Chapter 7 The Billionaire's Virgin Bride VII

Tyler

After opening her car door, I escorted her into the restaurant where we were dining. She has resumed her silence, and I can't tell if the location that we are at is making her anxious or excited for some reason.

After we have given the hostess the gratuity, she will seat us at a table that is separate from the other patrons. Before I take a seat for myself, I bring Lauren's chair into the room. It's clear that she's taken note of the fact that I'm making these accommodations for her. To put it simply, that's how I am.

As the waiter delivers us our menus, I move over to the seat opposite of her and take a seat. I never look at mine.

When I tell the waiter, "We'll start with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a salad from the garden," she glances at me with an interested expression on her face. As an appetizer, we'll have the egg-stuffed ravioli, and for our main course, we'll have the strawberry panna cotta.

The server gives us a nod before taking off with our menus. I realize as I look over at Lauren that I just completely ran over her out of routine, and I feel terrible about it.

"Would you say that what I ordered for the both of us is acceptable?" I make an inquiry to her.

A brief nod is given by her. She responds with a nervous giggle while saying, "Yes, that's OK," adding, "I wouldn't even know where to begin." Nevertheless, I feel it necessary to advise you that I have a severe allergy to shellfish.

I nod. "That's helpful information to have. "To our relief, there won't be any issues with that about this order."

Everything seems a bit strange right now, which is a little uncomfortable. I can feel that she is apprehensive about being in this location with me. She does not appear to belong here, and I mentally scold myself for not inquiring about her before to placing my order.

We are relieved when the waiter comes back with our wine and breaks the awkward silence.

While he is pouring each of us a glass of water, he tells us, "I'll be right back with your salad."

We both go for our cups at the same time and take a drink at the same time. The bone-dry white wine has a refreshing acidity and a trace of earthiness; it's a great pick, and I'm happy with it right away. The look on Lauren's face gives me the impression that she is enjoying herself as well.

Before she places her glass on the table, she takes a quick survey of the surrounding area. So, tell me about yourself, shall we?

She asks, in a manner that is both courteous and apprehensive, "You mentioned being typically obsessed with work, right?" What exactly do you do?"

"I work as an investment banker. Because I take pride in my work, I am willing to go the extra mile for it. I'd like to think that I'm pretty good at what it is that I do." I just shrug my shoulders in response.

I don't want to bore her with the specifics of my hectic days or go into too much detail about my fortune.

"That is a really humble thing for you to say. I'm sure you're amazing at it. You need to have a high level of intelligence or talent to succeed in that field of business. And by that I mean... She gestures all around us and says, "It's fairly obvious that you've had a lot of success."

I chuckle nervously to myself. "I couldn't be happier. Now, please tell me about your business. What is it like to be the owner of a bridal shop?"

She lets out a soft sigh, and I'm perplexed as to why her disposition has all of a sudden shifted. She gives off the impression of being depressed, since she does not speak for a considerable amount of time while staring at her wine glass.

In the end, she utters the phrase, "It is, after all, a family company. I inherited the shop from my grandmother, and I take great pride in running it. This is something I've always done.

There is nothing quite like being able to offer someone their "happily ever after moment" and the ability to bring a little bit of enchantment to the most important day of their life.

The words cause her to flush, but as she continues to speak, her disposition improves and a smile, albeit a slightly bittersweet one, breaks out on her beautiful face. She reaches for it and takes a gulp of her wine before doing so. It's really cute to watch her cheeks turn a blushing pink.

"It is clear that you take tremendous pride in the work that you do. That is a quality that not very many individuals possess in today's world.

Lauren gives a slight nod in agreement. After that, there is complete silence while we drink the last of our wine. Her response was kind while also being a little unexpected, and as a result, I found myself enthralled by her. She exudes an air of purity and childlike chastity, belying the fact that she possesses a sensuous and seductive exterior.

Lauren is in every way the polar antithesis of the ladies that I often look at, and it suddenly occurs to me that I have no idea what I'm doing when I'm in this situation. I have no idea what I'm doing here.

What about this woman would attract my attention enough for me to chose her?

I mean, it goes without saying that she is lovely and kind, but she is also too chaste and too innocent for the filthy hands that are mine. I take one more glance at her. I am aware that I do not know the reason why I am here; but, despite my best efforts, I was unable to avoid being in her company.

I set my glass down and am eager for her to continue our conversation.

"Are you searching for the perfect ending to your story? Your Fairytale Prince, Are You?" I ask.

The words have already left my tongue before I am even aware that they have been floating about in my thoughts.

She comes dangerously close to choking on her alcohol. She sets her drink down and glances at me while covering a cough with the other hand she was holding. It would appear that she is at a loss for words regarding how to respond.

At last, she utters the words, "Of course I am. Isn't it true that everyone wants to find love? Their more superior half?

Before I give my response, I take another swig of wine. "Well, if that's the case, then I guess it isn't what I'm searching for after all. I guess at this point I no longer believe in anything of that nature...."

Her eyes are a complete mess, and I can read it. The waiter walks over just as she is about to ask a question and stops her in the middle of it.

As he places a dish in front of each of us and announces, "Here are your salads, and your entrees will be right out," we all nod in agreement.

"Outstanding, and many thanks,"

The waiter gives a nod before walking away.

She mutters, "Well, this looks really delectable. Shall we?"

We both start eating, which provides a little relief from the talk or awkward quiet that had been going on between us. In all candor, I am not sure what possessed me to begin speaking about such a weighty matter. I just don't feel prepared to go into detail about that aspect of the debate right now.

It was completely unnecessary for me to bring it up in the first place. I was just unable to control myself. It's possible that I'm just a resentful jerk who had the intention of shattering her naive and idealistic view that love is a fairytale.

When I think about it further, I can't help but feel like a complete jackass. I suppose it's just because I'm not used to being in the presence of such purity. I can't help but sigh while we consume our meals. I don't want to ruin your evening, but if we can talk about something else, maybe I can change the subject?

I raise my eyes to look at her and then ask, "Are you having fun at dinner?"

After she has finished chewing and swallowing, she responds with a "yes."

She says it in a timid manner while nervously putting up her wine glass to underline the words, "Everything tastes wonderful. You've made nice decisions so far," she continues.

The waiter comes back with our main courses as if he was being summoned, and as we dig in, Lauren's face is orgasmic, and I'm glad to see that I made another smart decision with the food that I ordered.

At the very least, I am certain that I did not completely botch our meal.

It ought to be less difficult to carry on a discussion at this point. I just need to keep in mind that I shouldn't bring up something that is so important if I am not ready to have a conversation about it.

She does not yet completely given up hope for true love and a happy ending. That is really cute, yet at the same time it makes me feel like I need to defend myself. She is an adult, and I have no doubt that she is aware that there are individuals in the world who would take advantage of her innocence if they had the chance; nonetheless, I do not want her to ever meet somebody like that.

Something about Lauren's modest demeanor, with her hazel eyes and delicate, freckled face, makes something in my chest tighten. Even though I want to protect her and keep her for myself, I'm not Prince Charming, and she deserves the kind of bliss that comes from a fairytale.