The Things I Used To Love About You

6

Tomasso's POV

It had been two hours. Two hours of watching Aida hard at work as she cleaned, restocked and did everything you needed to do before closing all alone. When I had offered to help, she simply told me no and that if I touched anything I would be putting her job at risk and after seeing how adamant she was about it when I insisted, I let it go.

I now sat perched in a corner of the back room waiting for her to finish. Everyone had left and we were the only ones remaining in the building.

"Why are you still here Tomasso?" she sighed in irritation as she came to stand in front of me, wiping away a sweaty brow. Her curls stuck to her sweaty skin and despite how dishevelled she looked I couldn't help the dirty thoughts that swarmed my mind whenever I looked at her.

"I said I would take you home, and I like it better when you call me Masso." I retorted as I swung my keys around my fingers absent mindedly.

"I told you I can make my own way home and if you get caught back here, I will lose my job."

"You won't." I smiled revelling in her irritation. I liked when she was annoyed with me a part of it turned me on.

"I'm done let's go."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

I shivered as we exited the building into the cold London night. I didn't miss the way Aida pulled her jacket around her tighter and I had to resist the urge to wrap my arm around her to keep her warm, but I knew better than that.

Most bars and restaurants in places like Mayfair had a strict no fraternisation rule with clients and the worst thing that could happen now was for her to be photographed with my arms around her labelled by the press as my next fuck. She didn't deserve that. Damn. I'd never though that way about a girl. About the consequences.

I was now overly aware of how inconvenient the ten-minute walk to the car park was.

"I think it's dangerous how they make you close the place at midnight and leave all that work for just you to do. What if someone breaks in to steal something, some of the paintings in there are worth hundreds of thousands and you're the only one all alone in there?" I couldn't help but voice the thought that had been bugging me.

"C'est la vie. Maybe I'll get a good compensation payout." She shrugged. I let out a wry laugh in response.

"And if they hurt or kill you?"

"Then the government can pay for my funeral." She smiled to herself clearly amused by my despair.

I grumbled my hands twitching to pull her close. My mind rejoiced when the car park came into view. We walked in a comfortable silence as I observed and admired her side profile. I would guess she was around 5"7 considering how small she was next to me, and I stood at 6'4. Her curly hair was slicked back into a bun, and I couldn't help but wonder how those curls would look loose as she bounced on my...no I wouldn't think about that now. I needed to be a gentleman. She didn't seem like an easy girl to woo.

I revelled in the slight warmth that enveloped us as we entered the car park as its walls blocked the wind. I used the sheltered opportunity to grab her hand as I steered her towards my car noting how she tried to pull her hand from mine before settling down and easing into my touch. My other hand fished in my pocket for my car keys as I subtly adjusted myself due to the fire that ignited in me when we touched. I wonder if she felt it too.

I pressed the button admiring the way the lights of my Porsche Taycan turbo lit up. My baby. I glanced back hoping to catch Aida's reaction. She didn't seem as excited as me. I rounded to her side opening her door revelling in the smile she gave me. She didn't smile much but when she did it was beautiful.

After settling her in and telling her to input her address into the GPS. I rounded the car climbing in loving the way my car roared to life. Although I quickly realised, she didn't share the same sentiment as her hand discreetly reached to hold the handle.

I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from me as her head snapped towards me annoyance evident in her face as I exited the car park.

"don't worry I won't drive to fast. I'm carrying precious cargo today." I winked as my hand wandered across the centre consol and splayed out on her thigh as I gave it a light squeeze, noticing how she shuddered beneath my touch.

She offered me a quiet thank you before turning and glancing out of the window as we drove through London. My hand still resting gently on her thigh