Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 877 : Night on the town

*Leo*

A far cry from the gloomy, rainy skies of the day, Portland at night sparkled like a sea of twinkling stars across an endless universe. The clear sky above felt more like an emptiness of blue, the pollution of the city’s lights making it too bright to see the stars above.

But it didn’t matter.

The city was like a starry sky all on its own. It felt so small and so vast at the same time. I admired the life and magic it cast as I leaned my arms against the balcony railing.

The highest point in the city, the luxury penthouse apartment never fails to dazzle me every time I’m here, even though the chill from the rain during the day casts a coldness that bites to the bone.

It felt like I could see everything from here—miles of tiny dots and lights stretching deep into the dips and valleys and all the way to the mountains in the distance.

It’s a beautiful scene, a romantic one and it’s just the perfect visage to show to the woman I love.

“Leo?” her soft voice called out behind me, and I knew she was there, her heels clicking on the floor as she approached and her soft arms wrapped around my torso from behind, her scent brushing across my nose.

I breathed in deeply, sighing as I felt my body relaxing into her embrace, and I don’t know when it first started. When she first became my safe place, where I could be Leo and nothing else. I was thankful to every god that existed for bringing her to me.

For letting me love her.

“You finally ready?” I tease her gently, turning around to face her, still leaning back on the balcony railing as she steps back, coming into my vision.

She’s gorgeous, more beautiful than anything else in this world and I’m stunned to see how the dress I picked out looks on her. A sleek black dress that hugged her curves, diagonally crossed straps made of diamonds below her bust and a long slit going up her right thigh.

Gorgeous and revealing but still modest enough to keep her dignity, her hair was down, long in loose waves, and a smokey makeup that highlighted her beautiful eyes, she was simply too perfect to even look at.

I offered my hand and she gave me a bright smile, slipping it into mine as I gently pulled her up until my lips met her soft skin. “You look stunning, Bianca,” I told her honestly, trying to convey how beautiful she was to me with my eyes.

Though she would look beautiful in a trash bag, I was still happy to give her the best so she felt as beautiful as she was. Sometimes, it felt like she didn’t even know and as her boyfriend, it was my job to show her.

Her smile lit up like the lights across the cityscape, putting even the stars to shame with how bright she was. “You’re going to spoil me if you keep buying me stuff like this.”

“Who says that’s not my intention?” I shot a grin at her as we walked through the silent penthouse, leaving our luggage as we stepped into the private elevator. As the doors closed, Bianca gave me a softer, more tender look.

“You know I don’t need all these fancy dresses and restaurants. I’m more than happy with just you, Leo. I don’t need or want your money.”

“I know,” I told her, smiling as I hooked her arm around mine, “But you deserve it anyway. If I thought you’d want it, I’d let you have your pick of the world and give the rest as a gift with a diamond bow on top. Luckily, my beautiful girlfriend is too kind-hearted for that.”

“Kind-hearted?” She scoffed, “More like I have a brain. What am I going to do with the world? That’s too much responsibility for me.”

I laughed as the doors dinged, opening up to the lobby. I escorted Bianca proudly through the luxurious complex to the car I had waiting outside for us. I intended to drink tonight so it was better to have someone else drive, even if it didn’t make me feel the most comfortable.

My future self would be thanking me for my foresight soon enough though.

The drive to our destination wasn’t long but enough that Bianca got bored pretty quickly so she started a guessing game over where we were going, which got pretty outrageous pretty fast because Bianca had never been to Portland and thus did not know much about anything that was here.

Her suggestions started innocently with “the ocean” or “botanical garden” and by the time we rolled up to our destination, she was suggesting wild things like “the aurora borealis” and “Mall of America.”

“Again, neither of those things are in this state,” I chuckled as the car finally settled into parked.

Bianca just pursed her lips, a light blush on her cheeks, “It’s not my fault your country is so unbelievably large. I never learned all of your forty states and what they have for entertainment.”

“Fifty states,” I laughed, enjoying this much more than I should, especially as her eyes went wide and she mouthed the word fifty in utter shock.

As we got out, Bianca’s eyes finally landed on where I’d brought her. A mansion with a red roof and gray exterior, neatly cut lawn, and fresh garden out front, it was the idyllic center between ancient and luxury.

A man in a simple black uniform met us outside with a polite smile. He bowed as we approached.

