Fulfillment by Golland, M. (best large ebook reader .txt) 📕

shouting throughthe helmet. “It’s not the Harley, but it’s a start,” I gave himanother squeeze as he took off, my initial squeal being left at thecurb.

We pulled upto Ristorante Di Tony, a cute little Italian restaurant in a quietpart of the city. It was not the type of restaurant he wouldnormally choose as this one seemed far from fancy. Don’t get mewrong, it was lovely, quaint and from the sidewalk appeared homely.It was just very different from Bryce’s usual extravaganttaste.

I waited forhim to dismount and remove his helmet before I headed to the frontdoor of the building.

“This way,Hunny. I have my own private entrance,” he said casually as he tookhold of my hand and led me toward the alleyway next to therestaurant. There was something in the way he had said it, or thestrikingly handsome smirk on his face, that triggered a sense ofdéja vu.

I giggled ashe pulled me along. “Do you know the owner?”

He smiled atme. “Yeah, I just bought the place.”

“What? Why onearth would you buy—”As we rounded the corner, the sounds of “BellaNotte” filtered into my ears, once again triggering my sense ofdéja vu. The music, I soon discovered, was being played by a duetwho were seated off to the side of a lone round table, topped witha red and white tablecloth, a candle and a single red rose.

Surroundingthe table were several potted plants, shielding not only themusical duet, but also the rest of the area behind the restaurantand creating a back drop to what I assumed was our dining spot.Many candles in jars were lit and placed along the ground,romantically paving a walkway to our seats. It was in the momentthat I realised my déja vu was because I was standing in the middleof a scene from Lady & the Tramp.

“Oh! My!God!”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE

“Bryce! Oh myGod, when did you—”

“Never mindabout the when, Hunny, come and take a seat.” He placed his hand atthe small of my back and ushered me toward the table.

I couldn’thelp but let out a surprised laugh. “You are amazing. This isamazing.”

“It’s what Ido, Ms. Summers,” he said with a smirk, while pulling out my chairfor me to sit in.

As he sat downopposite me, I was struck by just how handsome he looked in thecandlelight. His dirty blonde hair was styled back and away fromhis face, as if he had just run his hands through it and it hadobeyed. He was wearing a charcoal coloured shirt with the top twobuttons open, a black suit jacket and his sexy light-washjeans.

“Does yourmind ever take a break?” I asked, as he wiped his palms on hispants while he settled into his seat.

“No. A mindfunctions simply by functioning. If it takes a break, it ceases toexist.”

“Have I evertold you that I find your intelligence a major turn on?”

“No. I thoughtyou wanted me for my body.”

“Well, yeah,that and your cooking.”

A waiterstepped out from behind the screened potted plants. “Buona sera,Signor Clark e la Signora Summers.”

“Buona sera.”Bryce replied, his accent rolling off his tongue like liquidsex.

Not being ableto speak Italian, I just nodded and smiled in response.

“Can I get youboth a drink?” he asked, switching to English but with a heavyaccent that was adorable.

Bryce raisedhis eyebrows at me in question.

Feeling alittle daring, I thought I’d try my luck and ask for something alittle unorthodox. “I don’t suppose they serve a Cock ‘n Balls dothey?”

Closing hiseyes slowly, Bryce twitched his head ever so slightly, clearlyfighting a battle not to laugh. He opened them again and looked ourwaiter dead in the eyes. “Is it possible to get my girlfriend aCock ‘n Balls?”

The waiterflushed bright red. “I’m so sorry, Signor, we do not serve such adrink.”

“Never mind,”I said sweetly “How about Salty Balls or Big Balls?”

The tablestarted shaking, and I soon realised it was from Bryce chuckling.“Hunny, I don’t think they serve any form of balls here.”

“Ha, I betthey serve meat-balls.”

“Yes, Signora,we serve meatballs,” he replied happily, being able to serve mesome form of balls.

I startedlaughing and touched the waiter apologetically on the arm. “Thankyou, but I’ll have a glass of Chianti Classico, please. And, SignorClark will have a Scotch on the rocks.”

He noddedsheepishly and made his way into the restaurant.

“They servemeatballs, Mr. Clark. Did you hear that?”

“Yes,” heanswered, still chuckling. “I did.”

I shuffled inmy seat and grabbed my napkin, laying it over my lap. “So, you saidon our way in that you bought this restaurant. Why? It doesn’t fityour normal real estate acquisition criteria.”

“I like it.The place has character.”

“You’re such aromantic.”

“Hunny, youhave no idea.”

“I think I’mstarting to. You blow me away.”

“No, Alexis,you blow me away.”

“No. I justblow you,” I said with certainty while eye-fucking him.

One of themembers of the duet missed a note, clearly mucking up the tune.

I bit my lipand sunk down a little in my seat, whispering, “I think they speakEnglish.”

Bryce leanedforward and took hold of my hands. “They do,” he said withamusement.

Just asbutterflies started to flutter in my stomach at the look of love inhis eyes, our waiter appeared with our drinks and, behind him,another waiter with a large plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

We both satback as they placed the large dish and drinks on the table. “Buonapettito.”

“Grazie,”Bryce and I replied simultaneously, my accent nowhere near as sexyas his.

The duetstarted playing “Bella Notte” again, this time a little morepronounced. The heightened sound of the accordion and the largeplate in front of us—which we were about to share—made megiggle.

“You don’tmiss a thing, do you? Although if my memory serves me correctly,Butch passed Lady a meatball with his nose.”

Bryce leanedforward with a playful grin and poked his nose into the plate,nudging a meatball in my direction. I couldn’t help but burst intolaughter, not only from his daring move, but also due to the facthe now had bolognaise sauce on the tip of nose.

I leanedforward and licked it off, then quickly patted his nose dry with mynapkin. “Why thank you, kind sir.”

I keptlaughing as I picked up a piece of spaghetti giving him one endwhile I took the other. Then, just like the movie, we both startedsucking it in, grinning