I shrugged and grabbed my purse. “I’m going either way. If you want to come, that’s fine, but I don’t want to be a burden. Go work if you have to.”
Dante just smiled and opened my hotel door for me.
I followed him, and he walked me through the hotel. I pointed out the bird sanctuary where I’d seen peacocks on my first day and also told him that there were all sorts of lizards running around. “It’s such a beautiful hotel.”
“It is. Probably one that should have better security for the first few floors, though.”
I rolled my eyes. “My room wasn’t that bad.”
Before he could argue, I pointed out a swan on the water and murmured an ‘aw’ when another swan came to nestle into the other bird’s neck.
“They’re monogamous for life,” Dante told me.
“I wonder if those two are.”
“Probably.” He shrugged and kept walking like he knew the way to the restaurant.
“Have you stayed here before?”
“Once or twice,” he admitted, and I sighed. No wonder he had breakfast connections.
I didn’t pester him about not disclosing that information. He’d been all around the world, so I couldn’t expect him to share everything. Plus, the weather was a balmy eighty degrees and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. My day at the beach would be perfect.
“I might try snorkeling today,” I said. “It could be one of the things I love enough to pray to.”
He squinted. “So praying is just being grateful for new hobbies?”
“Sure.” We got to the restaurant that overlooked part of the beach and the pools that sparkled in the sunlight and were seated immediately. “I figure my mom already raised me with church every Sunday, and I don’t know. I don’t have things I know I like to do other than read and study.”
“Youlikestudying?” He lifted a dark brow.
“Well, I like doing well in school and in my career. I like learning new things.”
He chuckled. “What’s your work schedule going to be? I can teach you a hobby or two that doesn’t involve studying.”
The waiter came by to take our order, then I rambled off my weekly schedule. “I work twelve hour shifts three days a week because the ER has long hours. I leave a bit early to catch Ubers, though.”
“I can get you a driver.”
“The government will do that?” I asked, not understanding that type of perk. Then I shook my head. It was confidential and he wasn’t going to tell me more. “It’s fine. The hospital reimburses because I was supposed to have a place closer to them, but it filled up.”
He nodded, but it was like he wasn’t listening. “A driver would be best.”
“Dante—”
“Lilah, we follow my rules for protecting you and your bucket list gets done, okay?”
Our bickering was cut off by our food arriving and me trying aquesito. It was a fluffy pastry wrapped around cheese, and I almost fell on the table in delight as I savored it. “Okay, I should have tried these way sooner.”
Dante sipped his water and winked at me. “I think we might have found your favorite food here.”
I smirked, and the butterflies that had long been dormant with other men fluttered to life. Avoiding his charm was near impossible when my heart knew him so well and my body longed for him. So I embraced the good meal with good company and relaxed. When I finished, I grabbed my sunglasses out of my beach bag, along with my Kindle.
He asked, “What are you reading?”
“Would you believe me if I said a self-help book?” It was a lie. My kindle was filled with hot men on covers and spice so hot that I was sure my face was on fire.
“Lamb, when you blush like that, it’s motivation for me to steal the thing from you to read myself. Self-help doesn’t do that to you.”