“I do,” I said, grinning down at her. “Come on.”
I didn’t take my arm from around her waist as I maneuvered us toward the SUV. Mateo stood at the open door, his eyes narrowed on something behind us. “He’s watching you,” he ground out.
Aida went to turn around, but I stopped her. “Don’t.” I snapped my attention down at her. “Ignore him.”
“But…” She bit down on her bottom lip.
“But what?” I tilted my head toward the SUV as she stayed silent. “Get in. I really do have something to show you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
I gritted my teeth at her move, still getting used to her defiance, but I couldn’t deny that I enjoyed it. I liked the fact that she wasn’t willing to take my shit, but it made me want to piss her off all the more.
I slid in beside her, turning back to face the pathway at the last second and lifting two fingers in a salute at the college asshole. He may have thought he knew who he was messing with, but he had no idea the lengths I would go to. And if I were honest, neither did I. This was all new territory for me with Aida, but I knew I would kill for her without blinking an eye.
Mateo pulled away from the college, revving the engine, a sure sign that he was pissed off too. But there was no need—I’d handle the situation if it got out of hand. Until then, I was going to forget all about him. He may have kissed her one time, but there wouldn’t be a second. I’d make sure of that.
“So, you have a secret signal, huh?” I raised a brow, meeting Mateo’s stare in the rearview mirror, then turned to face Aida.
She shrugged, placing her bag on the floor between her feet. “Mateo said we needed one just in case.” She raised her brows. “I never thought I’d actually have to use it.”
“Why did you need to use it?” What I really wanted to ask her was what the hell did he want.
Her lashes fluttered as she blinked at me. “He wanted to know when we were going on a second date.”
I nodded, already thinking about all the ways to let—
“What’s his name?”
“Brad.”
“Right.”
—I was thinking about all the ways I could let Brad know that Aida was mine.
“Why?” Aida asked, her eyes widening. “Lorenzo.” She pushed closer to me. “I can see your brain working overtime.” She placed her hand on my cheek, her fingertips pushing through the scruff covering my jaw. “You don’t need to worry about him.”
I wasn’t worried about him, not when it came to Aida. She was mine whether she liked it or not.
“Lorenzo.” She pulled my face closer to hers, making me look directly in her eyes. “I said I was giving this a chance, didn’t I?”
I covered her hand with mine and gripped it. “You did.”
“Exactly.” She smiled. “You have nothing to worry about. I promise.” It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her I wasn’t worried, but instead of saying that, I simply planted my lips against hers, needing to feel her against me.
We’d slept in the same bed together every night since Vida had stayed over, and although I didn’t want to push too quickly, my body begged to be as close to her as possible.
The SUV pulled to a stop, and we both moved with it, our lips separating at the impact. “Fuck.” I leaned my head back and growled in frustration at how hard my cock was. Never in my life had I gotten this hard just from a kiss.
“We’re here,” Mateo announced like a goddamn tour guide.
“Where is here?” Aida asked, and when I lifted my head, I saw her staring out of the window, her face practically smushed against the glass.
“Here is the surprise.” I pressed my hand against her back and leaned around her to open her door, then slid out behind her. She stared up at the front of the bar, but I’d already had the sign taken down. The new one wasn’t being put in for another week, but I couldn’t wait that long to show her. I needed her to see that I listened when she spoke but that I also heard what she did when she said nothing at all.
I grasped her hand and led her toward the bar, not saying a single word until we were inside. Construction was underway to refit it exactly how I wanted it, but there was something already finished, waiting for me to show her.
“What is this place?” she asked, her gaze roving around the space. On one side was a new bar top being put in, and in the middle, a new floor was being fitted, but just beyond that was the finished stage. A stage that held a grand piano.
“Holy fuck.”
I grinned at her cursing.
“Is that a…” She spun to face me, then turned back, not waiting for me to answer as she darted across the floor and up onto the stage. “It’s so beautiful,” she murmured, trailing her hand over the shiny black surface.
“It’s yours,” I told her, halting at the edge of the stage.
“It’s…what?” She frowned, causing two lines to etch into the skin between her eyes. “What do you mean it’s mine?”
I shrugged, trying to act like this was an everyday occurrence, but in reality, I was nervous that she wouldn’t like it. The guy who I’d bought the piano from said it was one of the best, but what if she didn’t like it? What if she hated it? “Ma said you’re doing music at college.” She stared at me, her mouth hanging open. “So, I called your dad and asked what kind of music.”
I stepped closer to the stage that came up to waist height. “I didn’t know you played piano.”
“You never asked,” she whispered.
“I know.” I nodded, taking a deep breath. There were a lot of things I never asked, but I’d make up for it, even if it took the rest of my life. “So, I thought I’d buy you one.”
“The piano is mine?” She blinked in confusion, her gaze veering from the piano to me.
“No.” I shook my head, hating how the hope in her eyes diminished at my one word. “It’s all yours.” I stepped back and raised my arms. “The entire bar is yours.”
She choked out a laugh. “What?” Her head snapped left and right. “What are you talking about.”
“I bought you a piano bar.” My words were low, my confidence waning. I’d never second-guessed myself, but I felt like I was constantly doing that with Aida.
“You bought me a piano bar?” I nodded, wincing as she stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “You’re insane.” She stepped forward, her stomach at the same level as my head with her standing on the stage. “You’re totally, completely insane.” Her hands gripped either side of my face. “But damn if I don’t like it.”
I grinned, my muscles finally relaxing now that I could see the smile on her face. “You like it, then?”
“Like it?” She sighed. “I love it.” Her stare met mine, her light-brown eyes capturing me and promising to never let me go. “I suppose I should play you a song now, huh?”
“I wouldn’t say no to that.” She bent at the waist, placed a barely there kiss on my head, and spun around. I couldn’t look away from her as she stroked the piano and pressed a couple of the keys, but it was when she started playing a haunting tune, getting lost in each of the notes, that I realized how much music meant to her. She was in a world of her own—just her and the music—and I knew then that I would do anything to protect her, even if it was from me.