His scent, his sound. He’s everywhere.
He’s temporary.
“Did you do anything to celebrate yet?”
His question catches me off guard, but effectively pulls me out of my own thoughts.
“No,” I admit, shaking my head. “I haven’t been doing much other than writing.”
“Is it hard?”
“It depends on the day. I have a tendency of overthinking things, so sometimes it takes me all day to write a single chapter.” I sigh. “I really do enjoy it, but some days, it’s so taxing.”
“I’m sure it’s hard to stay in a creative state if you get interrupted or have to take a break when you’re not ready to.”
I nod and chance a look at him. “It really is. Most people don’t understand it.”
“I won’t pretend like I do,” he says with a soft laugh, turning the car down another street. “It just seems like it would be.”
“Well, your assessment isn’t wrong.” I glance out the window, my eyebrows tugging closer together. We’re still in Hillford, only a ten-minute drive from my apartment building, but I’ve never ventured over this way before. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see in a second,” he says with a wink. “We’re almost there.”
We drive to the end of the street, and he takes a left, pulling up in front of a massive brick building on the right side of the street. My brow furrows and I look at Matteo as he puts the car in park but leaves the engine running.
“We’re here,” he says, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Valet will park the car.”
“Where the hell are we?”
Matteo chuckles again but doesn’t comment as he climbs out of the SUV. I stare at him as he strides around the front of the car, confidence radiating off him. A man I didn’t notice before greets him on the sidewalk. They shake hands, exchanging a few brief words before Matteo walks over to my side.
He opens the door, tilting his head as he catches my gaze. “Your seatbelt.”
“What?” I look at it. My head is such a mess right now. I huff out a laugh, heat creeping up my neck as I undo the seatbelt and climb out.
Matteo smiles, offering me his elbow to lead me to the front of the building. There isn’t a single window. No lights except the one above the metal door that looks like it’s a hole in a brick wall.
My stomach does a somersault and my heart flutters as I quickly look at him and then back to the door. Matteo pulls it open just as his car moves away from the curb.
This feels like the beginning of a horror movie.
“Okay, full stop.” My feet freeze in place, and I give a little tug on his elbow to get him to stop. I look at him, my heart pounding with either excitement or the possibility of letting him walk me to my death. “I’ve seen this movie before.”
“Are you always so dramatic?” He asks, cocking his head to the side. He’s holding the door open, enough for me to see it’s dimly lit inside. I can’t make anything else out.
“When I’m brought to a place that looks like it’s straight out of a scary movie, hell yes.”
He raises both eyebrows, looking at the building and then back at me. “Okay, I see your point. It’s a restaurant that’s reservation only. It’s not open to the public.”
That’s what they all say in situations like this.
Matteo lets out a sigh, pulling the door open farther. “Just trust me?”
I don’t move at first. My eyes scan his face, searching for any hint of malevolence. He stares back at me with the same relaxed face I’ve grown accustomed to studying.
“Fine, but you’re going in first.”
His responding laughter circles around me, like a warm cloak. He shakes his head at me, rolling his eyes before he steps inside first. He holds the door for me, and I hesitantly follow him.
