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CLAUDIA

Claudia and Dominic laughed in the office while the sun shone through the window. The day before had gotten personal, and they agreed to move forward. She was now driven to succeed. Though idealistic, Claudia wanted to be a business owner and not seduce her boss. When two souls like her and Dominic found happiness and love, she couldn't refuse.

While Dominic appeared distant throughout the day, Claudia did not pursue him with questions. He'd zone out in the middle of a conversation. Right now, as they were sitting at his desk and he had one hand hovering over the keyboard, he was not typing anything.

"I'm sorry," he said, inhaling a deep breath. "What were we talking about?"

"We reviewed the brick oven payments. Some restaurant owners have left your company since the pricing increased by ten dollars."

Dominic looked at his desk as if a thought had fallen there, and he was hunting for it. His eyes met hers, revealing his forgetfulness. "Oh, yes. We needed to cut costs to keep customers."

Claudia adjusted her legs and turned to him. "To be honest, it could be more than the new prices. I think customer service might be poor."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly as I said. This company's responses frustrate customers. They've written reviews about it online."

"Wow. I didn't realize the reviews were still coming through. There was a glitch on the website last time I checked."

She chuckled a little. "Maybe it got fixed. It's good that I pay attention to those things."

Dominic's lips curled into a faint smile. "Which makes you an extraordinary entrepreneur. You're smart, Dia."

She smiled shyly and then looked at his quivering leg. "Are you all right, Dom? You seem distracted today."

Clearing his throat and turning in his seat confirmed Claudia's concerns. She hadn't known him for long, but she noticed unusual behavior when she saw it. "I run this company and have a lot on my mind. My girlfriend is in my office, but nobody else's spouses are. There is a business situation that I must take care of."

Her next statement surprised her. Claudia wasn't typically the one to instigate these things, but he caught her interest. "You think of me as your girlfriend?"

"Oh, Dia. Excuse me. Yesterday, I was thinking about how much I admire you. We're still getting to know each other, so I shouldn't have addressed you like that."

"It's okay," she replied, approaching him. "Let's start with what's bothering you, then determine where we stand. Please share your thoughts."

Dominic gave her a measured look as if to suggest that if she presented him with candy in a wrapper, he would open it right away. Who was she to ask this man to expose himself? It was irrational. She had an excellent understanding of his position, despite her inexperience at this company. She could tell that whatever was going through his mind was driving him insane.

"Honestly, I don't want to talk about it. Not right now," he explained, looking her in the eyes. "But I have a proposal for you."

Claudia's thoughts, like his, undoubtedly went in a million directions. The only difference was that she was curious about his proposal. "Go ahead, tell me. I'd like to hear it."

He shocked her when he chuckled. By making him laugh, Claudia could do something amusing. Dominic was a tough person to get past walls with. "I want to take you on a date. A genuine date. Not just talking to you in my office."

Claudia blushed. Her face grew heated. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this way. She was most alive right now, hoping for a happy outcome. What was she expected to say in response? It had to be an easy yes, right? "I'd love to go out. It's kind of... romantic, Dom."

"Don't get too carried away now," he teased. And she could once again feel the blood in her cheeks.

"When were you thinking?"

"What about after we leave here tonight, Dia? Does that sound doable?"

Claudia nodded and gave him a warm smile. "Yeah. We could leave here and go from there."

"Awesome. Can't wait."

The rest of the day was calm. Almost too good to be true. Claudia finished all the work on his desk and put the papers where they belonged. She didn't feel fatigued after two days of freelancing, which surprised her. She just took cappuccino breaks and focused on the computer, wondering what would happen once he finished.

She questioned her ability to stay cool, even though she knew she should. She felt like they should both be happy. From her perspective, Dominic seemed happy to go out with her. And she may have been overthinking everything or felt the smirk on his face was because of her. 

Even though Dominic Beretta, the CEO of this company and a Mafia member, spoke to her professionally, Claudia fought to understand him. He sat with his collar up and his face trimmed, looking priceless to her. He was interesting, and his humor was entertaining. 

Dominic could direct her on the path of a decision that she was ready to take, and that feeling scared her.

She felt unprepared for dinner with him tonight. His stare told her he liked her in any outfit. Dominic explained about his last date and Yvette's attitude. That worked out well for them because Claudia now had the opportunity to date him. This date was different, and she anticipated solving the Dominic Puzzle. She liked him, despite his Mafia connections. She embraced him as he was.

Dominic welcomed her into his Lamborghini's passenger side when they left for their night out. He then took her to a fancy French restaurant, Marseille Café, causing her to smile. She believed it was because his last date was at an Italian restaurant and he didn't want to remember anything bad, which she could understand.

A pianist played classical music as they entered, creating a relaxing atmosphere. The personnel wore blazers, and the red walls glittered. At the table, no one could see their toes. No one was wearing short tops. No one was wearing a ball cap. It was fancy, and Claudia nearly felt out of place.

"Hello. Just you two?" asked a hostess wearing dark clothing and curly red hair.

