CHAPTER5
When the waiter returned, Pedro helped Belinda from her chair and collected the wrapped remains of her meal. He steered her to the entrance and signaled for his car. The valet raced to retrieve it, eager to drive the sports car again.
The ride home began quietly. After a few minutes, Pedro reached a hand over the console. Belinda stared at it, unsure what she should do. He waited patiently until she placed her palm against his. His fingers closed around hers and squeezed lightly.
“Everything is okay, Belinda,” he assured her, glancing sideways to meet her gaze.
“I don’t understand,” she whispered.
“You’ve never been someone’s Little girl, have you?”
“No. I’ve just read about it in books.”
“That’s why there are rules. Already, you have shared that you work an extraordinary number of hours and skip meals. While that is unavoidable sometimes when you have the responsibility you have at Edgewater Industries, it’s not healthy. And lying damages any relationship—especially one as special as ours.”
“I’m not a good liar. I try never to do it unless the truth would hurt someone’s feelings,” she confessed.
“That is an excellent policy to have,” he complimented.
“Why did you come here? To Edgewater Industries? You could have a job anywhere. Why did you choose here?” Belinda held her breath when Pedro pulled into an empty parking lot and turned to face her.
“An inquisitive, bright student showed up on my screen one day during an online course. Her questions and her knowledge impressed me. More intriguing was the feeling I had that I needed to pay attention to her. I’ve learned in life to listen to that inner voice. It tells me important things.”
“Are you talking about me?”
“Yes.”
“You’re saying that you came to Edgewater Industries for no other reason than to meet me?” Belinda looked at him in shock.
“I took a position here to work in an innovative company that searched for someone with my knowledge. Had you been working for a company that I did not believe in, I would have found another job as close to you as I could. I would have met you regardless of whether I came to Edgewater to work as your colleague.”
“This is all very…” Her voice faded away as Belinda obviously searched for the word that would complete that statement.
“Surprising? Fortunate? Fated?” he proposed, feeling his lips curve into a fond smile. He wanted to make this all less confusing for her but couldn’t. He could only support her as she reconciled everything in her brain. “I’ve had time to process my attraction to you and how I know inside that you are mine. You have not.”
“Fated?” She echoed his last suggestion.
“I do believe in fate. Easton created an incredible business empire here. It was already on my radar before I encountered you. I know you are dedicated to our company.”
“Our company,” she echoed.
“Yes. I like what Easton is doing here. I would not work for a company that I didn’t believe in. The fact that you are here is icing on the cake. I would have met you regardless of whether we worked at the same company.”
“Because you think I’m your Little girl?” She repeated his earlier statement to double check she hadn’t misunderstood.
“Because I know you’re my Little.” Pedro cupped her face, stroking her jawline with his thumb. “I know this is confusing and difficult to understand. How could I be sure that you’re mine after interacting with you over a virtual call with a hundred other people?”
“How can you be so sure?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Something in you called to me.” Pedro leaned forward to press his lips against hers softly. When she froze under his kiss, Pedro lifted his mouth. He met her gaze squarely—not challenging, not forcing himself on her, just waiting.
* * *
A small soundescaped from her lips as Belinda allowed herself to act impulsively. She pressed her lips to his and reached out to curl her fingers into the fine material of his shirt as he took control of the kiss. His mouth moved against hers as if she were the most precious person in the world. Tasting, tempting, the kisses lured her closer to his body. She unclipped the seatbelt holding her in place, only to find the console was a rigid barrier to her efforts to wiggle closer.
“Damn this small car,” Pedro cursed against her mouth.
Laughter tumbled from her lips. Belinda loved that he was as frustrated by their location as she was.