Page 19 of Inescapable Ties
Emilio sat and listened to me gush. The dim lighting of the steakhouse cast a warm glow on his face as he leaned back in his chair, a contented smile playing on his lips. I couldn’t help but admire how the soft light accentuated the sharp angles of his jawline, making him look even more handsome than usual.
Despite my internal turmoil over whether I should be feeling this way about my husband, I couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement in my chest every time our eyes met. Emilio’s gaze held a warmth that I hadn’t expected when we first met, and now I found myself drawn to him in ways I couldn’t quite comprehend.
As the server brought out our steaks, I noticed Emilio’s eyes soften as he looked at me. It was in complete contrast to the facetious grins he normally shot me.
“What is it?” I asked.
Just as quickly as it had happened, his gaze vanished.
“Medium well? I figured you’d prefer it bloody.”
A freaking shark reference. Back to the normal Emilio, I guess.
“I prefer my food alive. I’m going to eat this idiot when I get home tonight,” I responded.
He laughed. “Sounds like a lucky guy.”
As we dug into our steaks, the savory aroma filled the surrounding air, mixing with the sound of sizzling meat that made my mouth water. Emilio cut into his steak with precision, savoring each bite as if it were a delicacy beyond compare.
“Oh,” he put down his fork and pulled out his wallet. “I forgot to give you this.”
He pushed an Amex black card across the table, with my name engraved on it.
“Oh, I don’t need it,” I said. “I have my own money.”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re going to take it.”
I resisted the urge to talk back. We were having a decent night together, and I could just shove it in the back of my wallet and forget about it.
“Alright.”
“That was pretty tasty,” I said.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Emilio replied, a twinkle in his eye. “How about we take a stroll in the park to walk off that delicious meal?”
The two of us made our way to the park around the corner. We strolled down the path, the walkway poorly lit with broken street lamps.
I didn’t notice a protruding piece of concrete, and tripped. Before I could fall, Emilio’s hands were around my waist, making sure I stayed upright.
“You alright?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
He kept one arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me in so close I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek. Our bodies pressed together, every inch of us connected, the closeness was almost suffocating but also exhilarating.
“I think I’m good now,” I said.
“I know.”
I’m glad the streetlights were broken, because I didn’t want him to see how embarrassed I was right now.
We kept walking, and he started using his thumb to rub circles on my hipbone. I didn’t think it was possible for my heart rate to increase anymore, but apparently it was.
“You know-“ I began, but someone interrupted me.
A man jumped out of the bushes, holding a knife. A mask obscured his face.
“Fucking freeze!” he said. “Hand over your purse and wallet.”
