“But Carina saved me from that,” she says. I bring my full attention to her once again and the tightness in my chest, due to her despondency, eases at the look of adoration on her face. “And you saved me in a way as well.”
Skepticism pulls my brows together. “How?”
Violetta’s smile widens, making her all the more beautiful to me. “Tristano, you’ve kept me safe and given me this.” She lifts her arms and gestures to the space around her. “Now I’ll have a wonderful memory to replace all the horrible ones from the past.”
Her penchant to search for the good in things humbles me. Despite the events in her life thus far, she’s still able to focus on positive outcomes, as well as appreciate them. Her soul is resplendent, pure in a way that draws me to her more fiercely than darkness ever could pull me away.
“Ribelle, your outlook on life is far beyond someone of your age.”
And it’s true. Violetta has the body of a siren, the playfulness of a nymph, as well as the mind of a sensible adult. That’s why I’m constantly vacillating between viewing her as ayoungwoman, as opposed to just a woman. The fact that she doesn’t know her likes and dislikes isn’t off-putting to me.
It means I have the honor of introducing them to her.
My cock throbs at the idea of introducing sexual likes and dislikes to her…
She graces me with her smile, one that’s brighter than all the others I’ve seen, even if it’s only been a handful. This just means they’re rare and coveted by me.
And I want more of them.
Especially after basking in the one she’s giving me right now.
“So, what’ll it be?” I ask, steering the conversation and my thoughts away from her delectable body. Which is difficult with her sitting across from me looking the way she does. “I think I’ll have steak with garlic mashed potatoes and the vegetables in season.”
She grins at me and I tilt my head in question. “You call yourself an Italian,”she says, a hint of teasing in her voice, “yet there’s no mention of pasta? Such a disgrace to our people.”
Then Violetta winks at me.
I’m five seconds from slamming her onto this table and fucking her.
That little antic was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen and I doubt she was even trying.
“I’ve been properly chastised,” I say with a feigned expression of remorse. “How could I make such a grievous error?” I wink at her and a rosy tint appears across her cheeks, rendering her all the more charming.
Violetta’s lips twitch with suppressed laughter. “I’ll allow it, but only this once.” She clears her throat and purses her lips, idly taping the table, and then huffs out a self-deprecating laugh. “I’m really not sure what to get. I’ve always wanted the ability to choose and now that I have it, I’m almost overwhelmed.”
“Would you be open to sampling some of my favorite dishes?”
“Yes!”
She brightens instantly and my chest expands with pride. “Let’s do that,” I say and then signal for Juan. He rushes over and I give him our order, along with our beverages. Just as fast as he hurried to my side, that’s the speed in which he leaves. I’ll be sure to reward him financially for making himself scarce.
This night is about Violetta, but I want to have her all to myself.
He returns with a silver wine cooler filled with ice, a bottle of wine, and champagne. He takes the bottle and then withdraws a large champagne sword, which has Violetta’s gaze darting to me. Her seeking me out over a perceived danger stirs something inside me that I can’t put a name to.
Yet, it moves me in a way I’ve never experienced.
“Juan’s going to use it to open the bottle,” I say to calm her anxiety.
She nods slowly, still eyeing him. He swings the blade and it makes contact with the bottleneck to dislodge the cork, sending it flying. The popping sound has Violetta’s lips forming a perfect O and she gasps at the end result. Then she claps, her delight making her complexion glow with happiness.
I’m baffled that such a simple thing could bring about so much joy.
However, her joy is intoxicating. It’s everything I’ve been missing in my life and now that I’m experiencing it through her,becauseof her, I’m not sure I can continue living without it.
“Bravo, Juan!” Violetta’s praise has the older man’s ears turning red. “That was wonderfully executed.”
His gaze makes contact with mine before he thanks her, almost as though Juan needed to be certain it was permissible. Because he views Violetta as mine.
