Page 47 of Weeping Roses
CHAPTER 27
VALENTIN
Ican’t tear my eyes away from Polly tonight. She is beautiful naked. It is my preferred way of looking at her, but tonight she shines like the brightest star. She could be a movie star, a supermodel, and a goddess. The people who were openly staring weren’t looking at me or the car. It was her. She lit up the night sky like the brightest planet, and I’m in awe of her. I am so proud to walk beside her, and note the envious stares of the other diners as we pass through the restaurant.
The waiter shows us to an intimate table for two where the candles burn inside glass domes set amid beautifully scented roses and trailing foliage. The crystal glasses on the table sparkle against the flame and the crisp white tablecloths are as immaculate as expected.
I hold Polly’s chair out for her, not allowing the waiter to get there first and as my fingers brush against her delicate neck I am impatient to be alone with her already. When I first saw her approaching from the staircase, I almost canceled this whole evening. There is only one place I want to be tonight, and it involves us naked and wrapped in one another’s arms.
She accepts the menu from the smiling waiter who can’t tear his eyes away from her pretty face and as he reluctantly hands me mine, I glower at him with the possessive expression of a bastard, causing him to cough nervously and say, “The wine list, sir.”
As he hands me the list, he retreats with one lingering gaze in Polly’s direction and she doesn’t help the situation when she smiles after him. “What a lovely man.”
I reward her with an irritated roll of my eyes and snap, “If you say so.”
I glance at the menu and make my selection and notice Polly staring at it with a worried frown.
“What’s the matter?” I ask, and she shakes her head in confusion.
“I’m not a fan of fish and there’s such a lot of it.”
“So, choose something else.”
“I would, it’s just–”
“What?”
She cups her mouth and whispers, “Expensive.”
I resist the urge to laugh out loud because this food is what I would call reasonably priced. Her worried frown tugs on my heartstrings and I recall how careful she is with money. To her, this is an unnecessary extravagance and yet to me it’s the equivalent of a takeout. Rather than belittle her by my response, I reach out and cover her hand with mine and smile softly, “My treat. Choose whatever you want. You can pay me back.”
“In kind?” She finishes my sentence and rolls her eyes. “I must owe you a lot of kind by now. I mean, just this outfit alone must be worth a year of kind, wouldn’t you agree?”
“No.”
Her startled expression makes me chuckle and I lace my fingers with hers and whisper, “The way you look tonight is priceless. All the kind in the world will never be enough to place a value on that.”
The way she blushes causes me to stare. I don’t believe Polly knows how stunning she is. I can’t tear my eyes away from her, which is why I made my choices in a split second. There is nothing else I want to do than savor every minute of our time together and if that makes me appear a little crazy, it would be right. I am. Crazy for her, which is something I’m struggling to adjust to.
The waiter returns and I place my order and when his attention turns to Polly, the nervous shake of her soft voice is endearing.
“Um, I’d like the burrata followed by the risotto, please.”
She offers him a blinding smile and his fingers shake as he takes her menu.
As he walks away, she leans forward and smiles sweetly. “Thank you for bringing me here, Valentin. It’s perfect.”
“Are you always so polite?”
I laugh softly as her eyes widen. “Of course. It’s only good manners.”
“Then I must have entertained heathens before because I have never met anybody who is so excited by trivial things.”
“Trivial.” She glances around the restaurant.
“Dinner at the Savoy is anything but trivial to me. I usually consider a good night out to be at the local Italian restaurant and even then I’m careful with my choices. This is an incredible night for me and I’m sorry it’s just your version of the Italian restaurant.”
Now I feel bad and she stares at me with a thoughtful expression.