by Erica M Kim
“I have something to help you.” I walk closer to Lio and see that he already has a bottle of Perrier and two Advils waiting on a napkin for me. I drink the Perrier as if my life depends on it, and swallow down the Advils.
“Next time, you better listen to me when I tell you to stop drinking,” he says chidingly but with a smile.
“Next time I tell you that it’s my turn to do something, you better let me do it,” I throw back at him. I instantly regret bringing it up again because he’s already apologized.
“Still not over that? Look, I promise I will let you buy dinner next time, okay?” Lio says seriously, and I forgive him completely. “If this is your reaction to not letting you buy dinner, I should be worried about more serious misgivings.” Yes, you should be, especially during a full moon.
“Thank you for bringing me here, Lio. I’m sorry about my stupidity and drunken rage over the bill. And next time, I’ll try my best not to drink so quickly,” I say sincerely. It’s always been difficult for me to apologize, but I find it easier to say sorry to Lio.
“Yeah, I was pretty tempted to leave you in the alley back there, but you know, I’m a nice guy. Plus, I have plans for you of my own,” Lio says with an evil grin. My stomach literally does a flip to this response, as I imagine what Lio’s going to do to me. Before I recover, Lio interrupts my reverie.
“Would you like a tour of the place, doll?”
“Yes, I’d love one.”
Lio leads me first to a small door next to the kitchen that leads to a sommelier’s heaven. The wine cellar has rack upon rack of wines that I’m sure are mostly vintage with a price tag more than my monthly rent.
“How many bottles do you think you own?” I marvel at the rows and rows of bottles. There must be thousands.
“I don’t know,” Lio says tentatively. “Although many of the bottles are from my winery.”
“You own a winery?” I say incredulously.
“It’s in Napa Valley. I’d like to take you there one day.”
“I’d love that. What is it called?”
“Manos Vineyard.” I try to cycle through my memory to find if I’ve ever seen that label in the grocery store. Nothing clicks. I’m guessing it’s outside of the price range that I usually buy.
“Can I see the bottle?”
Lio hands me a bottle from one of the upper shelves. The label is black, and “Manos” is embossed in a beautiful rose-gold script. Nope. Definitely have never seen this.
“I’d offer you a glass, but I’m sure more alcohol is the last thing you want right now. Take the bottle, though, and let me know what you think. It’s a Cab. Perhaps you can pair it on a steak day. You must have one of those in your meal schedule, right?” he says with a smirk.
“As a matter of fact, I do. I’ll be sure to give you a scorecard next time I see you.” Smartass.
After setting the newly acquired bottle of Manos wine on the kitchen island, Lio leads me out of the kitchen and into the receiving foyer again with the marvelous stairs. Around the foyer, there are abstract paintings with the colors of the ocean that add a nice colorful balance.
“These stairs are incredible. I’ve never seen anything like them.”
“I had them custom built at a glass shop,” Lio says as he leads me up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, he leads me down to the end of the hall and into the closed door that is furthest down the hall.
As he opens the door, the lights switch on automatically. It opens into an enormous library, which also looks like Lios’s office. All of the furniture is made of deep-cherry maple, giving the room a warm, welcoming feel. The desk faces the floor to ceiling windows, which currently doesn’t give much away.
The back wall is lined with bookshelves that reach the ceiling, and every shelf is filled with books. A reader’s paradise. I step closer to read some of the titles. Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers. Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Homer’s Iliad. Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Just a few titles amongst hundreds of classics. I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.
“See anything interesting?” Lio asks, again as if he’s reading my mind.
“Yes, I’m an avid reader! I’d love to borrow some of these sometime.”
“You’re welcome to anytime.” I suddenly catch a small desk clock on Lio’s desk. It’s 11:57 p.m. Shit! I need to get home soon, but my curiosity is begging to see the rest of the house.
“It’s getting late . . .”
“Yes, it is. And you have work tomorrow, unlike me. Come on, let’s get you home.”
“No! I really want to see the rest of the house.”
