Bruno paused, his fingers stopping mid-pattern. A sly smile curved his lips as he looked at her. He glanced away, trying to hide his flushed face, then back at her.
"You don't want to know," he teased, licking his lips.
"Come on, tell me," Beauty replied, pouting her lips.
"I was planning to tell you this on our wedding day, you know," he said teasingly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Beauty's eyes widened, and she yelled internally:
He's thinking about marriage again! I wonder if he already bought a ring! Calm down, Beauty, don't dream too big! This is a fresh relationship!
But she kept her face neutral, determined not to give away the swooping sensation in her stomach.
"Go on," she urged, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Don't try to wiggle out of this, babe. Spill it."
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Alright, alright. You really want to know?"
"Yes! Don't make me wrestle it out of you," she warned, a smirk playing on her lips.
Bruno laughed again.
"Fine," he said, leaning back against the headboard, his gaze staring into space as if replaying the memory. "It was the day you walked into the company for the job interview. The very first time you came into the company. You wore a blue and red office suit combination, and your hair was in a slick-back style. You had no makeup, but your lips were cherry and glossy.
Your doe eyes were wandering nervously around the company. I bet you didn't see me staring. I had to pause and take a look. Strange."
He chuckled.
Beauty blinked, her face flushed. The way he described her.
"So... you've... you've liked me since then?" she managed to ask.
"Liked you?" Bruno scoffed. "I hired you, didn't I? I was head over heels."
Beauty knew he was the reason she got into the company at first, but this story was so much better than the one she had in her mind all along.
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait! Are you telling me you rigged my interview because you thought I was cute?" she teased.
Bruno held up his hands in defense. "No! Not cute. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Drop-dead stunning. And let's not forget—smart, chubby, and with the kind of lips that made it very hard for me to focus on the actual interview."
Beauty stared at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.
"Baby!"
He laughed.
"What? I'm just being honest!"
He reached out and gently squeezed her hand. "But it wasn't just about how you looked."
Beauty's smile faded slowly, seeing the change in his tone. She listened.
"There was something about you... something different. I can't point it out."
"Plus size?"
"I have seen a lot of chubby women. I think it's just you, Beauty. I love you... because it's... it's you," Bruno said, looking at her, his expression as pure as a child's.
"I don't know how to explain it... so you can understand," he surrendered with a sigh.
Don't yell out, Beauty. Have some dignity! she screamed inwardly, feeling her cheeks heat, but she raised a brow to mask her flustered reaction.
"So... you're saying I got the job because you had a crush on me?"
"Correction," Bruno said, smirking. "You got the job because you were the most qualified candidate. I just made sure everyone else on the panel agreed with me. My father was strict with the standards. It was tough to get him on my side. So your talent finished the work."
"You are so nice, Bruno," Beauty said slowly, unsure how to express it more.
"Oh, it gets worse," Bruno said, grinning mischievously. "Do you want to know what happened when I went home?"
"What?" she asked, her eyes lighting up, intrigued.
"I had my first-ever daydream about romance."
She tilted her head.
"Your first? Ever?"
Bruno nodded.
"I genuinely thought I might be asexual before I met you. My sister thought I was gay. I'd never been interested in anyone like that—ever. Then you happened and bam!" He mimed an explosion near his head. "Suddenly, I'm at home picturing you in my arms, so tight, I don't have to go further into details."
Beauty burst out laughing.
"Trust me, you don't want to know what happened at night. It was really cold and lonely. I went into the shower..."
"Please don't tell me," Beauty said, covering her ears.
Bruno laughed. "I forgot to tell you—in the daydream, you burned the food you made for us, by the way."
"Excuse me?" she said, feigning offense. "I'll have you know I'm an excellent cook! My father is a great chef!"
"Sure, sure," he teased, pulling her closer. "But in my imagination, I didn't care. You were yelling at the smoke alarm, and all I could think was, 'How do I convince this woman to stay in my life forever?'"
Beauty's laughter softened, and she gazed up at him, her heart swelling. "That's... honestly one of the sweetest things anyone's ever said to me. I don't believe in soulmates... it's fictional. I thought I was the one who had a one sided crush the first time we met..Now, you are right here with me, telling me that you loved me at first sight too? "
Bruno smiled and kissed her forehead.
"You changed everything for me, Beauty. Before you, I didn't even know I wanted love. And now... I can't imagine life without you," he whispered.
She felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
"I can't imagine life without you too, my love," she said softly, leaning in to brush her lips against his.
Just then Bruno's phone rang, she glanced at it.
"Lola Cruz?"