Page 26 of Game Night: Truth or Dare

“Hello, Law,” he practically purrs. His eyes travel up and down my body, the look so heated I can practically feel it. “You look great.”

Warmth floods my face. I press my fingertips to my cheeks, which have to be bright red. “Thank you. You look amazing.”

“I can drive, but it's so nice out. I was hoping we could walk to the Italian restaurant down the street. What do you think?”

“I love that place. Their Alfredo is to die for.”

“I heard their pesto dish is just as good.” He grins.

“It is!” I can’t hold back my excitement. “Honestly, I always have a hard time choosing between the two dishes.”

“Then we should split both.” Victor offers me his hand.

The pounding of my heart beats louder as I place my hand in his. I don’t know if it's because of how much we chatted together last night, or if it's because I've been making small talk with this man for months, but I can already tell this is going to be the best date I've ever been on.

My nerves are more the excited, thrilled type of nerves, rather than the anxiety-filled jitters I've always experienced.

Wow. I’m in so much trouble with this man.

Once we’re seated and we’ve ordered our food, I’m shocked by how easily Victor and I fall into a comfortable conversation. Not only is the man handsome, but he’s smart too.

I’m excited to learn that we have a lot in common. Like me, he grew up with his mom, and in many ways, they had to support each other. While we both have our bachelor's degree in Business Administration, he only took that path because he'd originally planned to take over his mother’s business someday. However, he discovered that his true passion lay in cooking, whereas I fell in love with marketing.

“I finished my business degree since I imagine owning a restaurant or some kind of food-related business someday. But immediately after graduation, I worked part-time at the other Dee Rama office while attending culinary school.”

I take a sip of my wine, seeing him in a whole new light. “That’s really impressive. Would you want to own a restaurant like this?”

He peers around the room, taking in the view of the elegant brick walls covered with hundreds of photos and murals. It sounds chaotic, but it gives the restaurant a very comforting atmosphere. I watch as his eyes take in his surroundings with a small smile on his face before he focuses on me.

It’s something I noticed about Victor; he seems to pause and really think about deeper questions before answering. He doesn’t just reply without thought. It’s refreshing.

I glance around the restaurant too, trying to imagine Victor owning a place like this. All of the tables are covered with a fancy tablecloth and the lights are dimmed low, giving the whole room a romantic yellow glow, yet… it doesn’t feel like him. I can’t put my finger on why I know that; I just do.

“As much as I love cooking Italian food, I actually like to play with various dishes. I think I would get bored with just one specialty.”

I nod, offering him a smile, and encouraging him to continue. “What are your favorite things to cook?”

Victor’s entire face lights up, almost as if he’s shocked I’m interested in his passion for food. But seriously, who wouldn’t be interested in what he has to say when his whole body radiates excitement?

“I love fusion food. Blending two cultures to honor each dish and elevate them to the next level is addictive.”

By the time our food arrives, I’m starving, simply from listening to all the dishes he loves to make. My stomach lets out an embarrassing growl as the waiter drops off our two pasta dishes and some smaller plates so we can share.

“Thank you for splitting my two favorite dishes. I’m excited to try them side by side and see which one I like better.”

From that point, we chat about everything while taking our time eating. I tell him about where I graduated, my goals at his mother’s company, and my passion for marketing. Victor engages me with questions and advice. It’s unlike any other conversation I’ve had with anyone. We seem to feed off each other eagerly, bouncing around ideas, bantering playfully, and diving into deeper topics.

I’m so shocked that our conversation flows this easily and I find myself eager to keep learning everything I can about the man in front of me.

We spend the rest of our dinner getting to know each other, pausing once we are full and chatting some more while we sip on our wine. An hour later we order dessert and continue talking as if neither of us ever wants to leave.

When we finally do get up, Victor insists on paying the check, and a little part of me swoons. Carter always made me pay for my half, claiming we were two independent people who didn’t need to submit to archaic traditions or some nonsense.

But for once, it was just nice to feel like I was taken care of. I want to do that for Victor next time. I want to pay for his dinner and make him feel as treasured as I feel.

Instead of rushing home, like I was used to with all my previous dates, Victor and I take our time walking around my block, fingers laced. We circle past my place several times, just to stay in each other’s company and chat. The evening goes by, and I feel like I’ve known this gorgeous man for years.

By the time we make it back to my place, I'm keyed up for a different reason. I want Victor. I want him, like I’ve never wanted anyone before. “Will you spend the night with me tonight?” I ask, suddenly feeling shy for the first time since we started dinner.

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