Page 5 of Aching for His Discretion

“Hi, Mr. Amante,” I said, filling the silence.

“Tesoro? What are you doing here?” he asked, and I shrugged, pushing a fallen wavy curl behind my ear.

“I live here. Were you helping Mitchel pack for his move?” I asked, noticing how tired he looked and how worn out his hands were.

He bit his lip as he approached me slowly. “Something like that. Let’s just say he owes me some money and a favor or two,” he muttered, and I nodded as he stopped beside me.

“How’s your shoulder?” I asked as it’d been a few days since I “fixed” it.

He rolled up his sleeve and showed me the stitches that seemed to be healing fairly well. “Better than ever… and that godforsaken headache is gone too,” he replied, causing me to smile.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

At least he’s doing better, and that’s all I could’ve hoped for.You also hoped he’d use that deep voice of his to order you around again.

…That was just a dream, Teegan.

I looked down at my cuffed grey sweatpants and fuzzy socks as I took notice of his expensive black shoes.Should I invite him in? Do you even know the man? Why does he smell so good—

“I should be going soon, Tesoro,” he said, cutting off my thoughts before glancing down at his watch.

Unconsciously, I pouted softly, not wanting him to leave so soon. His eyes briefly flickered to my lips, a fleeting but intense look that made my heart skip a beat.

He then reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone.

“But before I do…” he said, his voice taking on a darker, more measured tone, “perhaps it would be wise to take down your number… Who knows when I may be in trouble again and in need of saving.”

My cheeks practically flamed as he towered over me. My throat went dry as my stomach fluttered slightly. Mr. Amante was all man—his demeanor, his presence, his voice, and even the faint, dangerous glint in his eyes seemed to envelop me, making the air between us feel charged.

“I hope you’ll be in need of saving from something other than guns, Mr. Amante. I specifically remember I told you to stay away from them and to be careful.”

“I’m not one to defy my doctor’s order, Tesoro, but accidents happen. Having your number simply serves as a… precaution.”

Letting Grayson down, a small smile graced my lips as I eagerly grabbed his phone. I entered my number as my little kitty began sniffing him. Going back to hand the phone to him, Grayson then began to purr, and I quickly grabbed him in mid-air as he went to jump into Mr. Amante’s arms.

“No, bad kitty. Go inside now,” I scolded him before I let him run into the living room. I looked back over to Mr. Amante, who was still staring at me with the same distinct, almost alluring look in his eyes. “Sorry. He’s a jumper, and he seems to like you a lot,” I said, shrugging.I’m starting to like you a lot.

“Not a problem. I’ll see you soon, Teegan,” he replied, and I nodded as I waved him goodbye.

“Bye, Mr. Amante!” I said happily as I entered my apartment. I closed the door and squealed softly.He remembered my name!

Walking into the cafe, I ordered a medium frappuccino with whipped cream, savoring the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee beans that filled the air.

After saying thank-you to the cashier, I quickly left the building and headed over to class. Today, we had a few lecturesin person, and I had clinic for the rest of the afternoon. Despite me being overwhelmed by our upcoming exams, my somewhat flexible schedule today was not too shabby.

I entered the lecture hall and sat in the front as I usually do. Still about thirty minutes early to class, I decided to review some notes.

My phone buzzed as I’d received a message, and I smiled as I opened it to see it was from Mr. Amante.

Mr. Amante: How are you, Tesoro?

I bit my lip excitedly. At first, I didn’t exactly know what “Tesoro” meant, but I was not too eager to find out. My mind was already romanticizing what it might mean, and I didn’t want to disappoint myself with the actual translation.

But eventually, I learned it was a term of endearment, and I was definitely overly excited to learn that.

I’m good, Mr. Amante! I’m in class right now, and it is going to start soon. How are you doing?

I’m doing good.

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