Come home!

They soon got to another fancy restaurant and the driver opened the door for them to come out. Andrè hooked her arm to his as they walked into the bistro.

The minute they walked into the place, the manager scampered toward them, his face etched with the sweetest smile Dee has never seen on anybody. He greeted them and led them to a secluded corner and when a waiter had come to take their orders with the exclusive menu he had on him, the manager snatch it away from him and gave him a signal to withdraw back.

"Mr. Albertó, it's nice seeing you again. How's the business going?" Andrè asked the manager, his eyes on Dee who observe the way the manager kept wriggling about the place with a uniformed smile that she feared his face might bleed from the excess exertion and had to intervene.

"Can I get a bottle of water, please?" she serenaded.

"Of course, ma'am." he scooted off to get her order.

"What?" Andrè asked when he saw the way she looked after the retreating back of the man.

"Can't you see he was trying everything to please you? I had to send him off so he doesn't die from the smiling disease," she mused and looked about the place. This place was different from the other restaurant they had gone to last night.

"You like?" he inquired, observing her closely.

"Mmmm. I can't help but notice it's different from the one last night. Is this how you move about different restaurants?" she quizzed, her eyes stopping on a frame that was hung on the wall bearing the picture of Andrè, "and why is your picture hung on the wall of the restaurant?"

"Well, let's say it's one of my investments." Her eyes widened in cognizance.

No way! "It's your restaurant?" she inquired slowly, out of breath, bending towards him.

He beamed, his eyes crinkling with mirth. "Feed my curiosity already, I hate suspense. Is it yours?" she waved at him. He nodded and looked at the approaching manager who dropped the bottle of water and stood waiting for further orders.

"Go Albertò. Call one of the waiters." Andrè waved off the manager, whose face fell in disappointment. He waved a waiter to them and retreated to his office.

"Welcome, sir, what can we get you?" the new waiter smiled at them and turned towards Dee, his eyes lingering on her a while before looking away and regaining himself. They collected the menus and went through them and decided to settle for simple grills. The waiter went off, leaving them to themselves. Dee tucked her hair behind her ear and dropped her hand on the table, thinking mindlessly.

She thought about the kiss in the elevator causing her heartbeat to skid. If this is the way things were going to be between them, then that means that she was truly in trouble.

"A penny for your thought," Andrè jested and reached over to hold her hand on the table. The act alone produced goosebumps all over her body. She smiled and tried to retrieve her hand but his hold was stronger as his eyes remained trained on her face.

"Say" he demanded calmly.

She shrugged. "I only think we should stop whatever it is we are doing, I think it's dangerous. Imagine if your father finds out, It won't be humorous. By the way, you should be striving to get a wife." the words flew out of her mouth before she could hold them back.

She looked up at him with her eyes twitching. He let her go and looked away."If the problem is my father, then be assured I can handle it. There's nothing he could do that he hasn't done before. He's not as tough as you think."

"I know, but for the sake of trust and respect... He told me something at our last meeting which I'm not supposed to tell you by the way," she paused and bit into her lower lip.

"What did he say?" she shook her head and waved her hand, thinking of what to say to him. She can't spill something the old man had confidently told her and now she will go off and spill it to Andrè.

This was what she had feared- Why she didn't want to engage with him. Because eventually, feelings would get in the way of her job.

"Nothing. Merely some business stuff. It has nothing to do with you," she fibbed and was grateful with the presence of the waiter who brought their order, at that time airing the tense atmosphere. André was observing her she could feel it but decided to ignore his regard and smiled her thanks to the waiter before he left.

"Deandra, I_"

"Andrè, don't tell me you want to discuss other things with food before us. Hmmn...Show some courtesy," she mused and opened the dome to sample the aromatic delicacies. They ate in silence with André wondering what his father must have told her.

He had seen the way her eyes twitched when she said it. And he knew she was trying to cover up her flip. He would get to the end of it. If it wasn't something important she wouldn't have wanted to tell him and her withdrawal meant it was deep and so he won't let it pass. He knew his father, nothing lasts on his keep for long before he lets it out of his chest.

"When next are you meeting my Dad?" he asked as he took her back to her office. She turned to him from looking outside the car at the passing buildings.

"On Friday," she informed him and was about to look away again but then remembered something. "Andrè you have to stay away. Don't come close to the house, I beg of you. I have to concentrate and work without your intrusion," she pleaded, meeting his eyes that lit up in mirth.

"I never knew my presence was a distraction to you that much... Mmm... Now, that is a good piece of information." he nodded and looked ahead with his mischievous look still on.

