Love Bites

by Campbell, Jamie

  A change of topic was desperately needed. “I think this dish is definitely a winner. It should go on the menu.”

  “You really think so?”

  “Yeah. Is this an old family recipe?”

  He chuckled. “I got it off the internet. Another secret. Don’t tell anyone.”

  I felt all the stress of the night dissolve from me as I laughed. “Your secret’s safe with me,” I promised.

  With my next forkful of food, I somehow managed to slop it on my shirt. Instantly, Antonio was dabbing at it with a cloth. He was so close I could feel the heat of his body and the grazing of his breath.

  I’d never noticed how dark and deep his eyes were before. They were like a chocolate fountain, obscenely beautiful.

  He must have realized he was inadvertently caressing my perky little breasts as he suddenly stopped and pulled back. His cheeks held a subtle rosy hue. “I think it’s all off. It shouldn’t stain, I don’t think.”

  “It’s fine.” I waved him away. “Thank you.”

  Antonio made himself busy while avoiding my eye contact. He didn’t need to be embarrassed, it was actually really sweet that he was. It was good to know there were still some gentlemen left in the world.

  “So why the change in the menu?” I asked to break the silence before it lingered.

  “I felt like we needed something to shake it up a bit,” Antonio explained, grateful for the new topic. “I don’t want the chefs to get bored or the customers to tire of the same food.”

  “They say variety is the spice of life.”

  “Indeed, they do. This restaurant is my dream, I can’t get complacent because our reservations book is full for the next three weeks.”

  “I think people come here for more than the food,” I said. Antonio was half the reason he had such a loyal group of customers. I knew for certain they would continue to patron the restaurant as long as Antonio was at the helm. He was a people person, it was difficult not to like him.

  Antonio simply smiled and took the last bite of his dish. I was getting full, my belly sated and happy. I forced the last few bites into my mouth and swallowed them down. My pants were starting to strain.

  “I hope you’ve got room for dessert,” he said as he jumped up and started to clear the plates. I quickly scrambled to help, not wanting him to clean up after he had gone to so much trouble for the meal. “Don’t worry about this, it can all wait.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  Antonio took the plates from my hands and placed them in the sink. “Dessert cannot wait. Dishes can. Grab your things, we’re going.”

  “Going where?”

  “Ah, to enjoy dessert on Valentine’s Day, one must experience Valentine’s Day.”

  And that was all he would tell me about the matter.

  Chapter 5

  “Isn’t this illegal?” I whispered as Antonio helped me over the fence.

  “Only if we get caught,” he replied with a cheeky grin and eyes that sparkled under the moonlight. “Hold this.” He handed me the package containing our dessert before crawling over the wire fence.

  The exotic smell of flowers was instant. The glorious scent filled my nostrils as I deeply breathed it in. Freesias, roses, sweet peas, honeysuckle, and lavender swept through the still night air and swirled around me in an orchestra of aromas.

  I couldn’t see all the flowers in the darkness but I didn’t need to. I’d been to the botanical gardens before – in the daylight – and knew they would be just as beautiful to see as they were to smell.

  Antonio landed on his feet and took the package from me. He led me along the path, our feet crunching on the gravel in a way that was surely too loud to stay undetected.

  “If we get caught, I’m going to say you kidnapped me,” I joked. “I can’t afford another charge on my record.”

  “Ha! Your record is as clean as a whistle. I’ve done a police check as part of your employment, remember? You are all talk and no bite.”

  “I could bite,” I said defensively, unable to keep the smile from my face. It was either the flowers or the company making me giddy but it was definitely something.

  Antonio stopped to look at me seriously. “Your bite would be beautiful, I’m sure.”

  I shook my head to stop him seeing my goofy grin before following him again. Antonio led me through the gardens until we reached an open field. It was surrounded by high standing hydrangeas in shades of pink, blue, and purple. The moonlight made them all lace into intricate patterns.

  We sat on the perfectly manicured lawn and Antonio handed me one of the packages. I hadn’t been allowed to open it until now.

  Tiramisu.

  Suddenly I wasn’t as full as I thought I was. Perhaps it was the walk or the fact it was my favorite dessert. Antonio handed me a fork and I instantly dived in.

  Our magical surroundings faded out of my consciousness as the dessert hit my taste buds. Antonio wasn’t just a chef, he was a magician. I had never tasted tiramisu as good as this before and doubted I ever would again.

  I had to admit, as far as Valentine’s Days went, this one was up there as my favorite. I had thought the evening would end with a cheap bottle of wine as I drowned my sorrows watching a romantic comedy on television and crying about my pathetic love life.

  Antonio had saved me from the horror of that scene.

  “Does your silence mean you approve of the dessert?” he asked, once against studying me for a reaction.

  “More than approve. I want to marry it.”

  “I’ll add it to the menu, then. It’s decided. Thank you for your help tonight.”

  “I should be thanking you,” I said. “I needed a distraction. But shouldn’t you be getting home? I’m sure your girlfriend could have helped you with the menu.”

  “We broke up. Many months ago,” he replied. I wished my foot didn’t live in my mouth sometimes.