“You need to return when the sun is out anyway, doll. Night really doesn’t do the house proper justice. We’ll leave some doors closed for next time. Come on. I’ll take you home.” He holds out a hand, and I relent.
I can’t wait to come back. This house will look majestic in the sunlight. But will there even be a next time? Letting out a sigh, I tell myself I’ll think about this later. I have to think about this later.
The ride home is quick. It’s a scenic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway for most of the way, which is almost completely empty. The Advils are working their magic, and I feel 100 percent better, enjoying the cool ocean wind on my face. Lio grasps my hand while using his other to drive. Just holding his hand feels luxurious, and my hand tingles with delight.
As we drive into my neighborhood, I realize that my car is parked at work. Looks like I’ll be taking a long stroll to work tomorrow. Lio pulls up in front of my apartment, and the air in the car becomes instantly tense. It’s that time again. When all the particles in the air around us seem to be pushing us closer together. What is he going to do this time?
I dare a glance at the driver’s side and realize that Lio is staring at me intensely. His eyes are pensive, and he looks like he’s having a debate in his mind. My nerves get the best of me, and I look away. As much as I want to kiss him again, I can’t. I might climb onto the man in this car if he does.
Lio finally gets out of the car and is at my side to open the door before I know it. As he walks me to my apartment, the tension in the air only thickens. I feel like I’m sweating out of anticipation, my hands jittery in anticipation. Once we’re in front of my door, I feel courageous enough to face him again.
“Thank you for your help today at the shop. It would have taken me hours longer if you weren’t there. And the wine,” I say with a smile holding up the bottle. “And dinner, of course.”
“I’ll be seeing you again tomorrow, but don’t get too used to my help.” My mouth gapes open. “What? You think I’m letting you walk to work?”
“Lio, you already helped out today. I don’t want you to spend the day working during your vacation.”
“It’s not working. It’s fun. I get to spend the day with dogs, and watching you get wet,” he purrs. Holy shit. “What time should I come get you?” I’m grateful for his change of subject because I would have never recovered from that entendre.
“8:30?”
“Okay. I’ll be here by then.”
“And tomorrow, I’m buying dinner. No protests. No sneakiness. Or else I’m never seeing you again,” I say seriously, clutching the wine bottle as if it were a weapon.
“Whoa. Is it weird that I kind of like being threatened by you?” My eyes roll. I can’t take this anymore. Every nerve in my body wants to push up against Lio’s body. I feel uncontrollable, and it’s not even a full moon. This is not good.
“Okay, this means that we both need to get some rest,” I say in an attempt to get this gorgeous man away from my front door.
With those words, the tension in the air is suddenly back. Why are goodbyes so awkward? Lio is gazing at me intensely. He wants to kiss me. He’s going to kiss me. Yes! No! It feels like an hour goes by of the most intense staring contest I’ve ever been in. Suddenly, both to my surprise and relief, Lio pulls me into his arms for a bear hug, wrapping his long, muscular a
rms around me. I could feel how muscular every part of his body is as he’s pressed up against me, and my mind suddenly flashes back to his naked body that I saw this morning.
“You smell like the ocean breeze and jasmine blooming night sky,” he says in a deep, intimate voice after taking in a deep breath. I can’t even find my voice to reply. My entire body seems to fuse into his, every crevice aligning perfectly as if we were made to hold each other for infinity. I close my eyes and rest my head on his chest. It feels as if we are in the center of a black hole, like the entire world is closing in around us, binding us together. I simultaneously feel absolute bliss and absolute fear in Lio’s arms.
I pull away with the last vestige of my sanity and weakly smile at him. I need to get away from this man before I force myself onto him.
“Goodnight, Lio. See you tomorrow morning.”
“Goodnight, doll.” Lio then holds my right hand up to his warm, full lips and kisses my knuckles. He literally kissed my hand! I mean, who does that in the twenty-first century?
As I unlock my front door, I still feel Lio’s kiss lingering on my hand. Warmth spreads across my face as I fantasize about that kiss all over my body.