"Yes," Dominic answered.

"Right this way," she said, leading them both to a table near a large aquarium.

Once there, Claudia's nerves shook as she glanced around the room, wishing she had brought a change of clothes.

"You look kind of uncomfortable," Dominic noted next to her as he pulled out her chair.

"Are you saying I need to change clothes?" she joked.

He appeared insulted by her reaction. Perhaps it flew past his head. "Not at all. I meant–"

"It was just a joke, Dom. I am never taken out to places like these, and it is amazing here. I don't know what to order."

"Oh, well, I can recommend something if you'd like." Dominic sat down in his chair and adjusted his tie.

"Yeah. I mean, why not?"

His charming grin returned. "Try the French peas and lemongrass soup. It's delicious."

"All right, great. Sounds simple."

Dominic chuckled and nodded to the server, who was taking their order with a small smile on her face. His gaze went to the end of his black tie a few minutes after the woman left as if he tried to formulate a plan about what to say, but Claudia spoke up instead. "Are you okay?"

He raised his head and met her gaze. "Yeah. I'm just waiting for our food to arrive. What about you?"

"I'm surprised that you're taking me on a date. Especially in this setting."

"Well, I hope you enjoy places like this more often. Honestly, I would have loved to bring you to the Italian restaurant I went to last Friday, but it just was not the right place."

Claudia's brow furrowed. "That's because it was the location where you and Yvette didn't connect?" she asked.

He nodded slightly. "It was an unpleasant experience that I should forget."

"Maybe we can make better memories together," Claudia considered, her heart beating. "Never mind. I'm being pretentious."

"No, Dia. That sounds fascinating."

"I just hope you don't make me pay for my meal like you did with the last girl. But if needed, I will. I have brought my debit card."

He chuckled. "You came prepared."

"Of course. It's best to prepare for anything."

Dominic's eyes narrowed as his face turned pale. "Dia, I'll never ask you to pay for your food when you eat with me. Yvette was one person, but you're unlike anybody else."

"As I've heard." Claudia saw that his body tightened when he sat up straight.

"I want to get to know you better," he said after gaining her attention. "Your application and paperwork showed you're from Guatemala. Have you always lived in New York, or have you only visited for school?"

Claudia breathed and grinned. "I grew up in the city. My parents entered the United States when I was six months old, and, as odd as it may sound, they didn't raise me in my Hispanic heritage."

He loosened his tie, frowning. "How come?"

"Have you seen me? My skin is as white as a cloud. I'm like my mother. She was White, while my father was South American."

"Your parents probably blended in easier. Mixed-race people I know say they've always struggled to fit in."

Claudia nodded. "Exactly. A family raised me after my parents died, and they didn't speak Spanish. I later became too focused on making other people happy. Too focused on being the woman others wanted me to be. I rarely discuss my background because people criticize me. It gets boring."

"That's kind of sad."

"I don't let it bother me anymore. You can't please everybody."

"True."

Claudia sighed when she saw him fidgeting. "Can I ask you something? Do you ever feel like you're juggling too much?"

"Are you referring to my part-time work? The one I lead when I'm not at the office?"

She thought about that for a moment. "I find it funny that you think that. Are you afraid that if we get close, I'll try to change you, Dom? Is this why you put up barriers? Because every woman wants to make guys different?"

He licked his lips as his eyes widened. "I don't like it when someone asks a question after mine without replying. There is a reason for me to be a little nervous tonight. I have a lot more on my mind, but I don't know how to present it to you."

Claudia's mind was going fast now. If it was moving a mile per minute before, it was now moving forty million miles per hour. What was the reason for this? Was he going to tell her? "Well, Dominic, you know I don't judge. I'm ready to listen."

Dominic circled the table, sat down next to her, and said, "You might hate me with this, Dia. But I want you to be my fiancée. A fake fiancée. Just someone I can show my father to avoid marrying someone else."

Her heart bounced heavily in her chest as she didn't speak. He must have picked up on it because he continued, "Of course, I can pay you, and you can set your price. Will $75,000 be enough? I'll pay more. It's up to you."

And in an instant, Claudia lost all her happiness. It was like someone had pulled a rug out from under her. She immediately felt embarrassed about going on a date with him. Because he was serious, she wanted to smash her filthy shoe into his face and force him to eat the dirt from it. She stared at him in the eyes, and there was nothing funny about the way he looked. Dominic gave her the most serious expression like he meant business.

Her eyes widened, and her lips pursed. She hoped he saw her anger. Suddenly, they weren't going out. He duped her into helping him. It was a ridiculous plan.

So Claudia got up from her seat and began to leave the restaurant.

Fuck this douche.

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Author's note: I know Dom is being a dickhead at his proposal, but he wants out of an arranged marriage. Dealing with people has always required him to give something in return, so perhaps he assumed Claudia would want money. Their relationship may be "moving too quickly," but they will get to know each other. To fully enjoy the thrill that lies ahead, one should jump right in. 'Barcello' is their ship name since their first names don't mesh well together. <3