Page 25 of Pain and Pleasure

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.

He laughs low and ushers me forward and up the small set of stairs outside. We’re still in the countryside, but I can tell we’re near LA. I can see the hills in the distance and the lights glittering like stars in the night sky.

“I’m glad you think so, princess, but we’re not even inside yet.”

He winks at me and leads me to the door, where a waiter is ready to open it for us to walk inside, and my eyes become as wide as saucers as I take in one of Dante’s most beautiful creations.

12

Esmeralda

I can't getover the arched ceilings.

We've been inside Dante's restaurant for ten minutes and I'm gushing over ceilings. As soon as you enter the building, you're literally punched in the face by a large fountain and that gushes waves like a waterfall. It's gorgeous, but over the top. Definitely like Dante in that sense. But it's the ceilings that grab me.

Once we made our way through the maze of candlelit tables, waiters with large trays and countless customers gossiping over wine, we ended up at a white, leather booth on the other side of the fountain. It sits up against a bay window and the tablecloth is, of course, silk. I smiled as we sat, Dante's hand brushing against my bare knee under the table.

"For you, everything should be silk," he whispered huskily as a waiter poured wine into the glasses on our table.

He ordered food for us, but I wasn't able to pay attention to what it was that he ordered. My focus has been on the ceilings that belong in a cathedral. The arches are so high and there are paintings of angels and demons on them, stopping as soon as the highest arch point ends. It's breathtaking.

"Like what you see?" Dante asks as we sip our wine. I turn to him and smile broadly.

"This is amazing, Dante. Absolutely stunning," I say, the smile never leaving my lips.

He nods and continues to stare at me, his eyes trained on my mouth. I quirk an eyebrow at him.

"What are you staring at?" I ask. His eyes don't move from my mouth, but he shakes his head slowly at me.

"Nothing. I just think that I like making you...smile," he says, and I can't help but grin from ear to ear.

He says that like he's never said it to anyone before, like this is the first time he's ever conjured up those words. It makes my stomach flutter, but what gets me the most is how open he's being. We've really gotten to know each other more, though it's been slow, and he allows me to see glimpses of who he is beneath the cold, hard exterior he's built around himself.

"You've been awfully nice to me this week, you know." I tease him as I sip more of my wine. It's smooth and dry, but I actually like it.

"That's because you've been less difficult for me." He teases back, the lock of hair hanging above his eyebrow making me want to reach out and smooth it back.

Rather than wishing silently like I normally do, I let my hand extend out to smooth it back. His eyes never leave mine as I do it and it makes me feel this warm feeling that spreads throughout my entire body.

I'm falling in love with him.

There's no denying it. Though he makes me want to kill him at times, he brings out this giddy and sensual side of me that's never been brought out. I can't keep shoving down what blooms inside of me for him. No matter if the hurt that may come destroys me, at least I had this. This wonderful, new and exciting feeling.

"I want to...discuss something with you," he says softly, but there's a harsh bite to it.

I shouldn't have settled into my giddiness so soon.

"What is it?" I question him, trying not to show any fall of disappointment in my face.

He sits quietly for a moment before sipping his wine and looking around the room. He's broken eye contact with me and almost seems...nervous. Unease begins to spread in my stomach.

"You said something to me the other week, the night before you left for home."

He pauses and I stare at my wine glass, feeling embarrassed suddenly. I can love him in private because it's safe. Talking about it with him not only makes me feel shy, but terrified. Because in a second, he could grab my heart and rip it from my chest. Any man can do that, but he does it every day for work. He sneaks up in an instant and ends a person's life. I'm sure it would be easy to do the same to my heart, no matter how much he loves to fuck me. At the end of the day that's all it is, fucking.

"We don't have to discuss-"

"We do and we will." He cuts me off.

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