Chapter 5 Decision

Olivia Fernandes

Dante didn't answer me, keeping the mystery around his identity alive. He just smiled same wide, beautiful smile that had thrown me off the very first time we met.

"Your smile's nice, but it won't stop me from asking more questions," I shot back, catching him off guard.

"If my smile's not enough, I've got other ways to distract you," he replied, brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. His touch lingered, like he was trying to stretch the moment, his finger trailing from my earlobe to my neck and finally the nape of my neck.

My body reacted to Dante's touch in a way I wasn't expecting. That wasn't just a touch. It felt intimate-almost possessive. The kind that made me feel exposed... yet somehow safe.

Before I could stop myself, the words slipped out:

"What did you see in me?"

I hated how I felt in moments like that-like I'd never be enough. No matter how much I tried to shut those thoughts out, one glance in any reflective surface was enough to bring every insecurity back. I'd never learned to deal with it, and now, as an adult, it felt even harder.

He frowned, clearly confused, but his hand remained on my neck, his thumb still gently stroking my skin.

"I'm not sure I understand the question, Olivia."

I sighed, a mix of frustration and embarrassment swelling in my chest.

"There's no other way to say it. I just want to know why you brought me here. Why I caught your attention to the point that you basically kidnapped me to show me all this." I gave a small smile, trying to play it off. "Honestly, I don't think I'm your type."

His face softened, like he finally understood what I was trying to say.

"You're right. I don't usually abduct women this young," he joked, making me laugh. "I usually flirt with women my own age, so I get where you're coming from."

He still wasn't getting it.

"It's not about age, Dante," I said, feeling ridiculous for having to explain it. "I... I'm not the kind of woman men like you usually go for. And... I might not have a lot of experience with this, but I can see it in your eyes- what you want from me. So I'll be honest... You don't mind that I'm... fat?"

The second the word left my lips, I regretted it. I hated being that vulnerable. And in that instant, my worst fear played out-I saw his expression shift.

Pity.

He pitied me.

I turned my back on him and started walking toward the elevator, desperate to leave. I didn't want to hear anything he had to say. I didn't want to give that pity a chance to take root.

"Wait!" he called out, and I stopped mid-step, still with my back to him.

I didn't want to face him. I didn't want to see that look again.

I felt him approach slowly. Then, the soft brush of his nose against my hair as he inhaled the scent of my perfume. His hands found my waist, and I nearly gave in right then and there.

Suddenly, I turned to face him-but kept my eyes down, holding onto his hands at my waist. He reached for my chin, gently trying to lift my face, like he needed me to see what he had to say.

"You want to know what I saw in that gallery, Olivia?"

His voice was low, deep enough to send a shiver down my spine.

"I saw a woman-well-dressed, graceful, fascinated by art. And most importantly, if you'll let me say it..."

He leaned in, just enough that his lips almost brushed my ear.

"...one of the sexiest women I've ever seen."

My knees went weak. My heart pounded, and I couldn't hide the shock at hearing those words come out of his mouth. But somehow, impossibly, he meant them.

"I like how it feels when you say things like that..." I admitted, with a smile I didn't even know I was capable of. "You're dangerous, Dante. You're too good with words."

He laughed low, teasing sound-his warm breath skimming my skin, carrying the sweet scent of watermelon, just like the gum he'd been chewing minutes earlier.

"I'm good at a lot of things, Olivia..."

His words made me blush.

"...and if you let me, I'll show you."

I was completely lost in him. His hands tightened on my waist, pulling me closer, and in that moment, I knew reason had left me behind.

There was nothing left to think about. I wanted this. I wanted to discover everything Dante could offer.

"I want you to show me..." I whispered, trailing my hands up his arms, feeling every muscle, every vein under my skin. I kept going, up to his biceps, then his neck-where I dug in my nails just enough to pull him even closer.

"I want you to show me all of you, Dante."

He had the kind of smile that said he knew exactly what I was asking for.