Page 33 of Wolf's Redemption

"How did you get everything arranged so quickly?"

"I got a little help."

Giovanni approached with a bottle of wine and filled our glasses. Followed by two slim girls in black uniforms who brought a tray with cuts of various types of cheese, serrano ham, and olives.

"Enjoy your evening," he said and left.

"The attention is incredible," she said and then popped a piece of cheese poked with a toothpick into her mouth. She sighed as she chewed it. "But not as much as this cheese. Here try it."

Before I could take the fork, Cathy took another piece and brought it close to my mouth.

The cheese was soft and creamy, melting in my mouth, and its flavor made my palate rejoice.

"You're right," I said.

Two tall girls entered the hotel carrying a bouquet of roses. Cathy turned the instant they reached the table.

"Are they for me?" she asked, reading the letter hanging from the bouquet. "These roses are beautiful, but they don't compare to your beauty," she read aloud.

She turned to look at me, her cheeks flushed.

"You like them?"

"I love them."

The girls smiled, and as Cathy took the gift, they walked away.

"What's that smell?" she suddenly said, placing the bouquet of roses on the chair next to her.

"Have you noticed?" said I. "It's one of your fragrances. I asked them to spray that scent for you."

Cathy closed her eyes and sighed delicately with pride, enjoying the scent. "You sure know how to persuade a woman," she told me.

"In fact, the only woman I've ever cared to persuade is you," I added.

She blushed more and began massaging her cheeks to try to hide it.

Giovanni brought a tray with two pasta dishes. First, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, a simple but typical Italian meal, showing that he wanted her to experience Italy for a moment. After taking her first bite, Cathy opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth with two fingers.

"This is the freshest pasta I've ever eaten in my entire life," she said. "I can taste every single flavor. It’s delicious."

Giovanni's eyes lit up, and he removed the appetizer tray so we had more room at the table. "I'm glad you're enjoying it," he said, returning to the kitchen.

"I love this place. I can't believe I've lived so close to such a great restaurant and never been inside," she added. "From now on, this will be my favorite restaurant."

As she spoke, I lost myself in her lips and basked in her smile. I saw that her glass was empty and refilled it for her.

"Thank you for coming," I said, "You don't know how much I've been looking forward to being alone with you."

She took a sip of wine and smiled at me.

"Thank you for..." she looked at the decorations and flower arrangement I had given her. "Such a wonderful dinner. No one has ever done anything like this for me before."

I took her hand. I felt her skin react to mine, and the connection grew stronger.

"You are an extraordinary woman, and you deserve this and more."

Her cheeks tensed in a forced attempt not to turn red. She was trying not to show me how she felt, but just by looking into her eyes, I could sense everything going through her head.