Forbidden Desires

Chapter Twenty-Five: Awkward Dinners

I made my way downstairs scowling the whole way down. My frown deepened the closer I got to the living room and permanently stayed once I saw how comfortable Harry looked perched on our living room couch as if it were his own personal throne.

I couldn't see my mother but I heard her rummaging through the kitchen drawers looking for God knows what.

My footsteps alerted Harry to my arrival and his head swiveled in my direction almost immediately.

"Well if it isn't my lovely step daughter," His mouth broadened into a wide smile showing a full set of slightly deteriorated stained teeth.

I'll never understand how moms' standards fell so low. Harry was a serious downgrade from my late father. May he rest in peace.

I grimaced but didn't bother to correct him saving what little bit of energy I had left for a later argument.

At that moment the doorbell rang and I decided to ignore Harry's cheerful attitude. If I could only make it through this day, everything would be better.

Just breathe.

I made my way to the front door feeling butterflies storm my lower abdomen. I knew exactly who was on the other side of the wooden panel but my breath still caught in my throat when I revealed those obsidian orbs on the other side.

It had literally been a few minutes but already I could feel my skin heating from his gaze alone.

"Dante," I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that his presence would make this entire fiasco bearable.

"Solange," Dante leaned forward and pecked my cheek catching me off guard. I blushed as I felt my cheek tingling from where his lips touched my skin.

I was expecting a kiss on the lips, maybe a little tongue action, but his kisses made me swoon regardless of how innocent they were.

"Perfect gentleman," He whispered against the shell of my ear as he followed me into the house. I smirked as I looked at him over my shoulder, raising a single eyebrow.

I hardly doubted he'd be able to keep that promise for the remainder of the night. Not the Dante I knew.

Once we reached the living room I saw that my mother had joined Harry and they were having a private discussion.

For once they weren't going for each other's throats. I cleared my throat to grab my mother's attention and she looked up expectantly, that is until she caught sight of Dante.

Her face was shell shocked as she took in the man that filled up most of her small living room. As for Harry I was surprised that he showed no recollection of meeting Dante. I reached behind me to bring Dante forward so that he was standing beside me.

"Mom this is my friend-," Dante rudely cut me off as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to his side.

"Hello ma'am, I am her boyfriend Dante." My neck snapped in his direction, almost breaking in the process.

Did he just say boyfriend?

What the hell. I opened my mouth to object but Dante tightened his grip around my waist cutting off what little circulation I had left.

Now he's my boyfriend.

"A boy, who's a friend mom," I laughed awkwardly as I subtly wrapped my hand around his wrist and attempted to drag it down. His grip was like steel and didn't budge from it's grounded position around my waist.

"He'll be joining us for dinner." I stated the obvious as three sets of eyeballs turned in my direction. Mom got up and walked towards Dante extending her hand a pleasant smile gracing her features shocking the hell out of me.