Arianna POV:
We pulled up to the restaurant a nice place and I felt underdressed seeing the women and men in their dresses and suits. I looked down at my jeans and sweater and over at Gio in his suit.
"Don't worry we have a room to ourselves," He chuckled at me getting out and coming over to open the door for me.
I felt the urge again to be closer to him, finding ourselves at a nice restaurant alone. I took his hand as he led me into the restaurant we bypassed the line and people turned their noses up at me as we walked by. I straightened my spine and glared back, I wouldn't have dressed this way if I had known he'd be taking me out.
"Next time I'm changing," I whispered to him as they opened the door to a private room, an intimate table set for two with dim lighting.
"Next time?" He leaned into me, smirking.
I felt that same flurry of heat rush up my body in a rosy tinge, this felt eerily close to the night we met, his breath on my skin, my heart racing. I was annoyed and excited by him all at once, but now it was far deeper as I had grown to admire his strength and determination as well as his kindness. It made my desire for him a starving beast and I wanted to back away from the table. I back up slightly into his hand.
"Are you alright?" He looked down at me puzzled.
"Y-yes," I stuttered. "I just feel out of place,"
He gave me a sweet smile before softly guiding me to the table, I sat down giving myself a schooling not to let myself get caught up in this moment. He was being kind taking me out to eat, we weren't together, and would never be.
A man came in and Gio stood up hugging him and saying something in Italian. The man looked over his shoulder at me before he nodded with a cheery grin and toddled off. I sat in my chair confused for a moment but Gio came back towards me and patted my hand.
"I own this building Minato is a good friend with amazing cooking skills, he needed a restaurant and I had a vacant building," He shrugged. "We're in for a treat, he's the best in business,"
I rested my hand on my face studying him, "You say that you've done such bad things but you've been saving business after business from my father for years,"
He shook his head shaking out his napkin and sitting on his lap. "I have done awful things to ensure people's safety, Arianna, know that much and I don't say it lightly," I saw him get red for a moment and hated that I had upset him, he had demons inside and all I wanted was to get rid of them.
"I wasn't trying to anger you I just don't want you to be burdened by it," I reached out rubbing my thumb on his forearm and he looked up at me with a grin.
A bottle of red wine was delivered to the table and he inspected it before nodding the man set it down and Gio opened it up with a pop. I gave him a sarcastic clap as he poured me my drink laughing at me.
"Let's not burden ourselves with anything tonight, I enjoy spending my evenings with you talking about nothing, or everything," He handed me my drink, the warmth of his fingers grazing mine.
We had found ourselves tied together, it was only natural that we had some affection for each other. Shared trauma tends to bond people in unbreakable ways, but that didn't mean it was a good idea to make this any more complicated I reminded myself but by the time the thought finished in my head I was too busy focusing on his smile again.
The chef was arranging his own tasting menu for us and apparently, that meant teeny tiny portions, I think Gio understood my frustration when I quirked an eyebrow at the spoonful of tartar on my plate.
"Not a small eater," He kept a laugh as the waiter left.
"No," I grumbled eating my small chip with the tuna on top. It was terrific, acidic, with a cream avocado something underneath, and radish or ridchio, I don't know, but it tasted good. "It's amazing but why do I only get one bite," I pouted.
He laughed at my pouty lip. "It's cause there are ten courses,"
"Here's hoping they're a little bigger," I scrunched my nose.
He busted out laughing, "You know if I took any other girl here she'd fawn over the glitz and glamor, I'd have gotten a kiss just for the private room,"
I raised my eyebrows and bit my lip wondering if he'd realized he'd slipped up, "A kiss huh, well mister it takes more than owning a building to get that from me,"
He stared back, "Oh I'm well aware, but if there was someone worth putting in the effort for it'd be you,"
I brushed the side of my neck covering the blush. "I'm not asking for all that," I told him shaking his head. "If I found a guy who just wanted to love me that's more than enough," I looked down my words quieting as the next course came in.
He leaned closer to me so the waiters couldn't hear, "That's why I'd do it,"
I realized then why we were in a restaurant tonight, the wine, the privacy, the decadence all felt overwhelming. He ate the spoon with some red mousse on top and felt my stomach flip and flop inside.
I ate the meal going quite thinking over all the reasons I should remind him why we couldn't get involved but my heart raged that it wasn't that big of a deal, I wanted him, he wanted me and we complimented each other. I wanted the moments we had been skipping over, him coming into the kitchen and kissing my neck, me reaching over to him and him reaching back, the peck on the cheek when I went into his office. I was being greedy, I had done enough to him.
I ate the red mousse that again was far too phenomenal to have so little of, and I didn't look up at him.
"You've gone so quiet," He nudged me, "Is it the small food,"
I smiled softly shaking my head, my head still shouting back and forth if I wanted to let him continue to say such wonderful things or if I wanted to ruin it all.
"Gio," I found my voice coming out of my mouth.
"What?" He grinned leaning forward.
"What will you do when this is all done?" I asked. Somewhere in the tug of war, a question I had been pondering came forward.
He sat back in his chair adjusting his napkin the next course came out and the waiters left before he said another word. "I don't plan for the far the future I don't have that luxury," He motioned for someone and whispered something to them, the small man scampering off.
"That's bullshit," I crossed my arms.
"Don't ruin a lovely evening," He snapped back shoving the bite of food into his mouth and a man appeared clearing the table.
"You have planned for everything, you have it all where you want it, you've even planned for me to come here. Why don't you have a plan for when he's gone," I pushed, probably when I shouldn't have.
Another course came the waiters quickly setting down our plates, before hustling out of the icy cold room.
"I am not the same man I was when I met your father, I don't have a plan because there is nothing to return to. My brother is dead I can't go back to a home where he won't be there and it's my fault," He clenched his fists.
"That's not true, you know that you had no warning, no reason," I told him he stood up and pulled himself together as the man came back Luca behind him.
"I have work to do, but you stay order whatever you want. I'll see you tomorrow," He told me not looking back over his shoulder.
I sat in my chair dumbfounded by what just happened. It was a simple question and yet I had set him off, and now he was gone. Luca stayed in the corner as the next course was placed in front of me.
I scooped up the missed spoonfuls of amazing food on my own trying not to let it get to me. He had behaved like a child getting so angry over a simple question, I'm glad I haven't given in my attraction if he's so childish If he wants to behave that way throwing a tantrum and theme running off fine he can go ahead.
"Luca!" I snapped not realizing I had barked at him until my shrill voice leaped into the air. "Luca," I adjusted calming myself. "Please there's food for two come and eat, it's delicious just small,"
He smirked and nodded sitting across from me and stuffing his napkin into his shirt. "He just doesn't like that you pointed out his great weakness," He told me before shoveling the plates they had brought for my absentee partner.
"What?"
"He's become the big bad wolf all so he can win, how is he supposed to go back to real life after that?" He told me he watched me as I evaluated his words.
I still believed that Gio had behaved like an infant, but I understood more now. Luca and I finished the extravagant meal and I grabbed the bottle of wine on the way out. I finished it off in the bathtub of my room. I wouldn't excuse his actions, but I wanted him to know he still had a chance.