I relax.
That is, until Pax turns in his seat and smiles at me. He’s got a cleft in his chin that I somehow didn’t notice before and his golden eyes are sparkling.
The world tilts on its axis and my heart slams a crazy cadence against my ribcage. I’m probably in way over my head, but for the moment, I don’t care.
Chapter Ten
Pax
I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as Mila looks walking toward me across the dining room. It’s not just because she’s gorgeous. It’s because she’s walking toward me. To be with me. Even if it’s only for tonight or for now.
I gulp and grin at her.
She smiles back and everything seems right with the world, a strange and unusual feeling for me.
When Mila is halfway to me, Tony says quietly, “Don’t hurt that girl or you will answer to me.”
I glance at him and he’s got a gruff, rigid look on his face, very different from the congenial bartender he was a second ago. But I understand it. He’s protecting Mila and I’ve got to respect that. I nod.
“I’ll try not to.”
Tony nods back as he towels off a glass. “Do that.”
Mila slides up next to me, breaking the sudden tension.
“Hi,” she murmurs and she places her slender hand on my shoulder. I fight the urge to lift it into mine and kiss it. It’s a strange inclination for me. But she seems to bring out strange things in me.
“Hi,” I answer. “You ready for our date?”
She grins again. “Absolutely. Why don’t we put our food orders in before the kitchen closes and then we’ll open a bottle of wine. I’ll show you the best table in the house.”
She grabs my hand and leads me through the quiet dining room to an even quieter table for two by the windows. The entire back of the restaurant faces the lake which is easily visible through the windows. To the left, I see an Italian-style patio, which I must assume is used for dining in the summer months. It’s too chilly to eat out there now.
“Will this be all right, monsieur?” Mila asks with a smile and an exaggerated accent. I grin back.
“French? I thought this was some fancy Italian joint.”
She giggles, handing me a menu as I sit. I catch a hint of her perfume as she moves and I inhale it. She smells like heaven, just the way her mouth tastes.
“We’re not aiming to be fancy. We’re aiming to be an authentic Italian place. We just did a bunch of renovations this past summer to improve the ambiance and make it feel like you’re in Italy.”
I look around at the rough stucco walls, the Italian art, the rustic charm. It does seem like we’re sitting in an old-world kitchen. So I tell her that and she beams. Apparently, that’s exactly the look they were going for.
“I’ll have the lasagna,” I tell her. “Is it good here?”
She gives me a look. “Everything’s good here. Make sure to tell all your friends.”
I laugh. “I don’t have that many. But I’ll try and pimp your restaurant for you anyway. How do you feel about the rougher type of crowd?”
She gives me a dry look and darts away, presumably to turn our food order in. She’s back within a minute with a bottle of wine and she settles into the chair across from me. The candlelight flickering on our table casts a soft light onto her face.
“Wine?” she asks as she pours me a glass of red. I nod, which is good, because she’s already pouring.
“Thank you,” I tell her. “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?”
I glance out the windows, at the lake that is calm and dark in the night. Mila follows my gaze.
“I love the lake,” she tells me quietly. “I know that most of us do that live here, but I really love it. It’s so comforting. It’s always the same no matter what else changes in my life.”
I have to stare at her, because I feel exactly the same way. It’s one of the reasons that I choose to live here, perched on the very edge of it. The lake symbolizes continuity to me. And it is comforting.
Mila stares at me, her gaze pensive. I notice now that her eyes are the softest shade of green, almost like jade.
“Tell me about yourself,” she instructs softly as she sips from her wine. Her fingers almost stroke the wine glass and I find that I am jealous of it. I also notice that she’s wearing a deep red ring on her middle finger that is the exact shade of the wine. I take a breath.