more about me, I say, “I also own an opera house.”
She’s quiet for a moment, then asks, “So you’re Italian?”
“Sicilian,” I correct her.
When we’re done eating, Eden says, “Thank you for dinner. It was delicious.”
“I’ll tell Skylar you loved it.”
“Is that your chef-friend’s name?”
“Yes.”
Standing up, I walk to where Eden’s coat is hanging, and taking it off the hook, I hold it open so she can push her arms through the sleeves.
I move my hands to her shoulders and turn her around so she’ll face me. I stare into her gray eyes, and slowly lowering my head, I press a tender kiss to her lips.
I can’t pinpoint what it is about her, but the more time I get to spend with her, the more I want to be around her.
Pulling back, I say, “I like you too, Tesoro.”
Taking hold of her hand, I weave our fingers together before we leave the room.
When we walk through the tables toward the exit, Renzo comes in, and the instant his eyes lock on Eden and me, his eyebrows fly up into his hairline.
Here we go.
His focus shifts to Eden, and only when we reach him does he meet my eyes.
“Hey,” I say. “Renzo, this is Eden.” Tugging her closer to me, I explain, “She’s the dancer I told you about.”
A smile forms on Eden’s face, and she holds her free hand out to him. “It’s nice to meet you. Are you a friend of Dario’s?”
“I’m his best friend,” Renzo chuckles.
I watch as he shakes her hand, and when they’re done, I tell him, “I’ll call you later.”
“Okay.” A smile that spells nothing good for me forms on his face. “Have fun.”
I teased Renzo and Franco endlessly when they met their women and fell in love. There’s no way they’ll miss a chance to get back at me.
Leaving the restaurant, Eden says, “I had a nice time. Thank you.”
I glance down at her as I lead her to where I parked my SUV, which I’m using because Bella peed on the passenger seat of my R8, so I’ve had it sent to be cleaned.
When I open the passenger door, Eden chuckles, “In case you missed it, that was me giving you a chance to back out of taking me home.”
“I’m not backing out.” I nod my head toward the car, encouraging her to get in.
Once she climbed into the passenger side, I shut the door and walk around the SUV.