  “Oh, sorry. I didn’t know.” He could have mentioned it, maybe dropped it into casual conversation over the last few months.

  “Don’t be sorry, I’m certainly not. I’ve had an excellent time tonight.”

  “Me, too.”

  We shared a moment as electricity zapped between us. It was so sudden and unexpected that it took me by surprise. I wasn’t staring into the eyes of my boss, but the gorgeous man I had come to know and call a friend.

  Antonio laughed and broke the spell, enjoying the last of his dessert before taking both our empty boxes and placing them in a nearby trashcan.

  He settled on the floor again and opened the bottle of champagne he brought with us. Pouring us both a glass of bubbly, he handed me one and held his in the air.

  “A toast,” he started. “To letting go of past relationships to start afresh.”

  I clinked my glass on his. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, mia bella.”

  It didn’t take long to demolish the entire bottle between us. The sharp taste of the champagne was in perfect contrast to the sweetness still lingering on my taste buds from the tiramisu.

  Our eyes locked again and there was nothing more I wanted at that moment than to kiss him. Antonio was everything I wanted in a man, I’d just always thought he was taken. And it was never a good idea to sleep with the boss.

  This was different, it was real. Something much more valuable than a job.

  Antonio must have felt the attraction and pull too as we both started to learn in toward each other at the same time. I closed my eyes and waited for the moment of impact where our lips would find completion.

  We never made it.

  The sprinkler system came to life, showering us with ice cold water. We sprang up and started running. Antonio grabbed my hand so we didn’t get lost in the darkness and haste.

  Everywhere we turned a wall of water confronted us. The entire botanical gardens were getting a sprinkling, including us. It wasn’t long before my clothes were clinging to my body, my hair a dripping mess, and my makeup probably
resembled that of a sideshow clown.

  I couldn’t stop giggling at the absurdity of it all. Our dessert rendezvous had turned hilariously wrong in an instant. The water didn’t matter, I was having the best time of my life.

  We stopped at a junction, a dozen signs all pointing in different directions. They were unreadable in the darkness. The exit could be anywhere and we were looking for a low fence, it wasn’t exactly on the tourist map.

  Antonio was still holding my hand. He used the connection to pull me closer until we were chest to chest. I could see the water droplets bouncing off his skin. His hair, normally tightly curled, was matted to his face and framing his sparkling eyes.

  My breath was hitched in my throat, it was impossible to think straight with all the water and his close vicinity. Butterflies went crazy in my stomach with anticipation. I’d never had this with Ricky, never in two years.

  Before a coherent thought made its way into my head, Antonio’s lips were on mine. He kissed me deeply, pulling me into his hold like we were supposed to always be that way.

  I melted into him, letting the warmth of the kiss wash over me. The cold water was nothing against the power of that one kiss.

  My heart swelled in my chest, ignited by a fire I thought was long extinguished. This kind of feeling was reserved for fairytales and movies. I wasn’t supposed to be lucky enough to experience it.

  But I was. In all its spectacular glory.

  We were both breathless when we parted. Smiles were permanently tattooed on our faces with no sign of them abating.

  “That was some kiss,” Antonio whispered.

  “Maybe we should check it wasn’t a fluke,” I replied.

  He didn’t need any further encouragement. Antonio pulled me toward him again and planted his lips on mine. He deepened the kiss, making my knees go weak. Any longer and I would need the water to cool me down.

  I shivered when he released me for the second time. He attempted to brush the hair from my face. “I should get you home and into the warm.”

  As we started walking again, I wanted to take baby steps to draw out the night. It was past midnight, so Valentine’s Day was technically over, but I wanted it to last forever.

  Antonio helped me over the wall and we trudged back to his car. He didn’t care about getting the inside of his car wet or that we might have dirty feet. Ricky would have made me dry off completely and then forced me to take my shoes off before he let me into his precious car.

  My street was packed full of vehicles, making it impossible to park. Antonio left his car two blocks away and insisted he walk me to my door.

  Another first.

  We walked hand in hand, leaving a trail of water droplets on the ground as we moved. I didn’t feel the cold when I was cuddled up to his side.

  As we approached my building, we saw a couple seated on a bench outside the all-night ice cream parlor. I expected to see a pair of teenagers, enjoying the quiet, late night.

  But it was an elderly couple, easily in their seventies. They were eating from the same dish, looking into each other’s eyes as they did. They’d probably been married for decades.

  Perhaps love wasn’t for losers. Maybe it was a real thing, something to be cherished and so precious it had to be revered.

  I wanted to be that old couple in fifty years. I wanted to be sharing ice cream at midnight on Valentine’s Day with my husband that I had traversed all the ups and downs of life with.

  And perhaps it started tonight.

  Antonio walked me all the way up to my sixth floor apartment. I had expected him to find a way to come in, perhaps put the pressure on to stay the night.

  But he didn’t even cross the threshold. He stood at my door and gave me a sweet kiss on the lips. “Thank you for tonight, I really enjoyed it. I hope you will agree to more dates with me.”

  “I’d really like that,” I readily agreed.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, Ally. I hope you let me prove to you just how you deserve to be treated.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and cupped my cheek before taking a step back. “Can I call you tomorrow?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Until tomorrow then.”

