A Captivating Dinner

Dante's pov

When the dishes finally arrived, she looked at me with a baffled expression, ready to speak. But she held back, noticing that I had ordered all her favorite dishes. I wanted to do something sweet for her, after realizing that I lacked communication skills in that department.

I had to turn to Leo for advice, an unprecedented course of action for me. Conversely, after some deliberation with Lewis, I was able to obtain a comprehensive list of her favorites, allowing her the freedom to choose as she pleased.

After the waiter left, she leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and tilted her head slightly, silently demanding an explanation. I wasn't going to give in unless she asked, so I just took a sip of the mediocre wine and looked into her eyes.

"May I ask for an explanation, Mr...?" she asked in a serious yet gentle tone. Finally, she asked, but I interrupted her with a small smile. "You can call me Dante," I replied, crossing my arms just as she had done.

As I watched her let out a sigh and release her arms, I couldn't help but sense the worry in her voice. She questioned, "How did you know all of this, and was it necessary to order everything? It's all likely gonna go to waste,".

I knew I had to reassure her. "I asked your brother. And don't worry, nothing's going to waste. We can even give it to the less fortunate," I said calmly, gesturing with an open palm for emphasis.

But her stunned expression and slightly louder yet temperate voice caught me off guard. "Firstly, I'm surprised my brother let me go on a date with you, and secondly, he also split my food preferences with you?" I pretended to think for a moment before responding with a sly smile, "He didn't have much choice, and I promised him I'd keep you safe."

I have found her to be beautiful countless times now. Her beauty never fails to take my breath away. The first time I bumped into her, I wouldn't have looked twice at her if we just passed each other by. But when I saw her up close, I was left speechless. She looked gorgeous, but her tender nature lured me the most.

In addition, it feels like I am back in high school.

During that time though, I was the nerd who preferred books over socializing, despite being prevalent due to my academic and sports achievements. I used to prefer to remain invisible until Carter somehow found his way into my life.

I sat in silence, absorbing the moment, and she mumbled something under her breath. Curious, I asked her to repeat herself, but she merely rolled her eyes.

When I said that she was intriguing, I meant that, she truly was a mesmerizing person.

Our date unfolded into an unexpected delightful experience. The elegance of her white dress set against her skin captivated me, creating a magnetic attraction I hadn't felt before.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of ease in her presence.

It was only our third or fourth meeting, and despite our limited interactions, I found myself contemplating the idea of asking her to be my girlfriend. A change that Leon and Carter encouraged.

It was a novel concept for me, I was boundlessly engrossed in work. I have been working tirelessly to achieve success in both my organization and enterprise.

Despite my achievements, catching a break has eluded me. I've secured land and assets ensuring my upkeep until the end, yet I persist as a workaholic, expecting flawlessness in my accomplishments. However, Enzo, my trusted ally, turned into a pill-popping menace. Now, stuck during a crisis, all while being on a date.

Eric then suggested I take the leap of asking her and take it up a notch, I had initially dismissed the idea as I wasn't the type to date nor was I a saint who could be with her.

In my profound thought process, I noticed a faint blush on her cheeks. I then realized I had zoned out again because of the overbearing stress.

"M-Dante, are you currently on Earth or elsewhere?" she asked with a playful tone, her eyes holding a glint of curiosity. I wasn't used to people calling me by name, nor did I ever let them, but I sure did like it when she said it.

My hand casually traced the rim of my wine glass as I replied, "Ah, yeah, I am definitely on this Earth."

She smiled a subtle, nervous gesture, and said, "I was talking about your mind," putting a strand of hair behind her ear.

With a mischievous grin, I leaned back and lifted my wine glass. "The best word to describe it would be 'obscure' or perhaps even 'intriguing'," I said, taking a sip.

She raised an eyebrow, a small, joking tilt to her head, and quipped, "I was going to ask for your thoughts, but I don't think it's even worth a penny."

I simply smiled, a subtle playfulness in my eyes - my face practically hurting from all the smiling I'd done today because of her. It was unusual that my smiles were not bogus.

I knew that Athena had the power to ruin me, but I found pleasure in taking risks.

Leaning in, my eyes locked with hers, as I asked, "So, tell me," my hand gestured slightly, "what would you like for me to serve you?" My tone was serious, but also warm, hoping to put her at ease and feel comfortable.

People say to be yourself, and being sweet is not part of my character. I would earn a great sum of money from people wanting to see me be this kind.

After she hesitated for a moment, her eyes briefly darting away, she seemed flustered and said, "The waiter can do that. I feel like I'm bothering you." I then calmly reassured her, my hand gesturing for her to relax, "You're not bothering me at all. Just tell me what you want, and I'll bring it to you right away."

I served her everything carefully as per her requests, my movements deliberate and precise. We both spent our time eating and engaging in casual talks. Our conversations were formal, but her company made it all worth it.

After she finished her meal, she declared, "I'm full," delicately placing her fork and spoon on the now-empty plate. I doubted, my eyebrows slightly furrowing, "Are you sure?" She looked at me with a stunned gaze, her eyes meeting mine, and said, "I ate so much, alright. You kept insisting."

"Are you sure again though?" I probed, my hand gesturing subtly. She smiled, nodding, "Yes, I'm sure." With gentle poise, she excused herself, her hand reaching for her napkin, "I'll quickly go to the restroom; do not touch the bill until I'm back."

I observed her, ready to rise, but she hesitated, sitting back down. "Yes?" I questioned, my expression curious.

She then said, "You know what, I'll wait for the bill, pay, and then use the restroom peacefully. It's not like I'm in a rush."

A smile involuntarily crept across my face again as I bit back a laugh. I couldn't help but think how sweet she was. "Alright," I consented, and as the waiter brought the bill, I gestured to her with my hand, indicating for her to handle it. She took it, her eyes widening, "Alright, the food, but you bought wine worth 30,000?"

I responded dryly, my hand reaching for my Amex card, "That's what I told them: the most expensive wine they had, but apparently, it wasn't more than that." She stared at me, mouth agape, "You are kidding me." I just shrugged, placed the card in the billfold, and teased, "Settling the bill, Benett?" I softly asked her. She handed it to me without protest but then swiftly retrieved it.

I could see the worry in her eyes, and I knew that I had to do something to make her feel better. Before I could, though, she declared, "I'll pay for the food." I gave her a thumbs up, taking the bill, "Next time, you pay. Alright?" Rolling her eyes, she pretended to look somewhere else.

I wanted to show her that I was serious, so I took her hand and squeezed it gently.

Another thing that I wouldn't do, I have started to feel that something has possessed my body.

"I'm not lying," I insisted, and as the waiter retrieved the bill, I could feel my heart beating faster in my chest as I looked into her eyes.

"Okay," she agreed reluctantly, and I looked at her, delighted. "You had to use the restroom?" I questioned again, trying to divert the topic for my heart for that matter. She nodded briskly and hurriedly made her way.

The waiter returned along with the billfold, and I tucked it into my wallet. I was steadying my watch and checking the time.

I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket, having been left on silent. With her momentarily not here, I checked my phone, finding Carter on the line. He urgently stated, "You have to leave ASAP. Amara's men; she wants her. I know you can defend yourself, but just—"

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