Page 95 of Loving the CEO

"I didn't know they had restaurants here."

I smiled as I put an arm over her shoulders. "They don't. We’re having a picnic."

She turned around to look at me, stunned. "Okay, I don't even recognize you right now."

"What do you mean?"

"The Leo I remember from college wasn't into romantic stuff. Although, I guess we were just friends," she said, more to herself than to me. "Maybe you were with your dates."

"I wasn't—never. I don't have a romantic bone in my body."

"And yet you brought me here to watch a meteor shower and have a picnic? Hmm."

"Fair enough," I said.

"So, what are we eating?"

"There’s an Eataly store close by. I went earlier and bought some things you like." I guided her toward where I knew our place was and texted Jackie quickly.

Leo: We're here, you can go. Thanks a lot!

We went off through an alley and a canopy of trees. I'd specifically asked Jackie to find us a spot where the sky was visible but we’d be shielded by greenery. She’d done well.

When our spot came into view, Tory did a double take. So did I. The whole setup was far more professional than it had been in my mind. For one, there were candles around a blanket, plus an actual ice bucket with a bottle of white wine. Jackie had put the snacks on small tables.

"Leo," she whispered as we walked closer. “When...? Okay, I need details about logistics because how did this happen? If you were picking me up, who was watching the food?"

I grinned. "My assistant helped me."

She covered her mouth. "Leo, you make her work on Saturday?"

"Trust me, she's not upset about it at all. I pay my people well. She scouted this particular spot. I simply went to Eataly and bought everything.” I urged her forward. “Let’s start. We have about half an hour to eat because someone took too long in the shower."

"I have zero regrets. Imagine me coming here looking half-assed after you put in so much effort."

I walked around her so she could see me properly. "I fucking love seeing you disheveled."

"Let's see what you bought." She immediately looked into the paper bag. "Prosciutto. Yum. And a sandwich with mozzarella."

Watching her light up was a fucking honor.

"Oh, it has dried tomatoes too!”

“I asked them to put tomatoes on it. I know you love them," I said.

She glanced at me sideways, then put her sandwich back in the bag. "Oh, Leo, you’re my dream man. How did I not know that until now?”

Her words reached somewhere deep inside me. I’d never intended to be anyone's dream man. It was why, as Mom had so eloquently put it, I just whored around. I never wanted anyone to have unrealistic expectations of me.

But I didn't simply want Tory to have expectations of me. I wanted to fulfill them. Hell, I wanted to exceed them.

She turned around on her knees and put her arms around my neck. "You have earned yourself a very sexy night."

I grinned. "I know, right?"

“But spoiler alert: you don't actually have to work that hard. You've got me anyway."

I looked down at her and pulled back a bit. "Just because you’re mine doesn't mean I will ever stop putting in an effort." I wanted Tory something fierce. I could actually imagine us doing this every year.

---