I watched Dakota’s eyes widen and heard him loudly swallow, his gulp audible in the tense silence. He totally bought it—and I couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore.
“I’m kidding!”
“Holy shit.” Dakota’s hand flew to his chest as if he were trying to calm his racing heart. “You can’t dothat to me, Ottavia! I can’t tell when you’re acting.”
“Sorry! I couldn’t help it,” I said between bursts of laughter.
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.” He tutted, pretending to be annoyed. “YouknowI’m gonna get you back, right?”
“Oh yeah?” I asked, practically daring him.
“Oh, yeah,” he answered emphatically, which felt like a promise.
“Well, I can’t wait,” I said, eager to see what Dakota had in store for me.
12
Matchmaking Magic
Ottavia
As we neared the city and the familiar sight of the Grand Royale came into view, a pang of disappointment ran through me. Our drive had ended in the blink of an eye. The laughter and connection we’d shared during the drive felt too precious to let go of so soon. But as Dakota pulled off the road and brought the car to a stop outside the hotel entrance, it seemed like our time together was coming to an end.
Didour time together have to end, though? The night was still young … but I truly didn’t know how Dakota felt about me.
“Welp,” he said, turning to look at me. “Here we are.”
He left the engine running, the gentle rumble of the Porsche underscoring the tension between us. I looked at him, searching his eyes for any sign of reluctance. Did he feel the same warmth, the same magnetic pull towards me, that I felt for him? Or had this been just another ride for him?
“Here we are,” I agreed. “Thank for you, um, the strangest date I’ve ever been on in my life.”
He chuckled, a gentle sound that filled the car with warmth. “Yeah, this entire day was, uh, something else.”
“Shame it has to end, no?” I felt so exposed, so vulnerable, my heart jumped in my throat.
Dakota glanced at me, his expression conflicted.
“I … don’t want it to,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. “But Ottavia, even if your dad’snotin the mafia …? He still runs my life.”
My heart sank, but I understood. The concept certainly wasn’t anything new to me.
“I’ll be honest,” Dakota began, his voice tinged with longing and frustration. “For the last ten or so minutes, I was getting myself all psyched, thinking what I should do or say during this very moment.” His eyes jumped to mine. “Because I really wanted to give you a goodnight kiss.”
“Oh?” The honesty of his admission made me giggle. I’d had no idea! He was so cute and confident to even mention it. “Really?”
“Yeah, really,” he said.
There’s still time!I thought, biting my lip.Just do it!
“But … uh … I can’t.” Dakota cast his gaze away from me. He gestured up ahead. At the front of a line of parked cars, Florin stood posted outside his black car, occasionally stealing glances in our direction. “That’s your boy, isn’t it? Fluoride?”
I laughed. “It’s Florin, not Fluoride.”
“What’s his deal? Is he a spy?”
“He’s not a spy! He’s my driver.”
“Seems awfully protective. Are you sure he’s not spying on you?”
