Chapter 21
JENNA
This is surreal.
It feels like I’m living my own K-drama as I’m sitting in the passenger side of the SUV while Enzo drives.
I’ve given up trying to stay on top of things because just when I think I make sense of something, Enzo does something to surprise the crap out of me.
We’ve been driving for three hours, and it looks like we’re going to Minneapolis.
I’ve never been on any kind of date, and I wonder if I can classify this as one.
I sneak a look at Enzo and take in how strong his hands look as they’re gripping the steering wheel. He’s unbuttoned his jacket, and my eyes drift over the dark blue vest that has an intricate pattern along the seams.
I’ve never seen him wear a tie, and the top three buttons of his dress shirt are undone.
For the hundredth time since he walked into the store at the gas station, I think how handsome he is.
Unable to keep my curiosity at bay, I ask, “Have you dated before?”
Enzo’s eyes flick to me for a couple of seconds before returning to the road. “No.”
Surprised, I can’t stop the words from spilling over my lips, “Seriously? Never? Not even once? Why?”
He lets out a chuckle. “Dating is only something you do if you’re serious about someone. The women I’ve been with never made me want to stick around to get to know them.”
“Women you’ve been with?” Only when the question is out, do I realize I actually said it.
My cheeks flush bright red, and I quickly stare at the road ahead as well.
He removes one of his hands from the steering wheel and places it over mine in my lap as he murmurs, “This is new for me too, meu amor. Don’t worry about other women. None of them meant anything to me.”
Enzo picks up my left hand and places it on his thigh, then his thumb brushes over my skin, sending tingles rushing up my arm.
“One thing you need to know about me,” he begins to talk again, “I struggle with emotions. Feeling and showing them.”
I nod to indicate I’m listening.
His eyes flick to me again, then back to the road. “Right now I’m overwhelmed because you’re making me feel things I’ve never experienced before.”
Is that good or bad?
Before I can ask, he continues to say, “I’m really trying to be gentler with you, but I can’t change who I am.”
Not sure what he’s saying, I give him a questioning look, but he doesn’t see it, so I ask, “What do you mean?”
“I have an image to uphold in my world. If I show any sign of weakness, I’m dead. My work demands that I be brutal at all times.”
I’m still a little confused, but I don’t mention it. While Enzo was talking, it popped into my mind that he’s not from here, so I ask, “Where is your home?”
“I don’t have one, but I have many houses all over the world. I’m from Portugal, though, and spend a lot of time in Lisbon.”
My tongue darts out to wet my lips and worry creeps into my heart. “What will happen when you go back to Portugal?”
Earlier today, after Enzo swept me off my feet and kissed me, I fell in love with him. The brand-new emotions scare me because I don’t want to lose them, but I have no power over anything where Enzo is concerned.
“You come with me.”
His reply has my jaw going slack. “What?”
“I’m taking you with me, Jenna. I thought I made this clear the past two days.” Enzo’s eyes meet mine, and there’s so much authority in his tone, it almost makes me reply, ‘Yes, sir.’
“But…” I stare at him as my heart starts beating faster. “Really?”
“Where I go, you go.” He brings the SUV to a stop, and it’s only then that I realize we’re in front of a big building. “We’ll talk more once we’ve checked in.”
Checked in? Where?
Enzo gets out of the vehicle, and as I take off my seat belt, he walks around the front and says something to a man who’s approaching the SUV before he opens my door.
I climb out and glance around us, trying to figure out where exactly we are.
Enzo takes my hand, and as we walk toward the entrance, and I see other people inside, I lower my head and move a little closer to him. My heart begins to beat faster as my anxiety spikes from being out in public.
We stop at a long counter where a man says, “Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”
Enzo’s tone is biting as he replies, “Oliveira.”
“Mr. Oliveira! Your suite is ready.” I peek through my bangs and watch as the man picks up two cards and says, “This way.”
I take hold of Enzo’s arm and practically strangle it as we walk to an elevator, and when we step inside, I try to hide partially behind him.
“Your room is number ten-twenty. Just scan this keycard and it–”
“I know what to do,” Enzo says. “Give me the cards. You don’t have to come up with us.”
“Oh.” When the man gets out again, Enzo presses for the doors to close. “Enjoy your stay, and if you need anything…” The rest of the man’s sentence is cut off when the doors shut.
The elevator goes all the way to the top, and when it opens, Enzo leads me to our suite, where he scans the card. He pushes the door open, and as we go inside, my lips part on a gasp.
Holy cow. It’s an entire apartment!
“I just want to take a break for half an hour, then we can go shopping,” Enzo says, his tone gentle again.
He lets go of my hand and walks to the kitchen, where a bottle of champagne stands beside a basket of fruit and nuts.
“Do you want some?” he asks, as he begins to open the bottle. The cork pops, and when he pours some of the bubbly liquid into one of the glasses, he glances at me. “Jenna?”
I nod quickly as I take a step deeper into the room. There’s so much luxury, I don’t know where to look first.
Cream leather couches stand by floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook a river and part of the city.
I move a little closer, but when my stomach drops and my head feels woozy, I quickly move away and walk to where Enzo has just finished pouring the champagne.
I once had alcohol at a party when I was seventeen. It was beer, and it tasted how I’d imagine farts would taste.
Enzo holds a glass out to me, and when I take it, he picks up his own and says, “Here’s to the rest of our future.”
Our future.