"I'm serious," she insisted, bringing back his attention.

"That's not on me, Dee. My father insists I must be around in every of your gathering...Well, that's a lie but, there's no way I would stay away. I have to come over to see you. If that would allow me to shake you up so then so be it." he shrugged and winked at her, biting down on his lower lip in an alluring way that had Dee's blood heated.

She has to check in on the doctor soon it seems something is wrong with her. She mused, touching her hot forehead.

"Are you okay?" he quizzed, leaning down to touch her hand. She nodded and averted her gaze, afraid his look might burn her or he might see the frenzy going on within her due to his closeness.

"I will pick you up tonight, and, be ready when I come. I wouldn't want the scene from last night to repeat itself," he more like commanded her.

"Andrè, you have to stop ordering me around. I have tons of shits to sort out_your mess. I have to work hard to make sure this pulls off and you ain't helping matters by interfering in every effort I'm putting," she infused and made to leave the car as it pulled in front of the office. He grabbed her hand and drew her back to the car.

"I hate threats, Dee. But I will leave you with this_Do. Not. Make. Me. Wait." he intoned quietly in the sexiest voice a man could muster, with his dark eyes boring into her soul. She was lost in the swimming orbs that long after he let her go she was still reeling with the euphoric feeling of him.

"See you later la mia grintosa Bellezza," he purred, laying a soft kiss on her slightly open lips. She climbed off mindlessly and went into the building, still wondering what just happened. Did he charm her?

•••••••••••••••••••

Andrè entered his penthouse and went straight to his room, discarding everything on his body and tossing them to the dirtbag as he sauntered to the washroom. Perhaps a dip in the tub would soothe his raging hormones and ease this ache he felt inside for Deandra.

He couldn't seem to get her off his mind. What is it about her that he liked? She wasn't his kind of girl in the first place. He like them slim and wild. He has always settled for sublime beauties that he could twist to any direction he wished that would have no alternative but to adhere to his directives without a slight question.

But, she. ..She was feisty and hard to discern. One minute she was serene and receptive and the next she would blow off in the air like an unprecedented bomb. He smiled, recalling how she melts in his arms whenever he had her under his pleasures. He knew she wasn't immune to his charms. She has proven it in the few times they've shared breathtaking kisses.

Now the problem was why she was fighting it. He can't wait to have her writhing under him as he tapped into her most priced possession. He leaned back into the tub and closed his eyes, thinking what it would be like to have her in his house sucking him while he held her head to his mercy. He groaned and opened his eyes immediately.

This was crazy. How could he allow her to take control of his thoughts in this manner? No woman had ever gotten his attention in this way before. And he didn't want to give her that privilege. He has to do something about this and fast.

When she had mentioned marriage to him earlier on, he had been put off for a while wondering why she would have to ruin the moment by talking about something so out of line. He wasn't thinking of settling down anytime soon. He didn't have the balls to agree to that kind of cruel fate where a man has to endure the presence of only a woman for the rest of his life when he could have as many women as he can.

He turned the faucet as the water poured down on him. He watched the rivulet of water as they sauntered down his body pooling to the tub to go down the drain. Marriage was simply not for him he had nothing against it but then he wasn't cut out for it. He would spare the unlucky woman the stress of putting up with someone like him.

He doesn't think he could ever be patient with, not to mention be faithful to one woman. He would just have to get a mistress instead, who would keep his blood warm till maybe his late 60's then he would get a quiet model who would keep him busy and warm at night till he kissed mother earth. Marriage was for the weak. He mused silently as the water showered on him.

When he was through, he wrapped the towel around himself and left the bathroom to the bedroom and was on time to meet his phone ringing. He picked up. His father.

"Andrè, come over to the house this minute. It's urgent," he barrelled and went off the line. That was always what he did. Whenever he wanted to see him he would call and order him to come over, not caring if he had something he was doing. It was always about him and no other person's opinion mattered.

He would have to have that discussion with him today after whatever it is he was calling him for, Andrè fumed as he picked up his phone and left the house to the door.

The minute the driver drove into the mansion, he knew something was amiss. Cars were packed outside the mansion. But he decided to wave off the feeling. Probably a client his father wanted him to meet. That was part of what he liked about the old man. They were business rivals but then whenever he caught a good client he never fails to make an introduction as if handing him the fish and leaving him to make assorted dishes from it.

He entered the building to meet the housekeeper who told him they were in the conservatoire having lunch. He wanted to ask who they were but decided against it and went to the stairs going up to meet them, whoever they are.

If only he knew what he would encounter inside.