Page 26 of Love Me

“Whoa,” Monique says a minute after we enter the first floor office space.

“It used to be a dental office, but the owner retired a month ago,” I tell her of the office. “The total area is ten thousand square feet. Once the furniture is moved out of here, it’ll be the perfect location.”

“Diego …” Her voice trails off.

I hear the doubt in her tone, but I also see the wonder in her eyes. She turns to face me.

“Is this place even on the market? There’s no sign out front, and I didn’t see it available on any of the listings I researched.”

I jut my head toward the door. “Aunt Mia’s coffee shop is a few blocks from here,” I say, referring to the wife of my family’s long-standing head of security.

“I stopped by a couple of days ago and overheard the owner of the building talking about putting this place on the market soon. I asked him to hold off until I got a chance to look at it with you.”

She blinks, a small smile creeping over her mouth. I shove my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching for her.

“You did that for me?”

She has to know I’d do this and so much more for her.

“Of fucking course I did.” I hold out my arms. “Look at this place. It’s perfect. The art district isn’t too far from here, and with that new place that just opened across the street, we can see the district is growing in this area.

“It’s the perfect location to be on First Fridays,” I tell her, mentioning the monthly event that galleries and museums in Williamsport host for lovers of art and culture.

“You’re right.” She sounds breathless, and I know the idea is growing on her. “How many square feet did you say it is?”

“Ten thousand. If you decide to knock that wall out, I bet you can make it to fifteen.”

Her lips push out in a pout. “That’s a lot of space.”

“Exactly what you need when this place is filled with art from all of the artists you’ll be featuring.” I snort. “Hell, in a year or two you’ll probably need a second space.”

She rolls her eyes playfully. “You say it with such confidence.”

Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m standing in front of her, my hand tipping her chin up so she can’t look anywhere but at me. “I say it because it’s the truth. Your gallery is going to be a huge success. I can feel it.”

She doesn’t say anything for almost a full minute.

We remain standing like that. Me holding her chin, her looking directly into my eyes, mine searching hers. As if it has a mind of its own, my thumb lightly runs along the seam of her bottom lip.

Monique inhales sharply but she doesn’t pull away. When her mouth falls open slightly, the muscles in my stomach tighten. The urge that has been more and more difficult to fend off comes close to erupting inside of me.

Lowering my head, I bring our faces within inches of one another’s. She doesn’t pull back, and I take that as a win. However, when I start to go all in, the bell over the door chimes as someone enters.

Monique startles and pulls back, forcing me to release her. I hadn’t even realized my hand was wrapped around her waist.

“Mr. Townsend,” Donald Rucker, owner of the building, greets. Though he’s a stand up guy, at this moment, I want to knock his damn head off.

“This must be the young lady and future owner of a world famous art gallery that you told me about?” he says, smiling at Monique.

“I don’t know about that,” she replies with a laugh. “I’m Monique.”

“Richmond,” he finishes. “Your friend has told me a lot about you. He’s very proud of everything you’ve accomplished so far.”

She looks at me. “I haven’t done anything yet.”

“As I told you, Mr. Rucker, she’s too modest for her own good.” On instinct, I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into me.

He looks between the two of us, and his smile grows.

---