I leaned in to give her a swift kiss, which seemed to surprise her.
“Should you…I mean, this is your restaurant, right?” she asked nervously, her eyes darting around.
“Do I want the world to know you’re mine? Yes. Do I want the staff to know that you are the most important person in this restaurant? Yes.”
Julia blinked hard, then she shook her head. “You’re a bit of an odd man sometimes,” she laughed.
“Yes. I am. Now eat, and please tell me everything you think about it.”
I’d been cooking for people for years, but now Julia’s opinion was the only one that mattered. She enjoyed everything, and picked up some flavors I wouldn’t have thought she’d notice, yet didn’t comment on others. Her interpretation of everything was surprising, fresh.
When her appetite began to lose steam, I stole a couple of bites, insisting it was for quality control purposes.
Then an assortment of two bite desserts came out, which made Julia’s eyes nearly pop out of her head. “This is the strangest, most precise dinner I’ve ever had,” she laughed.
After trying a bite of apple raspberry tart, she directed that stunning smile straight at me. “They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but I’m discovering that it might work on women as well.”
“That’s the plan.” I fed her vanilla and chocolate gourmet jellybeans dipped in caramel nutmeg whipped cream, adoring the way her lips closed around my fingers.
I loved that she was playful. I’d never dated anyone who didn’t have ulterior motives. Julia wasn’t trying to get her face on TV to start some supposed acting career, or get her hands on my money. She genuinely enjoyed my company. Which naturally made me want to give her absolutely everything.
“Have you been to Europe yet?” I asked.
Those beautiful eyes lit up. “Not yet.”
“Good. We’ll be taking a vacation there soon.”
Her light laugh made my heart swell. “You can’t just take me on a European vacation.”
“Why not?”
“Because…I mean we’re not really…”
Grabbing her beautiful face between my palms, I kissed her slowly and deeply. The feeling of her soft lips against mine made my pulse throb in my veins. This intense connection was wild.
When I finally pulled back, Julia’s eyes were glassy. “You shouldn’t do that in front of your staff,” she whispered breathily.
“I’m the boss. I can do whatever I want. Unless you’d like me to stop?”
She grabbed my collar, pulling me in for one more stunning kiss. “Never.”
“Good. Do you want to see the kitchen?”
“Sure.”
The second we turned the corner into the kitchen area, all conversation stopped as every eye turned to us.
Just a week ago, they would have received a sharp reprimand for glancing away from their stations, and they looked absolutely shocked when I chuckled loudly. “I’m out for the night. Sebastian, the kitchen is yours.”
Julia seemed nervous to even step past the doorway, so I slipped an arm around her as I quickly introduced all of the kitchen staff.
“Everyone, this is my beautiful girlfriend Julia. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing a lot of her here. She’s the only customer who will ever be permitted to make any requests or substitutions on the menu.”
Sebastian looked at me in surprise, as most of the staff smirked.
“Nice to meet you all,” Julia said softly with a small wave.
I guided her out the side door to where my driver Nathan was waiting with the car.