***

 His hand never left her waist as they walked into one of California's best restaurant that evening. It only seemed to grow tighter as people turned to stare at them. He knew that the stare of people made her quite uncomfortable and so, he made her know that she was not alone.

"Let me take you to your table sir," A waitress told him. It was like they awaited his arrival and immediately he made himself known, they came to him.

"Sure," Daniel said and they both followed the waitress down the hall.

Daniel pulled out a chair for her to sit before coming to sit before her.

"Such a nice restaurant. How did you find this kind of place?" Clarissa found herself asking.

He smiled. "It didn't take much from me because I actually own this place Clarissa." When she didn't reply he found himself looking at her.

She scoffed. "Are you joking or what?"

"Why would you think that I was?" He asked.

"So you own this place?" She tried her best to keep her face neutral but that look of surprise didn't go unnoticed.

"Yes, this was the first business I had on my own, without anyone's help."

"Wow, you have nice taste. This place is beautiful." That only made his ego grow further. "What else do you even own?"

"Alot. More than you can imagine and more to keep you wondering." He winked at her.

"Can I place your order sir?"

"What do you care for?" Clarissa was driven out of her trance only to find the two of them staring at her.

"Huh?"

Daniel chuckled. "Just give me your finest Juliet," He found himself saying.

"Okay sir," The waitress said before leaving.

"You look lost, is something wrong?" He asked and she shook her head.

"I'm trying not to get overwhelmed. I mean have you seen this place, the style is so classic and the best I have ever seen." She noticed a corky smile start to appear on his lips and she rolled her eyes of how oblivious she had been to his ego.

"Nice of you to let me know, love. I knew you were going to like it." She smiled.

"Thank you."

"For what, the night hasn't even began yet and you're already thanking me. If you're going to thank me properly, you should do it with a blow job or something-"

"Jesus Christ help your soul, must you be this annoying!" She grimaced before catching him stifling his laughter.

"I don't like you so far away from me. Here, sit next to me." He pulled her closer until she was just besides him. She yelped and covered her mouth just as the sound came out hoping it would earn her some stares but people seemed to mind their own business currently.

"Do you have to be so annoying all the time?" She found herself saying and he just shrugged.

Their orders came in now and they began feasting. He got her to try almost everything he ate. He made the waiter pour their drinks for them and he took a sip almost immediately.

"Try this one, it nice." She opened her mouth to his fork and took in the meal making sure to savour the taste properly. She nodded in approval.

"How well do you like paris?" He asked out of the blue. She paused for a while before sticking a fork cut of barbecued chicken in her mouth. She mushed on it slowly contemplating on his words.

"I love Paris, why do you ask?" She replied and he shrugged.

"I love Paris too, I just wanted to hear your opinion on it. I mean it's a good thing you like it too right?"

"Right," She eyes him suspiciously.

He refused to meet her stare judging that she would see through his lie. He was maybe hoping for another trip with her but he wanted to wait a little. She had never been one to be outside Canada and he swore to take her place she never even thought of.

"Tell me about your grandmother,"

He replied, "She's dead."

"I know that, I need something better than that."

He paused. "She was a very nice woman Clarissa. If you had met her, you would have loved her."

"I guess so," Clarissa replied.

"I was pretty much pampered by her. When I was younger I used to run away from my mother and stay at her place instead."

"She was that scary?" Clarissa giggled.

"You wouldn't believe." He found himself saying.

"Yet I thought I was the only one scared of her," he chuckled. "When I met her the first time, she wasn't too happy at that time, she gave me the stink eye." They laughed at that.

"She wasn't that scary later. When I really understood that she wanted me to be better."

Clarissa doubted it. The first time she came in contact with his mom, she almost passed out from cold feet. Her glare was something else. She would never even support her own mom if she was that scary.

"I once thought of her like that but when I knew how much she cared about me, I saw a different person. If you're lucky, you get to see through her facade and you'll decide for yourself that she is a different person." He continued and she only hoped he was right.

__$

"You ready to leave?" She nodded and placed her hand on top his inviting ones before standing. He entwined their fingers together and sent her a smile that she mirrored.

"Thanks,"

"You're welcome."

She was suddenly nervous with the stare he was giving her and so she looked away. He knew the newly found effect he had on her and so, he tightened his grip on her a little more.

"Let me show you something before we leave?" He requested.

"Okay," He led her to another part of the restaurant where the sky was in view. She hadn't even realised that they had spent too much time with each other to notice that the sky would have been pitch black forgetting the luminosity of the city.

She sighed as fresh breeze came their way. "This is really a nice place Daniel, I wish we would come here often. You can even view the city from up here. It's so pretty." She told him smiling at nothing in particular as she looked at the city. Arms wrapped around her and she leaned into the touch of her husband with a smile.

"You want to come here often?" She nodded.

"Then we will come here often," He told her resting his chin on her head. Cool music played in the restaurant and they moved slowly to the song.

"You in my arms like this is perfect," She slightly turned to plant a kiss on his lips.

"And I like perfect." She replied before turning back to stare at the dotted sky.

"Up there," he motioned to the sky.

"Yes I see them, those are satellites." she told him.

"I thought you'd be the last to know," he said and she scoffed.

"As if you knew," she retorted.

"Of course I did, why else would I have brought you here?"

"I don't know, maybe so you can privately hold me." She teased.

"I can hold you anywhere and anytime remember that plus, I actually brought you here so we can stare at the sky together, a pleasant sight is it?" He chose this moment to turn her to him before saying. "It's beautiful just like you." She paused and so did he. She had no words to describe this moment for her. All she knew was that, butterflies erupted in her stomach as she replayed his words. She looked at him through her lashes slowly pulling her hands up to wrapped them around his neck.

Did he know, he had this kind of effect on her. Just his words could do things to her. He wouldn't let her leave without accepting the truth that, she was truly in love with him. He pulled his lips to hers in an endearing kiss. A kiss that said out many decisions.

"Let me take you home," he told her desire swirling between them. She nodded, accepting the proposal immediately. This time they didn't share a hand knowing the tension that was in between them now. She walked in front of him and he just watched her, trailing her footsteps.

'Oh my God, I forgot my purse,' a lady muttered. Daniel watched the scene unfold as the chestnut lady bumped into Clarissa photographs flying almost everywhere.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry." His wife had mentioned bending to help her pick it up but he didn't. He bored holes into the woman that dared brush shoulders with his wife...with hate, disgust and recognition.

Clarissa looked at the photo, staring at the guy that she literally broke with the news of her marriage. Why did this woman have a picture of Nicholas? She picked it up slowly, eyes never leaving the picture as she stared hard at it.

"Let's go," she heard Daniel tell her. It was then she came face to face with the Lady she had bumped into. Funny how fate works, it was the same cousin that had left Canada in a whole lot of turmoil before she ran off. It only means one thing as she held the photo of Nicholas.

Daniel didn't wait for her to reply as he pulled her out leaving the lady behind.

It was like things were beginning to get awry.