5. Lunch

"Since I practically just destroyed what I'm guessing was your lunch, let me get you something in return." He offers as he stepped out of the room.

"N_No No No sir, it was all my fault, you don't have to do anything in return sir, you even got dirtied because of me."

"Rather than being dirtied, my dear little Maltese, I want to believe I got coated in sweetness instead." He didn't say nothing at all, and yet she was blushing again.

'she's so easy to tease' he says in his head.

"A_All the same sir, I still disrespected you, so you shouldn't be trying to make amends for anything."

"You really are one mouthy little Maltese."

"No sir, my name is Erina... Not Maltese." He'd been saying it since, and she felt like she needed to correct him.

"Erina, nice name for a little Maltese like you... Your curly white bangs make you look like a little Maltese." He explains as he saw the confused look on her face, but confusion had quickly changed to shock as she wondered if the boss just called her a pet.

" Are we going to stand here all afternoon, or are you going to come with me? "

" I can't sir, my lunch break is already..." She suddenly broke off as she remembered she was probably jobless now, after her little show in the lobby, she was definitely jobless now.

"Little Maltese, when someone offers something, just say thank you." He says, and points at the elevator.

She had nothing to lose or gain anymore... She could as well have her stomach filled by this man who was willing to fill her.

After all, it's free food... Nothing is better than free food.

Swallowing down her own saliva, she stepped into the elevator thinking... 'He's a rather fine gentleman than I expected.'

Gary and the other staff just bow as he stepped into the elevator after her... "Poor girl." the manager says. "Already losing her Job in less than a month of being hired... At least she gets to eat a decent meal." The woman says.

But Gary just sighs... "I'm worried about something else." He mutters in a voice that only he could hear. He knew better than anyone of his boss's flirtatious lifestyle.

And he'd seen that look on his face, the look he had whenever he found a fresh fish, he saw the twinkle that didn't reach his eyes, he could tell that his boss had found his next plaything. "Poor girl... She looks too innocent for him."

"The sandwich shop isn't far from here, we can walk the distance." The lady explains as Reuel opens the door to his car for her.

"You are one naive little Maltese... Anything worth doing at all, is worth doing well. If I say I'll buy you lunch, I'll do it right. Now get in."

Was it right to get into the car of a stranger?? He was practically a stranger, so...

He could almost read her mind, so he says "I'm not trying to kidnap you or do any obscene thing to you, so get in." Her face flushed, embarrassed that he guessed what she was thinking.

With no other reason to resist, she slips into the car, and he drives off.

"Huh!," she gasped as she walked into the five-star Grandeur restaurant... She didn't need anyone to tell her, because the banner was boldly hung up at the entrance of the place... *FIVE-STAR GRANDEUR*

*The Grandeur Star is a categorization given to a restaurant. The stars ranges from one to six. It is a symbol of both excellence and exceptional customer service. All in all, it's a reward given to only the best of the bests. And the perfection of the restaurant is assessed both on culinary perfection and customers satisfaction.*

But for Erina, even if there was no banner outside the restaurant, the place was an enormous grandeur, and it would only be crazy if they didn't have five stars. "is this a restaurant or an ancient cathedral?" She whispered to herself, but he heard her and laughed inside him.

"Sir, we are just getting lunch right?" She had to ask. She felt like this place should be used for more than eating, maybe a wedding hall for a prince, anything fancy, but not just to eat.

"We are." He simply replies to her curiosity.

Walking beside him like a lost puppy, she felt so out of place. With her work gown, and her curious mind, she felt really, really out of place.

"This way sir." The restaurant's manager had seen his car pull into the building and quickly ran down just so he could personally usher him. He didn't need a reservation, he was the most regular of all regulars, so even if there was no sit left, they'd create one specially for him.

"It's always a pleasure to see you, sir, your presence has a way of brightening up this dull place."

'wha__ you don't need anymore Illumination for this kind of place' The man has a mouth of sugar, Erina thought.

"Erina..." He offered, as he pulled the seat out for her... And Lords! did she love the way her name rolled off his tongue like butter in a hot pan... Smooth. She couldn't remember anyone ever calling her name so sensually before. It sounded so... Right.

She takes a seat, with a little thank you bow.

"So sir, just like the last time with the other lady..." the man broke off, as Reuel's deadly glare cut the words right out of his tongue, it was almost like his look was actually suffocating the man, as the poor man could not breathe properly with those choking eyes on him.

"I'll call for you when I decide on something." He simply dismisses the man. Looking at how she was busy studying the corners of the place with her eyes, 'she didn't hear that... Good'

"So Maltese, what would you like to get..." He calls her attention, and she wanted to tell him to stop calling her Maltese. 'I have a name... Use it.' But on the other hand, something inside her liked him calling her that... It was embarrassing, but she liked it.

