STAY WITH ME

CHAPTER 2

EROS MILAN

First day on the job and I'm already late, I hope this not how my crew is going to know me as, their tardy boss. Time at the restaurant passes by uneventful I didn't even see the time fly as we were so busy in the kitchen. The time was spent preparing dishes of different types, with different origins, we have dishes ranging from Italian, Mexican, even Japanese etc. Hiring the chefs was a b***h but as you can see it pays. People come into my place and expect the best and I give I to them. Anyway I leave the chefs in the kitchen to handle it for the rest of the night.

I go to my office to freshen up. My office is huge and it has an inbuilt shower and wardrobe because I like taking showers a lot during the day. It comes in handy when I need to go out through the front and I've had a long day at the kitchen I could just come in here and take a shower and get a change of clothes or when I want to go out front and greet my guests. I cant go out there looking like I came from the kitchen, if you want to own a five star restaurant you have to look like five stars. (it sounded way better in my head)

Part of my success is from my ability to be a good host and me being a social butterfly it is my pleasure to meet this people and talk with them so that they can give me feedback on what they like and what I can improve on it makes for great business but I mostly get compliments which Is what I always strive for.

I've been running this place for close to 2 months and I have to say that the people here are awesome, they are also easy to please, it feels so good to achieve your greatest desires. All my life I have always dreamed of this and look at me now, they told me not to try, they said I couldn't do it but I have now sufficiently proved them wrong.

I get out front after freshening up to greet guests, some I have seen before, some I haven't, and those I am familiar with that frequent here all the time. There was one face though that is very new. I don't remember ever seeing him before but he is staring at me with heat in his eyes. His piercing eyes causes a shiver to run down my back. I avoid his stare for the most part going from table to table smiling at people and making conversations with them as I am an outgoing person most of the time like now. That is until I get to his table.

I don't know what it is about him that I cant shake off. His eyes follow me until I get close to him. His deep gray eyes make me feel like a nervous wreck and make my insides turn to mush but I don't let it show. I have to act professional, I put on the brightest smile I can pull off, straighten my back and walk as confidently as I can to his table.

He is currently talking to someone, a woman, it seems that he is on a date or a business meeting, they are dressed to impress but don't have that familiarity about them so I have to go with business meeting, what do I know its just a guess.

"Hello, how are you two doing this fine evening, anything else I can get you." I ask looking at them trying not to stare too hard at the man in front of me who looks like he has been pulled out of an GQ magazine.

"Hello to you too, no we don't need anything else." He responds as his gaze meets mine and we stare deeply onto each others eyes like we were the only two people in the whole world. His voice washing over me so deep and strong that I try to suppress a moan from coming out of my mouth, I couldn't help closing my eyes though, I needed him to talk again so I had to find a way to make conversation. I opened my eyes to talk to him again but I saw him still staring at me and smirking like he knows what effect he has on me. I smirk too, two can play that game.

"Are you sure, we have a two for one special on the soufflé going on for couples if you and your lovely date are interested. And I say you are looking quite exquisite tonight." I said facing the woman and turning up my charm. I gave her one of my smiles causing her face to turn red and she releases a little giggle although she looked like she was trying to hold it in.

"You are quite the charmer aren't you, but its a pass for us, we aren't a couple." She says, her face still red. She pushes her chest forward apparently she took that as me being interested in her, well that backfired. Let me just play along.

"Well of course Misss". A look of realization came over her face. She got the hint.

"Oh its Marissa." she said giving me her hand to shake but instead I kissed it causing her to blush some more. All through our incessant flirting I tried ignoring Mr brooding and handsome but I felt his eyes tearing a hole in my skin.

"Well Marissa, what a lovely name, if I do say so myself. Well Marissa one has to be charming when they talk to beautiful women, and when you own a well known restaurant it comes easily and rolls off the tongue like silk on the skin." she just giggle some more, it wasn't until I hear a gruff voice talking do we break eye contact.

"You're the owner". It wasn't a question more like a statement, of course he already knew, he is quite observant, forget the fact that he had been staring at me since I entered the room, not to toot my own horn or anything but I am quite a looker.

I turn to fully look at him wanting to hold eye contact and not wanting to cower away from looking into his eyes. Looking at him with him with faux confidence not wanting him to see how he affects me. He looks grumpy and dare I say it looks hot on him. I guess he doesn't like being left out from conversation.

"Why yes I do, but I'm afraid I've got to greet my remaining guests so please come again sometime and don't hesitate to call me when you need me, have a good evening, hope to see you again." I say facing Marissa but still looking at him. I don't even know his name.

"My name is Eros by the way." But I was already turning away from them not giving the chance to respond. Once I'm as far away from them as I could get, I let out a sigh of relief, that was heart attack inducing.

The night was uneventful after that, nothing else really happened, I just made conversation with some people and made everywhere have a welcoming atmosphere. But all good things must come to an end.