“Hello to the Pittock Mansion, sir, Ma’am. I am Brian and I will be in charge of your care this evening while you visit our manor. We hope you enjoy your stay,” There’s a gleam in his eyes that screams that he knew I was wealthy and he was eagerly awaiting the chance to drag out more money from my hands.

I didn’t mind though, keeping an eye on him in the corner of my eye as he directed us inside. I didn’t have to worry about other customers tonight cause I rented the whole place out, which I’m not gonna lie was a pretty penny.

But worth it, I thought with a smile as I saw Bianca at my side gasping in delight at the decorations. The manor was an old one, a legendary destination for Portland and their pride and joy.

Brian did a fantastic job as he explained the history of the mansion turned museum-and why it had shaped Portland into the City of Roses it was. The guided tour ended by taking us to the dining room with a two-person table set up just for us.

It had taken a lot of strings to get this to happen but as long as Bianca kept smiling, I would spend any amount of money.

The five-course meal cooked by the private chef was only the finest that American cuisine could offer, especially in a town known for its refined cooking. We started with bruschetta and Focaccia with some wine and cocktails and an appetizer plate to share. Twists from classic.

American foods like deviled eggs and baked oysters to more unique dishes like bacon-wrapped figs.

After we had a fresh truffle salad with balsamic dressing which I could tell Bianca adored by the way she savored each and every bite. The main course was seared salmon, freshly caught with all the flavor of the sea, something that was one of my personal favorites.

As the courses kept coming, a palate cleanser between each one, Bianca and I did something we didn’t have much time to do before.

We talked. Just talked.

She told me what it was like living in Italy, how she’d lived in a large family who didn’t always have money, she told me stories of her parents and cousins, especially her favorite cousin, Mia. It was interesting and fun to see a new side to Bianca, one that only her family got to see.

I told her as much as I could about my own life, leaving out the darker parts. I talked about my family, about Elio, and how much his support had meant over the years when I was lost and alone in the world.

We talked until both of our voices were hoarse and my favorite dessert came out - a simple ice cream sundae with all the fixings. Something that Bianca seemed to take particular delight in.

“Is it really that hard to believe? Can’t a man just like some ice cream?” I asked playfully disgruntled after all her teasing. I scooped up a bite of the delicious goodness, purposefully showing her how much I enjoyed the bite.

“I don’t know, it’s just not what I would expect,” Bianca laughed, “It’s cute, you know? Makes you seem less intimidating, I think. I like it.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been intimidating with you,” I frowned though I certainly understood why she would be. I could come on strong, and thinking back on my actions, I had been rather blatant with my affections.

“Not intentionally,” Bianca reassured me, grabbing my hand gently, “You’ve been wonderful, really. Kind and considerate and so charming.”

“Then let me prove just how charming I can be,” I flirted blatantly, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively as I took another bite without taking away eye contact. Unfortunately, I also missed shoving the spoon into my mouth and hit my nose instead, smearing the ice cream all over my face.

“Real smooth. So charming I’m about to swoon,” Bianca laughed, and I pouted, trying to wipe off the ice cream. “Here, let me.”

She rose from her seat, rounding the table with the napkin in her hand and she boldly slipped onto my lap, not even a twitch as she gently wiped my face with the napkin, our faces so close we were just an inch from our lips touching.

I held as still as I could, even as it felt like torture not to be able to touch her and she knew, that coy vixen with a smirk on her face.

“There you are,” She whispered so softly, her breath caressing my cheeks as she gently leaned forward and I couldn’t help myself, leaning into her as well, my eyes closing on instinct. But instead of a kiss on the lips, I felt a soft pair of lips land on my nose.

I opened my eyes in confusion and Bianca pulled back with a shit-eating grin all proud of herself.

“You’ve done it now,” I narrowed my eyes at her, my patience snapping. She squealed as I lifted her into my arms, carrying her bridal style out of the manor and out to the car. I could barely keep my hands off of her and the driver gave us privacy in the backseat luckily.

As soon as we arrived at the penthouse, we’re too lost in our world to care how others saw us and I carried her into the elevator, finally putting her feet on the ground at her insistence and as soon as the doors closed, I pinned her against the wall, her lips taken in mine and she groans in my ear.

And I know in this moment, when she’s moaning against the wall, inside of my embrace and I’m wanting her so badly, I know that I’m fucked.

Because all I can think of is those damning three words over and over. But as much as I wanted to tell her, I didn’t.

Instead, I get lost in the passion, biting my tongue to keep them from slipping out. I’m not ready yet. She’s not ready yet. But I know now that I love her.

For now, That’s enough.