Before shutting the door between us, I give Lio one last smile, which he returns with a radiant smile of his own. My eyes want to stare at his sweet dimples for an eternity, but fortunately, my brain has enough decency to finish shutting my door.
Once I shut the door, I lean against it and slide slowly down to the floor until I’m sitting. Yep, I’m pretty sure he heard that. But I don’t care. What am I going to do?
20
Waxing Crescent
Despite my tired state, the night’s sleep is anything but restful. I wake up several times during the night, my body yearning for Lio. Like an addict looking forward to her next fix, I obsess all night about seeing him in the morning. I am seriously worried that I will pounce him when I see him this morning. Restraint, Lunis. Restraint!
The only thing that gets me out of bed is the beautiful day outside. The sun is shining, and the birds seem to be urging me out of my slumber. Oh, and Lio will be here in just an hour and a half.
After getting ready quickly, I focus on making breakfast to keep myself from the imminent implosion. Tuesday breakfast is eggs Benedict day with a homemade hollandaise sauce that is my mother’s recipe. I prepare two servings so that I can offer breakfast to Lio.
Ramon and his family cross my mind, and I decide to shoot him a text to check-in.
Me: Hi Ramon, how is Anabel doing? Will you be coming into the shop today? Please let me know so I can plan accordingly. Thanks.
As I’m adding egg yolks to the hollandaise sauce, a text message chirps on my phone. It must be Ramon. I grab my phone, and I momentarily freeze in my tracks. Oh shit.
323-555-6245: The most beautiful day for the most beautiful girl. Can’t stop thinking of you. – Vincent
Vincent Moreno? How the fuck did he get a hold of my phone number? I definitely did not give it to him on Saturday. If he has my phone number, how much more has he already dug up about me? Despite my irritation, I know that I have to play his game.
Me: Hello, handsome. I take it that you’re the type of man who gets what he wants? Can I at least ask who I need to punish for giving away my secrets?
323-555-6245: It does not matter. When will I see you again? Perhaps we can meet somewhere different this time? I’d love to take you to dinner.
Great, now my assignment is asking me out on a date. Despite my reluctance, I agree to it. I haven’t been spending the time I need to be focusing on this assignment. We decide to meet on Thursday at Wolfgang Puck’s steakhouse, Cut. At least he’ll be a much-needed distraction to take my mind off of Lio while he’s away in Greece. As I’m saving Vincent’s phone number in my phone, I receive another text. This one is probably Ramon.
Markus Sirelle: We need to meet up quickly. I need to give you an update about Vincent. Can I stop by later?
Ugh. I don’t have a choice but to agree here either.
Me: Meet at Urth Café at noon.
As soon as I hit send, my phone vibrates again. I’m on fire today!
Lio: You were in my dreams and all I can think about since the minute I woke up. The day pales in beauty when compared to you. I’m coming early. I’ll take every extra minute I can spend with you. I’m already on my way. Be there by eight.
Shit! It’s already 7:45 a.m.! I pop the English muffins in the toaster and run to the bathroom to finish the final touches of my makeup. Just as I’m coating the last stray eyelash with black mascara, I receive another text message.
Ramon: Anabel is feeling better today. Thank you Lunis. I’ll be there today. Sorry for late notice yesterday.
With both Lio and Ramon’s help, we’ll easily be able to finish the day in the early afternoon, which means more time hanging out with Lio. I can’t wait. Just one more day. I can afford to give myself one more day with this man before he leaves, right?
I don’t get to answer my own question because I’m interrupted by a knock on my front door. He’s here! I give myself one final glance over. Makeup? Check. Outfit? Black jeans, gray shirt, black boots. Check.
As I approach the door, there’s a hammering beat in my chest, and nervous knots churn in my stomach. By the time I swing open the entrance, a smile is plastered across my face. Lio is standing in front of my door, clad in a blue T-shirt with an olive-green military-style jacket. Blue jeans and black Converse adorn the bottom half of his body. With the sun shining spectacularly behind him, he looks out-of-this-world, and it’s breathtaking.