  I watched him until he turned a corner and disappeared for the night. My heart was in for some serious trouble. I was going to have to reassess my judgment of Valentine’s Day.

  Chapter 6

  One Year Later

  My Valentine’s Day record was sketchy at best. I could flip a coin and have just as much insight about what was going to happen today.

  Instead of making a big deal out of the day for lovers, I was going to ignore it. I’d tried hiding from it, I’d tried embracing it. Today was all about pretending it was just like every other day.

  Lovers be damned.

  I dressed in my waitress uniform and took myself to work. The happy, loved-up couples I passed along the way were not even blips on my radar. They could have been invisible for all I cared.

  I parked in the lot behind the restaurant and went around to the employee entrance. It was all closed up and dark. I checked my watch, I was right on time for my shift and not early.

  Strange.

  “Hello?” I called out, knocking on the door to get some attention from the inside.

  Waiting a few moments, there seemed to be no movement inside. This is exactly what I didn’t need tonight. I just wanted to get my shift over and done with so I could go home and enjoy what little remained of the night.

  I had to fish around in my handbag to find the keys to the restaurant. Why did I have so many tissues and receipts in there? It made it nearly impossible to find anything. My hand finally grasped around the metal keys and tugged them out.

  Opening the door, it seemed completely abandoned. If there was a memo nobody bothered to give me, I was going to be seriously pissed.

  “Hello? Anyone here?” My voice echoed down the deserted corridor.

  It was creepy without lights on and people bustling around. The restaurant was nearly always full of customers and staff, or the boss, at least.

  “Shit,” I cursed as my shin collided with a stray chair. I jumped around, holding it while the pain shot through my leg.

  Where was the damn light switch?

  Ghostly figures of tables and stacked chairs freaked me out while I shuffled around – a bit more carefully now. My leg was definitely going to be sporting a bruise for a long time thanks to the ninja chair.

  Another series of expletives left my lips as I tried to negotiate around in the dark and was seriously failing. Everything looked so different without all the lights on, it was difficult remembering where everything was.

  Without warning all the lights flicked on. I stopped dead in my tracks while my heart thundered with the surprise. I hadn’t been the one to turn them on.

  “Who’s there?” I called out. “This isn’t funny. I’ve got a knife and I will stab you to death. The law is totally on my side here.”

  FYI – I didn’t have a knife. Hopefully the intruder wouldn’t realize that. I’d have to throw the damn chair at him, at least I knew that would hurt.

  I turned a corner and stepped into the main serving area – the source of the light. The pain in my leg completely disappeared.

  Antonio was standing in the middle of the room next to a table completely set. It was the only one in the room. He was wearing a black suit, complete with grey tie. I’d never seen him so formal before.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” I asked as I approached carefully. I wasn’t entirely sure I was awake and it wasn’t a weird dream playing out in my subconscious. “Do we have a private function booked?”

  “You could say that.” He held out a chair for me. “Take a seat.”

  I eyed him suspiciously before I sat. All the nerves were jolting through my body with anxiety. I liked to know what was going on and this was the complete opposite of doing that.

  “You’re not firing me, are you?” I joked. “Because I’ll probably s
till cry even if you’re wearing a suit.”

  “Do you think it would be smart of me to fire my own girlfriend?”

  I shrugged. “Depends if you ever want to get lucky again, I guess.”

  Antonio still wasn’t sitting down at the table. It was starting to hitch my nerves up to a whole new level. He better not be dying and this was his way of cushioning the blow. I loved that stupid guy, nothing would soften bad news like that.

  “Everyone’s running late tonight,” I said to break the silence. “We’re going to be packed because of Valentine’s Day. If we don’t start opening soon, everything will run late all night.”

  “Nobody else is coming.”

  “Oh?”

  “Nope. It’s just you and me tonight.”

  “People are going to be waiting for their food for a while then.” A horrible choking kind of laughter squeezed out of me. I hated this. I needed to know what was going on so I could deal with it and move on.

  Perhaps Valentine’s Day did suck after all.

  “We’re not opening tonight,” Antonio said seriously. A bead of sweat ran down his brow. It was pretty hot inside, at least it felt that way anyway. “I’ve cooked something special just for us.”

  “A new menu?”

  “Nope. Just your favorites.”Antonio took a step closer and then dropped down to one knee.

  I stopped breathing all together.

  “Alice, this past year has been the best year of my life. I know it’s because of you and how happy you make me.” His brown eyes were so deep and sincere and I wanted to cry. The lump formed in my throat and threatened to lodge there forever.

  “You make me happy too,” I said. It was the God’s honest truth. Ever since Valentine’s Day last year we had been inseparable. Ricky was all but a distant memory now. I’m glad he cheated, otherwise I wouldn’t have known what a real man was. I wouldn’t have found my way to Antonio.

  He continued on. “I’ve spent twenty-eight years looking for the other half of my soul. I’ve searched high and low, knowing I’d recognize her when I found her. Ally, the first moment I saw you, my heart skipped a beat. I knew you were my other half. Together we are whole.”