Page 21 of Off-Limits Bad Boy Protector

After 30 minutes, I finally made a decision. I opted for a knee-length, body-hugging navy blue dress I had bought a few years back. That dress was a knockout, and I had almost forgotten I owned it. It accentuated my figure and added an elegant touch to my look.

I wanted Leo to be stunned when he see me, to realize what he had lost. I wasn't sure why I felt that way, but the desire was there. I dropped the dress on the bed before heading into the restroom.

I spent enough time there just to pass the time. Once I had dried my body, I carefully slipped into the dress and smoothed out any creases. When I turned to stare at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but smile. I looked beautiful. My subtle curves were highlighted, and I felt grateful for the dollars I had spent on the dress.

Grabbing a comb, I brushed through my dark hair slowly, pondering how to style it. Eventually, I settled for loose curls and grabbed my curling iron. By the time I finished styling my hair, it was already past 4pm.

Great. The loose curls cascaded down my shoulders, framing my face and highlighting my eyes. I reached for my makeup purse trying to aim for a more natural look with nude eyeshadow and nude lipstick. I was applying lipstick when my phone buzzed on the bed.

I jumped, wondering if it could already be Leo. It was unlikely to be 6 o'clock yet. With excitement and nerves swirling in my belly, I hurried to my bed and grabbed the phone. To my surprise, it was Lisa.

My heart sank just a little, but I was still happy that Lisa had called. I needed that little boost before I left. “Hey babe, I’m just getting ready,” I answered the call and returned to the mirror.“I know yeah, that’s why I called cause it’s already Saturday and that’s just a little crazy”

Lisa's voice lacked excitement, and I couldn't blame my friend. It was hard to feel enthusiastic when your friend was doing something as crazy as what I was about to do. I dropped the phone on my vanity table, putting it on loudspeaker so I could finish with my makeup."Lisa..." I began, but she cut me off with a sigh. I straightened. I wished she would just understand that I still had feelings for Leo. There wasn't much I could do about it.

It was right there in my heart.“I guess it's normal to feel like that. Just be open, but don't expect too much. I would hate to see you hurt all over again,” Lisa advised with a tinge of concern in her voice. I zipped the makeup purse with a smile on my lips. “Thanks Lisa. Thank you. I swear it means the world to me”

"Oh, stop it! You deserve all the happiness in the world. You've been through enough. Just trust your gut," Lisa insisted, her words filled with sincerity and support. Lisa's voice was warm and reassuring. It wrapped around me like a comforting blanket. I resisted the urge to cry, feeling the calming effect of her words. There was something about Lisa that always managed to soothe my nerves.

I turned to look at myself in the mirror and smiled. Someone was definitely going to be in for a surprise tonight. "I will, Lisa. I promise. Thanks for always being here. I'll keep you updated on how it goes," I assured her before ending the call.

Finally, Lisa sounded excited. "Oh! I can't wait to hear all about it! I'll call you!" she exclaimed eagerly before we ended the call.

I chuckled as we said our goodbyes and ended the call. Swallowing nervously, I knew Lisa was right. I had to trust my gut, not just my emotions. Pulling out a pair of black sandal heels, I slipped them on and grabbed my black clutch. I quickly tucked my phone and some change inside before heading out of the house.

Hopefully this would end well. I caught a cab to the Italian restaurant. When I got out, I was stunned. La Trattoria was so fancy, it made me speechless. I found myself adjusting my hair, feeling a bit overwhelmed by its grandeur.

The building exuded timeless sophistication. It had intricate engravings on the pillars by the entrance. As I approached the large glass doors, I smiled at the door men dressed in blue uniforms. They elegantly opened the doors, bowing to greet me.

Warmth rushed to my cheeks as I stepped inside. It could have been one of two things: Leo either planned to impress me, or he wanted to splash his money in my face. As I looked around the room, I saw that it was large and luxurious. But it didn't make me feel intimidated; instead, it was calming and welcoming.

A woman in a blue uniform smiled. "What's your name? Do you have a reservation?" she asked. I hesitated. A reservation? I didn't know what that meant. I quickly looked for Leo and then back at the woman.

"Um... I'm not sure. I'm Cassie Evans. I'm supposed to be here with a man named Leo Woodrow," I said softly. I felt a bit nervous and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. The woman smiled warmly at me. With my black hair pulled back into a ponytail, I tapped nervously on the table and nodded. "It's alright, ma'am. I believe we have a reservation under Woodrow. Please follow me," I said softly, then started walking, leading the way.

I blinked in surprise. Okay, so Leo was being very intentional about this. He hadn't even told me he made a reservation. The butterflies in my stomach fluttered even more, and I struggled to calm them down.

I followed the woman into The breathtaking space. There were giant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Plush seats were filled with people who looked very expensive! My eyes scanned the walls, widening at the beautiful art pieces hanging on the walls.

I took a deep breath. I had to calm down. I couldn’t afford to feel overwhelmed by everything. My eyes scanned the tables as they walked ahead wondering if I would see Leo. Odd.I pulled out my phone to stare at the time. It was 6:20pm.

Perhaps he was just late. The woman stopped at a glass table in the middle of two push chairs and gestured at me. I gave a small smile of thanks.“Would you like anything?,” Waitress asked. "No, no," I hurriedly shook my head and slid into the chair. I wasn't going to rack up a bill I couldn't pay. Hopefully, Leo would arrive soon. I sat there for a minute, passing the time by playing games on my phone.

Soon time had stretched and when I looked at the time again it was 7pm. What on earth was going on? I had been waiting for what felt like an eternity, and I was starting to lose patience. Minimizing my game, I opened my phone to call Leo. My fingers trembled slightly as I pulled up his contact details. I hoped there was an explanation and that he wasn't just standing me up.

The phone rang for a brief minute and it seemed as though he picked. I hurriedly placed the phone against my ear."Hi Leo, it's me. I've been here for an hour. Where are you?" The line remained silent, and I frowned, feeling anger bubbling up inside me. Was he intentionally staying silent? I was certain I would lash out in anger. But, as I glanced around the hall, I saw everyone looked too prim. It would be the worst moment to embarrass myself.

I took a deep breath, my voice coming off slightly strained. "Leo, are you there? Did something come up? I've been waiting for over an hour now." I bit my lip, feeling confused. My question was left hanging, unanswered. When I pulled the phone away from my ear, I realized the call hadn't even gone through.

Oh no! My heart sank, and though I didn't want to admit it, I was starting to feel disappointed. I called again and waited as it rang. It rang for a while before leading me to it’s voicemail.

“Leo Woodrow. You should know not to call me at this time because I’m busy so unless this is urgent, call at a better time. If it is, leave a message”

I snorted. What could he be doing at 7 pm on a Saturday night? Especially when he had a date planned with me. My voice sounded really disappointed; I couldn’t hide it. “Leo, I’m not even sure what happened but if you’re not going to show up, at least call me and tell me what’s going on.” I let out a heavy sigh before ending the call. My emotions were all over the place. I felt both disappointed and confused. What on earth had happened? Shouldn't he have told me if there had been a change of plan?

Arrgh! This was all my fault. I should have called him even before I pulled my dress out of my closet. I leaned back into the chair and waited. My eyes watered as the couple beside me got up to leave. I stared at the time on my phone.

8:02pm

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