Chapter 8 #2
I drain my glass but before I can even ask for another, the older lady is there filling it back up again. I give a weak smile and take another mouthful.
This is going down far too easily. I need to eat otherwise it’ll go to my head, and I will be drunk around my ex-boyfriend's dad and nobody wants that.
“Are you okay? Is this weird?” I see the way his face falters for a moment, the lady is there topping his own glass up.
“A little bit.” I blink a couple of times, shuffling in my seat. “And I am hungry,” I admit, my stomach rumbling in protest.
“Let’s finish these and I promise I’ll feed you.” He smirks at me over the rim of his glass and my stomach twists.
Probably shouldn’t have agreed to come here, but here I am. Too late to go back now.
We walk side by side, one of hands by my side, the other up close to my ribs, fingers clutched around the silver chained strap of my Chanel. His footsteps slow when we approach La M?me, and he looks over towards me.
“Been here before, I am assuming?”
I shake my head. “Never, it was on my list for whilst I was here…”
“Well, now you can tick it off.” He gives me a playful smile before he ushers me to walk ahead of him, his large hand hovering over the base of my back. My breath catches at the back of my throat as I try and ignore the way my skin tingles.
The ma?tre de greets him and takes us to his table. I am seated first, before Creed takes his own. He gives the guy a smile, a look is exchanged, and he nods. I sit completely unaware of what is going on.
“All okay?” I ask, placing my bag down by my feet and resting my arms on the table, fingers linked together.
“Yeah, just ordered a bottle.” He dips his chin, pinching the menu from in front of him and letting his eyes drop.
“Do you eat here a lot?” I find myself asking. My eyes dart around the room as I take in the restaurant, sights settling on tables a moment longer than they should before his voice grabs my attention.
“It’s one of my favourites. I was here a couple of nights ago.” He says softly, his eyes flicking up to mine.
“So, you have usuals then?” My lips twitch.
“Usuals?” His brows pinch for a moment.
“Yeah, like ordering the same stuff off the menu kind of thing.”
“Yeah.” He laughs softly and closes the menu.
“What do you recommend?”
“Is there anything you don’t like?” His long fingers drum on the table
“Not that I have found…” I trail off and cut my gaze from his as I reach for my own menu and begin to browse.
“Could I order for you? Or I can give you recommendations on what I have had?”
My lips purse into a smile. “For tonight only, I’ll let you order for me. I get real bad food envy and if you eat here a lot, then I trust your judgement.” I close the menu and push it to the side of the table just as a new waiter returns with a bottle of Léoube 2022.
I’ve ever had it, but it looks nice though. The cork is popped and wine is poured into Creed’s glass, only a little though for tasting.
“I trust all is well, just pour us a glass,” Creed orders, and the waiter gives him a sharp nod, then turns his attention to mine. I give him a soft smile before he pops it in the wine chiller and walks away.
“How come you didn’t want to taste it?” I ask, my fingers dusting across the table to tap the base of the wine glass.
“No need to. I don’t really get it to be honest,” he says as he drags his glass towards him. “I know it’s to see whether it’s been corked correctly and to make sure the wine isn’t off… but isn’t that what wine is? Fermented grapes.”
A soft giggle passes me lips as I take a mouthful, and hum in appreciation. It was delicious. My tongue traces my upper lip and I can still taste the wine I sipped just moments ago.
“Good?”
“Very.” I nod, pushing it away slightly as the waiter reappears.
“Happy for me to order?”
“Yes.” My voice is quiet as I keep my eyes locked on his.
He winks then turns his attention to the guy hovering. He speaks a little French then reads the order off.
“Two king crab salads to start, truffle macaroni cheese for mains. Keep the wine coming and a jug of water for the table.”That was his order.
The waiter nods and then disappears. Creed reaches for his wine and takes a large mouthful, seeming to wet his tongue.
“So.” I hum, awkwardness kind of settling into my stomach.
“I know you probably feel uneasy out with me, Royce’s dad, your ex-boyfriend… but I couldn’t bear the thought of you sitting at home, when you should be out seeing Monaco,” he says, placing his glass back on the table as his elbows rest on the edge.
“I have seen Monaco.”
He laughs softly and it is a beautiful sound. “You’ve seen bits… you haven’t truly seen Monaco.”
“And I am going to do that by sitting in the restaurant with you?” I nibble on the inside of my lip, occasionally touching my glass.
“Touché.” That smirk I have become to like dances across his lips.
Dragging my glass towards me, I drop my eyes for a moment and have a mouthful, the wine exploding on my tongue.
“Let me take you out tomorrow.” His voice is like silk, blanketing my skin.
“Creed.” I blink up at him, hovering my glass by my lips.
“Come on, let me take you out, show you around. Take you to all my favourite places.”
“We shouldn’t really, it’s not fair on Royce…” I trail off and advert my gaze to the side, searching for the waiter.
“How? He broke up with you… Why can’t I spend the day with you? Neither of us are doing anything wrong.”
I swallow down the truths that spill from his mouth.
“I know…” I whisper bringing my glass closer to my lips, desperate to have something coating the dryness in my mouth.
“Then let me.” His voice is barely audible as he leans across the table, his mouth parted, his eyes dropping to my lips.
“But…”
“No buts…”
“But—”
“No, Ace.” He shakes his head and I crinkle my nose at the nickname. It’s not that I didn’t like it, but it threw me a little bit. I had no idea why he called me that or where it came from. “Let me spend the day with you.”
He looks at me, his eyes locked on mine. I don’t miss the way they burn into my soul. It doesn’t matter how hard I try to look away, I can’t.
“Please, one day… that’s all I ask.”
Before I can even try and fight back a little, I find myself nodding.
“There’s a good girl.”