I had to stay late to complete some paperwork so as everyone of my employees left to go home to their families or significant others I had to be the one to volunteer since I don't have anything else to do for the day. My plans include sleeping the whole night away till I wake up the next morning just to begin the day all over again like clockwork except on those days that I wake up late which is also part of the clockwork. I never seem to get anywhere on time.

I finish the paper work quickly since calculating my restaurants daily income is something I enjoy doing. I finish the last sum and I gotta say, today was a very good day for business. I also checked in with my other branch and they have assured me that they are doing fine over there too but I will have to go and check it out soon.

As I get ready to leave, my mind wanders over to the handsome looking man I saw today (mind you this is my mind and I am allowed to speak freely he is f*****g drop dead gorgeous). I could stare at his eyes all day, they remind me of twinkling stars ( yeah I said it).

I go to the kitchen to see if everything is in order before I go but as I get in there I see that someone forgot or refused to throw away the bin containing left overs.

"I have to punish someone for this tomorrow, like seriously what am I paying theses people for if its not to do their jobs, ughh seriously." No point crying over it now. I take the trash and lock up the kitchen before locking up the restaurant. I go to the back alley and throw away the trash and as soon as I am leaving the place I heard sniffles coming from behind the trash.

"Hello, is there anybody there." I wait for a response but I don't get any.

"It might have been a cat or something, or you're loosing your mind don't think about it an just leave, I'm such a wimp." I turn to leave again after that mini dialogue with myself but I heard the sound again a lot clearer than the last time.

"Ok seriously if this is a joke you better stop playing around, huh. I'm a yellow belt in karate. I kick ass, just so you know. Come out."

I wait for a bit then move slowly towards the trash can. Since Muhammed won't come to the mountain, then the mountain is gonna go to Muhammed. but as I take a peek behind the trash can, I am more than shocked at what I see. What the hell is a kid not less than 5 doing hiding behind the trash at this time of the night.

I move to take a closer look at the child but he just cowers in fear like I'm going to hurt him. What happened to him. He is shivering out of fear or cold or just both plus he is hardly wearing any clothes, he looks so fragile, all skin and bones.

"Hey kid, its ok I'm not gonna hurt you, come on you're alright." he doesn't still move and my words do nothing to reassure him. I crouch lower to meet his height and take my jacket off with the full intent of putting it around his shoulder but the moment I touch him, he starts screaming and thrashing around like he is in pain.

"Hey stop, stop its OK. Are you hungry huh I got something." I say bringing out a bar of chocolate I was munching on earlier and bring it up for him to see. By then, his screams have reduced and he has allowed me to place the jacket around him, although he is still a bit weary.

"Do you want some of this, its very delicious see." I take a bite trying to reassure him that it was OK. He was reaching for the chocolate now and when he was distractedly eating it I picked him up in my arms with minimum amount of fuss with him clinging unto my shoulder and take us to my car.

He was still eating the chocolate, although in very little bites. He looks at me with distrust in his eyes and although he is already in my arms and not making a lot of fuss, I have a feeling it is going to take a lot to gain his trust.

He was shivering a bit in my arms so I immediately took him to my car where I proceeded to turn on the heater to at least stop him from shivering, he refused to leave my arms though, when I tried to put him in the passenger seat, he clung to me. Like he had never been in a car before or he didn't trust where I am taking him to.

"Its alright little man, I'm right here, I promise, I'm not going anywhere. Just sit here so you can get warm and I can take you home, give you a nice warm bath and get you something warm to eat. Would you like that huh little man." He nods with his head in my chest. Although he didn't trust me when we first met, he doesn't seem to want to let go of me now.

"OK but don't go anywhere." He said, his voice sounded, tiny and squeaky from not using it.

"Of course not little man I'm just over there." I say pointing to the driver side of the car." I drop him on the chair and buckle him up, although he is not old enough to sit in front without a car seat, but he will just have to manage till I get to my house. Luckily my house is not far from here.

The drive to my house was a very short one and very eventful. A few minutes into the drive, he starts squirming around in the sit. He was holding on to the unfinished chocolate making a move to put it in his pocket almost like he is saving it for later.

"Don't worry about keeping it, little man, finish it now so I can give you food when I take you home."

He didn't listen land put it in his pocket anyway.

"What's your name little man." He squirms some more and shakes his shoulder.

"What you don't have one?" he shakes his head again.

"Do you want me to give you one?" He nods his head rapidly.

"Ok, how about Jamie?" He shakes his head

"What you don't like it? I think its nice name." He shakes his head some more this time.

"I should choose another one?" He nods.

"Umm OK, what about Jax, short for Jackson?" He shakes his head.

"You don't like that one either huh. No wonder parent name their kids when their still babies, you kids are picky motherfuckers aren't you." He frowns.

"Language." He scolds sternly.

"Now he talks to me." I say rolling my eyes.

"OK what about Micky." He smiles.

"You like that one huh?" He nods weakly. By then we already got to my place.

I got out and went to his side of the door to get him.

"OK buddy come on lets get in and get you cleaned up." I reach to pick him up but he squirms a little before he allowed me to pick him. I will take care of him tonight but tomorrow I have to find out who he belongs to.