She picks up the menu and... *Ack!!!* Her mouth dropped wide open as her eyes fell on what seemed to be the lunch menu, 'how the hell is one meal worth a month's rent, even bus fare included?' She'd choke if she ever ate something this expensive.

'I better just have a smoothie.' She says in her head, smiling sheepishly at him as she puts down the food menu and picks up the drink menu.

"Okay, here we go..." she hums, as she opens the menu, and... "WHAT??!!" She yelled, completely oblivious of where she sat... "This is pure rip-off!!!" She yelled again, and only until she looked up at him, and saw the dumb expression on his face, and then she looked around her and saw everyone staring at her, she finally becomes conscious of where she was, her eyes dilated, as both her palms flew over her mouth in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry to embarrass you, sir... Again." She says in a muffled breath, instantly burying her head on the table in shame. 'Damn I'm stupid.'

But rather than being embarrassed or ashamed... He was rather amused and amazed at the woman he was with.

*Hahaha haha* He burst out laughing, even though he actually didn't know what was funny, but this soon-to-be plaything of his was a bundle of comics.

"You're as crazy as you are stunning." He laughs, and for the first time in a long time, deep down, he actually meant the comment. She was a really crazy beautiful thing.

"I'm really sorry sir." She turned scarlet with embarrassment.

"Reuel..." He says.

"Sir?"

"The name's Reuel. So call me Reuel." He smoothly says, and there was nothing big about what he said, he just said his name, and yet her insides tickled, and her face flushed a bright shade of camellia pink.

"I can't possibly do that. It's..."

"It's what I want you to do." He interrupts her. "And since the menu here seems to leave you... flustered, I'll just pick out our lunch." He states, and instantaneously turns to the menu.

"Any allergies?" he asks without taking his eyes off the menu.

"N_No" She stutters. 'how can a person be so fine, and chic, and gentlemanly all at once?'

"Very well then..." He signals the waiter. "We'll have the Marinated chopped chicken breast over lence, tomato & onions all smothered with gyro sauce wrapped in pita. Served with rice and some hummus at the side."

"Yes sir."

"And for drinks... just get us a bottle of your finest blueberry wine." He orders, and she couldn't help but blush and wonder how lunch suddenly seemed like a romantic date.

'Oh gods of the universe, stop me from falling for another fine face.' she begged, she still remembered the last fine face she had dated. He had the face of an angel, and yet his heart was darker than the devil's lair.

It still hurt her to think about her ex, it's just been two weeks since she broke up with the guy.

Just two weeks, and yet here she was drooling over another much more sophisticated man.

But maybe she was just trying to justify her own growing fascination for the man, but she could swear that he felt different.

He was nothing like her ex. While her ex had the face of an innocent harmless puppy, but the heart of a cunning fox, she felt like this man, even with his devilish aura, she felt he had a pure heart... But then again, maybe it was just her mind trying to justify her attraction to the man.

But that aside... 'This place is a huge rip-off. What kind of idiot would pay that price for a freaking smoothie?' The question to that answer sat all around her. There were a couple of idiots paying ridiculously high prices for cheap things. At least that's how she sees them, and this man in front of her was clearly one of them.

'I mean I could get a thousand smoothies with that price.'

"So tell me, Maltese, apart from working at the mall, what do you do?"

"A_Are you really going to keep calling me M_maltese?" She flushed, it was really embarrassing.

"If you prefer White over Maltese, then I'll call you White instead."

"why don't you just call me by my name?" she mumbles under her breath, and he just pretends not to hear it since he wasn't supposed to.

"So white, what do you do?"

"You already read my bio, so you already know I'm still a student, other than that, I just work part-time here and there that's it." she shrugs, trying her best to not look him in the face as she spoke. She was falling too quickly, and it was bad for her. They were just having lunch, and she was already dreaming of it being a date.

'There's no way that someone as sophisticated as he, would have any interest in me. This is real life, not a romance novel'

"So, if you're not in school, and you're not at work, what do you do?" He asks... Why does he have so many questions?

"Why do you want to know?" She asks, slowly raising her eyes to meet his, and he plops his elbow on the table, and leans in closer, resting his Jaw on his knuckles, holding her gaze with those demonic eyes.

"Isn't it obvious..." Maybe she was going mad, but she could swear she saw a spark in his eyes, like a bright green spark. And it was even more charming.

"I thought you'd have guessed it by now, but since you haven't, I have to let you know... You intrigue me."