I can’t hide the shock his words cause.
“If I didn’t want to be, wouldn’t have asked you. We’re in this together. This is a mutual agreement based on trust and respect. Anything else ain’t worth the attempt.”
I duck my head. Placing a finger under my chin, he forces me to get my head. “You with me on this?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Look at me.”
I force my gaze to his. “I’m going to treat you the way you deserve. We both need this.” His voice waivers. What happened to him? “I made a lot of mistakes in my life. I was young, stupid, and ignorant in many ways. That time is over. So when I tell you I’m going to do right by you, I need you to believe me.” He tightens his hold. “Understand?”
I nod my head. He kisses my forehead, and I know I am completely fucked. “Good. Now let’s go have this date I sweated bullets planning.”
I burst out into laughter. “You don’t even care if I know.”
“Naw, ain’t my style. I’m new at this thing, so if I’m screwing up I want to know. Don’t bite your tongue, be direct. Vague statements have never been my forte. I’m not a problem solver or a message decoder. I was raised to be blunt.”
“I was raised the exact opposite, Southern politeness.”
“I knew things were going to be interesting with you.”
***
I’m pleasantly surprised to find he’s taken me to the Venice canals.
“I haven’t been here in forever.” I crane my neck as I peer around the water pathways. “I forgot how beautiful it is here.”
“We’ll have to look around at another time. I have plans.” Color me impressed. “You’ll find I’m good at setting things up.” Wrapping an arm around my shoulder, he pulls me close to his side. “You’re too far from me.”
Is this real? I feel like I’ve stepped into a daydream. I never would’ve expected this man to have this inside of him. His gentleness and attentiveness aren’t helping me stay objective. He’s applying the same intensity he uses for work to me, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I’m not used to being the center of attention or having a man like this one look at me like I’m the stars in the sky. Dazzling, and mysterious.
We go to an embankment where a gondola is waiting with two men in traditional black and white T-shirt and black pants. In the center of the gondola is a red and white checkered table.
“I hope you like pizza,” Shayne says. “We have a reservation for two for Spencer.”
“Welcome, senora and senor.” I can’t help but be enchanted when the man is taking me on a gondola ride and feeding me pizza. As he helps me down into the red boat, I see the life I’ve always wanted slowly starting to take shape. Seated beside him with the sunlight dancing on the water, a cold beer in my hand, and a slice of tasty pizza on the white plate in front of me, I can see the dream taking shape.
“This is incredible. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it. Your palate is a bit more refined than I’m used to, so I was worried.”
I elbow him. “Stop it.”
“What? I’m serious. I’ve learned more about food, flavors, and pairings in the truck than I have in my entire life. Other than how to make a few really good marinades and how to grill properly, my father never taught me and my brother more than the basics of cooking.”
“You catch on fast. Not everyone can keep up with the fast-paced environment.”
“I work well under pressure.”
“What did you do before this?”
“I was a mechanic. I worked for my family owned shop. It’s still successful, but we’ve been investing our money and branching out to give us more income and employment opportunities.”
“I can see you working on cars and motorcycles.” It’s all too easy to picture him a pair of tight jeans a white T-shirt smeared with grease, and a navy blue uniform shirt with his name on a white patch.
“Did you wear a uniform?” My mind paints a picture my libido agrees with.
“Yeah.”