“Hi,” I whisper breathlessly.
“Hi,” he whispers back as he hands me a bouquet of Casa Blanca lilies. “Nearly as beautiful as you.” As much as I hate flowers and despite the cheesy line, I can’t help but swoon. I’m literally like putty in his hands.
“Breakfast? Tuesday is eggs Benedict day,” I say with a smile, knowing what he thinks about my routines.
“I love eggs Benedict.”
Watching Lio voraciously eat breakfast brings a new type of satisfaction that I’ve never known. I have to cook for him more often.
He scrapes the last bite of English muffin and Canadian bacon in a pool of egg yolk. “That was damn good.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
Lio starts to look around my place, and I realize that I didn’t even tidy up before he came. I glance around; it looks like there’s nothing embarrassing or suspicious lying around.
“As much as I want to show you around, we have to go,” I say as an excuse. “But you need to return when the sun’s down. You know, daytime really doesn’t do my place proper justice,” I say, sarcastically repeating his excuse.
Lio lets out an earnest laugh. “Touché. I take that as an invitation for next time then.”
The shop is already open by the time we arrive. As soon I get in, I make a beeline to find Ramon and ask Lio to wait in the front of the shop. I need to have a word with him privately. He’s in the washing station, prepping for the first appointment.
“Hey Ramon, did you give my phone number to any strangers recently?”
Ramon looks apologetic immediately. “Only once, miss. He said that he was your amigo, I thought it was that muy guapo man who visits with his dog.” My suspicions are confirmed.
“Next time, no matter who asks for it, please don’t give out my personal number before asking me first,” I say with a serious tone.
“Sorry, Lunis. I’ll be more careful next time. Mi familia also says thank you for the food and flowers. It made Anabel happy.”
“You’re very welcome. I am glad that she is feeling better today. Can you start with the Irish setter—name’s Dino—first? His owner asked that he be finished by noon.”
I find Lio in the front of the shop, and toss him a shirt and an apron. “You better wear your uniform next time you come to work,” I say in a serious tone, although I’m smiling. I can’t wait to see Lio take off h
is shirt again.
“Yes ma’am,” Lio says before making my wish come true. I have to blink because his abs are unreal. I’m still staring at him, probably with my jaw hanging open with drool dripping down my chin when Lio’s eyes meet mine. Shit. Caught with my hand in the cookie jar again. I am graceful enough to smile and look away, as I feel a blush creeping up my face.
“Today, you’re going to start with washing Marshall.” I quickly move onto serious matters.
When it is nearly noon, I tell Lio and Ramon that I have to run out and grab some more flea dip. I don’t even bother washing up in an effort to avoid suspicion and walk out of the shop covered in a fine layer of dog fur. After a brisk walk, I arrive at Urth Café, and Markus is seated in the back table with his Jack Russell Terrier.
“This better be good, Markus.” I don’t even bother taking a seat.
“What’s wrong with some afternoon coffee?” Markus’s eyebrows are scrunched together defensively.
“This isn’t how I do business. You tell me the info. You don’t interfere with my business. I get the job done. It’s really simple.”
“Well, what if things change?”
“If there is big news, you let me know. Otherwise, I can find out for myself. You need to trust me to do the job. The last thing I need is someone breathing down my neck.”
“You’re getting paid a lot to have no leash.” Markus throws me a challenging look and my jaws clenched in response.
“Look, Markus,” I bark as I feel my patience breaking, “you hired me. Whatever you heard about me, whatever Aleksei said about me, there’s clearly a reason why you didn’t hire some cheap hitman off the streets. You need something to get done, so you hired me. So, get to the point. What do you need to tell me?” Markus glares at me for a few seconds. His icy-gray eyes pierce me, but I don’t move or break his stare.
“Vincent knows we have a hit on him,” he finally says. “Someone on our side snitched. We’re still investigating who it is, but once we find out, that fucker is dead too.” I give him a tight nod to continue. “And this means that security will be extra tight. You’re going to have to be very careful. Vincent is an extremely intelligent man.”
