“What are you—”
“No, it’s Maverick DeVille, Arwen’s husband.” He’d been soft-spoken just a moment ago, but he quickly fell into an aggressive role the second he felt threatened. “Your relationship with her is over. Call her again, and I’ll kill you.” He hung up and tossed the phone back at me.
Brandon must have taken the threat seriously because he didn’t call or text again.
“How about that dinner?”
“How did you know that was him?”
“Because he’s a man who lost you… I know exactly how that feels.” He rose to his feet and turned around to look at me. “We’ll leave at six. Wear something nice.”
“Is this a social event?” Were we meeting another couple in the city? Meeting a few business associates?
“No. Just you and me.”
He shifted gears as he accelerated to a higher speed. The road across the Tuscany countryside was abandoned and dark, like an open racetrack just for him. He sped his fancy car down the road even though we had all the time in the world.
If someone else were driving, I would grip the side handle and be terrified the entire way. But since Maverick was a man in control of everything, I wasn’t afraid he would lose control of the wheel.
His watch reflected the lights from the dashboard, and the long sleeves of his blazer fit his muscular arms well. His slacks were tight in the right places, and with his recent haircut, he looked like a model waiting to be photographed.
It was strange seeing him wear that black ring all the time.
It was even stranger that I wasn’t wearing mine. I constantly felt for my ring, absentmindedly fingering the spot even though it was gone. I’d worn it so long that it had become a part of who I was. Once I took it off, I’d felt a little lost. If I wasn’t Mrs. DeVille, I didn’t know who I was.
He entered the city and gave his car to the valet at the restaurant. His arm moved around my waist, and he escorted me inside, scoring a private table in the back without even having to give his name. It was a quiet restaurant, scattered with couples. Candles burned on every surface, making it the ideal place for romance.
I shed my coat and placed it over the back of the chair.
Maverick helped me sit down. He pushed in my chair then placed his palm on the back of my neck, sliding it under my hair. The touch was brief, only lasting a few seconds, but it was enough to make bumps emerge on my skin.
He moved across the table from me and took a seat. He got the waiter’s attention right away and ordered a bottle of wine for us to share. He seemed to know exactly what he wanted without checking to see if they offered the particular bottle.
I picked up the menu and stared at the selections because I suddenly felt awkward sitting across from him. It was the first time we were face-to-face like this, sharing a meal like a normal couple.
We were anything but normal.
“How long are you going to look at that menu to avoid me?”
I kept looking just to be a smartass. “Until I find something good.”
“The gnocchi is recommended.”
“That does sound good…” I kept my head down. “What are you getting?”
“Whatever you’re getting.”
“That’s boring.” I finally set the menu down as the waiter approached and poured the wine. Just before he walked away, Maverick grabbed the menus and handed them over. “We’ll both have the gnocchi—and get these off the table.”
The waiter walked away.
Now Maverick stared me down without restriction. “That’s better.”
The glow of the low-burning candles and the dim lighting in the room made it seem like the most romantic place in the city. All the couples were talking quietly over their dinners, some were young and had just discovered the heat of a new relationship, while others had veteran relationships that had deepened over time. But it was obvious that every single person in there was in love.
Me included.
Just looking at Maverick was enough to remind me why I fell for him in the first place. He was the strong and silent type, the kind of man that used actions rather than words. If something needed to be handled, he took care of it. He was a hard worker who ran his business with pride, and he treated his employees well. He was honest to anyone he encountered. And he was also selfless and brave. He’d hurt me so much, but I never felt unsafe with him.
Maverick held on to his glass of wine as he watched me, his brown eyes focused on me to the exclusion of everything else in the room. I was the only thing that mattered, the only woman who had his attention.