I sniff the glass, and when it doesn’t smell like beer, I take a tentative sip. A fruity flavor bubbles over my tongue, making my eyebrows lift.
Enzo tilts his head, his eyes roaming over my face. “Is this your first time having champagne?”
I nod, then take a bigger sip.
“Go slow. You didn’t eat much at lunch, and you’re small. I don’t want you to get intoxicated.”
“Okay.”
Just as I take another sip, Enzo says, “We’ll stay here tonight. There’s only one bed, but–”
Hearing we’re sharing a bed, I choke on the champagne and it sprays everywhere. Some of it goes down my windpipe, and when I start to cough, it sounds like I’m dying.
Enzo rips the glass out of my hand and sets both down on the counter, then he begins to slap my back.
“Breathe through your nose,” he orders.
I do as I’m told, and it helps to get some air into my lungs before I’m able to clear my throat.
“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice hoarse. I look at the mess I’ve made and dart around the counter to look for towels, but I only find a box of tissues. I grab a few, and when I spin around to clean the floor, Enzo takes them from my hand and begins to pat my chest.
“Don’t worry about the floor. I’ll have the hotel send up a cleaner,” he says while tossing the tissues on the counter and pulling me toward the restroom.
He switches on the faucets, and like an idiot, I stand and watch as he washes my hands for me. He even dries them, then he takes hold of my chin and tips my face up.
“Before you choked, I was going to say that even though there’s one bed, nothing will happen that you’re not ready for.”
My eyes lower to his chest. “Why didn’t you ask for two beds?”
“And miss out on the chance of holding you while we sleep?”
I’m not shutting an eye tonight.
I’m instantly anxious, and when Enzo takes my hand again and pulls me into the bedroom, my heart sets off at a crazy pace, and I begin to sweat.
“Get on the bed,” he says, his tone gentle but demanding.
I toe my sneakers off and watch as he lies down. When he pats the spot beside him, I reluctantly climb onto the soft covers.
Enzo’s eyes burn on me until I lie down beside him. Every muscle in my body is tense, and I wrap my arms around my middle.
For a few seconds, it’s quiet, then he says, “See, nothing bad is happening.”
He places his hand, palm up, on the covers, and I stare at it for a moment before I move my arm and lay my hand in his. I watch as his fingers link with mine, and the same tingles from earlier spread over my skin.
“Do you only watch those programs in your spare time, or is there something else you like to do as well?” he asks.
“I only watch my K-dramas.” I dare a quick glance at him and see he’s watching me. “And you? What do you do in your spare time?”
“Watch you.”
My eyes fly to his face, and seeing he’s serious, my lips part. “Really?”
He nods. “Before I came to Aurora, I never took any time off, but then I stopped at the gas station, and once I saw you, I just couldn’t stay away.”
“But you only popped in for a few minutes every night,” I mention.
Enzo shakes his head. “I parked across the road and watched you all night. You’re not very observant of your surroundings. I followed you home, and you never noticed.”
Dang, he practically stalked me.
His thumb brushes over my skin as he admits, “Watching you brings me peace.”
Not even thinking about it, I turn onto my side so I can face him, and he does the same. It puts our heads a few inches apart.
I lift my free hand but hesitate for a moment before I give in and trail my fingers over the side of his face. When I get to the scruff on his jaw, I focus on how prickly the bristles feel against my fingertips.
“You’re safe with me,” he whispers. “You could strip naked, and I wouldn’t do anything you don’t want.”
Not knowing how else to ask the embarrassing question, I mumble, “What if I can never do it?”
“Then I’ll improvise.”
My eyebrows draw together. “How?”
“I’ll just jerk off.”
My face goes up in flames, and I roll onto my back as an awkward chuckle escapes me.
My phone begins to ring, and I pull my hand out of Enzo’s before digging the device out of my pocket. When I see it is my landlord, I groan.
“What?” Enzo asks.
“Nothing.” I accept the call and say, “Hi, Mrs. Lettner.”
“Hi, Jenna. Your payment is late.”
Shoot! I forgot about it. With me leaving the gas station, Mr. Cahoon obviously stopped my salary, and my bank account is empty.
“I’m so sorry.” I glance around the bedroom as I begin to move off the bed, as if an answer would magically appear to me. “I’ll make a plan and get the money to you. Can you give me a day or so?”
“No. You know the rules. You don’t pay, you’re out.”
Suddenly, Enzo takes my phone from my hand, and I watch with wide eyes as he asks Mrs. Lettner, “What is this about?” He listens for a few seconds, then mutters, “That’s fine. We’ll have Jenna’s belongings out of the house tomorrow night.”
He ends the call, then drops the device between us.
“What?” I gasp. “You…What?...I…”
Enzo’s hand darts up, and before I can even think to flinch, he grips me by the back of my neck, and I’m hauled forward. I fall against his chest as his intense gaze bores into mine.
“You are my responsibility. I will not say it again. I take care of all your needs, and that dump you used to call home isn’t one of them. We’ll stop by the place on the way to the lakehouse and get everything you want to keep.”
My hands are pressed to his chest, and the heat from his body seeps through our clothes until it warms me.
I forget what we’re talking about as my eyes lower to his mouth. Remembering our kiss from earlier, I get lost in the memory.
It was perfect and felt incredible.
I want to do it again.
Enzo’s hand leaves my neck, and as I push myself higher, he leans his head down, and we meet in the middle.