Page 19 of Forbidden Passion

“I think I stopped growing when I was eleven,” she said and laughed.

“You’re perfect the way you are,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. “Are you sure you wouldn’t want me to have a few more inches?”

He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t change anything about you.”

They were interrupted when the waitress set their plates down. He grinned at Tessa’s shocked look when four large plates were set in front of him.

“Is there anything else I can get you?” the waitress asked.

They both shook their heads.

“All right. I’ll be back to check on you.”

He looked at her plate. It had one egg, two pieces of toast, and a side of fruit. “Is that all you’re eating?”

“I can’t eat a lot at one time. It upsets my stomach.”

He nodded and started in on his food and glanced up when he didn’t see her move. “What?”

“You’re really going to eat all of that?” she asked.

He reached for her hand again. “Angel, I’m six-five and two hundred seventy-five pounds. I have to eat a lot to maintain my body and give me energy. I work it off quickly.”

“I’ll have to quadruple every recipe,” she said and grinned.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

They both ate in silence for a few minutes.

Tessa finished and sat back, drinking her coffee. He could tell she was relaxed as she stared out the window, waiting for him to finish.

Dominik wiped his mouth on a napkin and took a drink from his cup. “Do you want anything else, Angel?”

She turned and looked at him, smiling. “No. I’m good.”

Dominik raised his hand to get the waitress’s attention.

“How is everything?” the waitress asked.

“It was good. I want the bill, please,” he said.

She pulled her pad out of her pocket, tore off his bill, and handed it to him. “Here you go,” she said.

“Thank you,” he said and pulled out his wallet. He threw several bills down, enough for the meal and a nice tip, before he stood and held his hand out to Tessa.

He wrapped his arm around her and led her out to the truck.

“Let me get you in,” he said, lifting her into the seat and snapping on her seat belt.

When he pulled out of the parking lot, he took her hand. “Do you feel up for the grocery store, Angel?”

She turned and smiled at him. “Sure. I’d like you to finish your story about how you got into construction.”

“I was lucky to find a guy that owned a construction business. Stan was an old gruff guy, but he knew what he was doing and taught me everything. I worked after school every day and every weekend. It not only made me money, but it was a step toward my future and kept me out of trouble like most of my friends did. A lot of them ended up in jail or worse, dead.”

She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry.”

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