Miles Away (Carrion #1)(69)
“I sure hope so,” Miles said as he regarded Letty’s appearance in the mirror.
“I’m going to change, then I’m going to take you out.”
Letty nodded as she gave herself one last glance in the mirror. Finally, she let out a breath and turned to finish getting ready with a satisfied smile.
Juan’s head fell limply to the side as his eyes rolled open slightly. Everything was blurry. His stomach wrenched with pain and his skull felt like it was fractured. He could sense that he was riding in a vehicle, and he still couldn’t move his limbs. Rolling his head down, Juan realized that it wasn’t from paralysis. Juan couldn’t move his limbs because of the rope that bound his wrists and ankles. G sat quietly beside him, tied tightly around the waist to his grandfather’s arm.
“Hey, look who’s decided to join us!” a man in the passenger seat of the car yelled out.
The voice was so familiar to Juan. But before he could make the connection, his eyes rolled in the back of his head and everything went black once more.
“How many?” the hostess at the Valentino asked Miles as he approached with Letty to the service desk.
“Two, please,” Miles replied in a cool voice as he looked at Letty and gave her a wink.
“Right this way, sir,” the hostess said, leading the way through the dimly lit restaurant. Miles was dressed in black from head to toe, with a handsome collared shirt, black slacks, a pair of nice patent leather shoes and, to add just a splash of color, a simple charcoal grey tie. His hair was combed back and still appeared to be wet from his shower. Letty couldn’t take her eyes off of him. She had cleaned up well herself. Her elegant black dress fit her like a glove. She pulled a few strands of her brown hair back with a hairpin and let the rest fall in graceful waves down her back and over her shoulder. Miles’s mother’s pendant made the perfect accessory to her ensemble.
Sections of the dining room were lit up with different color lights. Some sections had couches gathered together in intimate groupings while other areas had tables that were blocked off from public view. The restaurant was a favorite for celebrities and high-profile figures due to the privacy many of the dining nooks provided.
“Something more private, perhaps?” the hostess asked.
Miles snickered. “That would be ideal, thank you.”
Letty pushed her tongue in her cheek as she tried to stifle a laugh. It didn’t work. Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment, almost matching the hue of her lipstick. The hostess led the way through a long hallway, Letty’s heels clicking softly behind her.
“Here we are,” the hostess said as she led Miles and Letty to a private nook. Sitting down on the purple plush couch, Miles and Letty scooched together as the hostess left them with a pair of menus.
“This is pretty flashy,” Letty said as she lifted her eyebrows.
Miles laughed. “This weekend is special.”
Letty winked. “I’ve never been one to need all this razzle dazzle. It’s the simple things.”
“You deserve a little razzle dazzle, Letty. But you’re right, it is about the little things. I plan to give you all those little things.”
“Oh, yeah?” Letty said as she curled a finger under Miles’s chin.
“Yeah,” Miles replied in a self-assured voice. “But first, we eat.”
The gentle sway of the music and the dim ambience lighting set the perfect mood as Letty and Miles enjoyed the intimate setting. Tea lights flickered on the table and the center piece of fragrant Tiger lilies reminded Miles of Letty’s perfume. The smooth and sensual tones of Louis Armstrong’s trumpet cried out from the speakers as Ella Fitzgerald began to sing “Dream A Little Dream Of Me.” Miles hooked his arm gently around Letty, pulling her closer with a subtle nudge of his hand. As Letty enjoyed the song, the atmosphere and most certainly the company that Miles provided, Letty rested her head onto Miles’s shoulder, letting the whiskers of his beard tickle her cheek.
A waiter swooped by with a drink menu and Miles promptly ordered a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. The waiter quickly took down their orders—lobster tail and roasted vegetables for Letty, and filet mignon with a baked potato for Miles. As the waiter disappeared again, Letty rested her chin against Miles’s sturdy shoulder once more. Reaching for his hand, Letty rested her much smaller hand on top, but Miles quickly stole it away and kissed her palm. Miles appeared to have something on his mind. Thoughts were stirring and as he looked down at Letty, she saw the storm in his eyes.
“What?” Letty asked, her face falling from a smile.
Miles smiled just slightly. Reluctantly, he spoke. Whispering into Letty’s ear so no one else could hear him, Miles asked, “Do you remember the cabin we went to after our junior prom?”
Letty thought for a moment as her eyes lit up.
“Oh, yeah… wasn’t that your grandfather’s place? Up past Scranton, right? In Pennsylvania?”
“Yeah… Only, it was my mother’s place. That’s where she lived during the summer months after she divorced my father, right after Landon was born. We would go up there every summer.”
“That place was great. Tucked away. No one to bother us,” Letty said happily, still unsure of where Miles was going with this conversation. “Why do you ask?” Letty persisted.