Tyler pulls up in front of D'Ambrosi's, a well-known upscale Italian restaurant nestled along the glittering Bay Area waterfront.

A valet rushes to open our doors, and as I step out, I'm struck by the restaurant's elegant facade. The place's exterior exudes elegance and money, and I can only imagine how luxurious it will be inside.

Despite my nerves, I resist the urge to adjust my dress or smooth down my hair.

As if sensing I'm a little nervous, Tyler presses his hand to the small of my back, which makes me smile. He's looking at me with so much affection, I instantly feel at ease. My idea of a first date has never included fancy restaurants, but as I look at him, I know the place where we go doesn't really matter as long as we can enjoy ourselves.

A sudden burst of camera flashes startles me, and I turn to see paparazzi standing a few feet away, their lenses focused on us. Tyler guides me quickly into the restaurant, his hand going to my shoulder as he positions himself behind me and shields me from the intrusive questions shouted our way.

"Let's get inside," Tyler murmurs, his hand gently guiding me through the restaurant's opulent foyer.

"Tyler?" I touch his shoulder once we're inside.

"Let's get to our table and I'll explain everything." He presses the back of his fingers to my cheek in a sweet gesture, but all the lightness and playfulness of his eyes are gone.

"Mr. McGregor, please, your table is ready," the host greets, clearly recognizing Tyler, and leads us to a secluded corner table.

This place is as amazing as I imagined. Our table is illuminated by the soft, warm glow of candlelight, creating a magical atmosphere and offering a breathtaking view of the bay's peaceful waters.

"Your waiter will be here shortly. Is there anything I can get you for now?" The host asks once we're both sitting.

"We're good, thank you," Tyler says, and she nods before leaving.

"So, you're that famous, huh?" I give him a small smile when his eyes meet mine.

"I'm sorry about that... Most of them tend to ignore fighters, so I was not expecting them." He lets out a long breath, his eyes closing for a second. "I was hoping for a nice night out with you. But now I feel like there's all this bunch of stuff we need to talk about..."

"I'd love to know more about you, but we can start with small things, I guess?" I shrug, wanting to go back to the light mood as we started our night. We all have some baggage and Tyler has told me if I ever want to know about him, all I need to do is ask. So, I guess we have time to dig into the heavy stuff.

"Like what?" He looks at me, slightly amused, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

"I don't know. What's your favorite drink? It tells a lot about someone." I shrug, a smile working over my lips when he narrows his eyes playfully as if pondering over my question.

Before he can answer me, though, a waiter comes to take our orders. We haven't even checked the menu, so we take the next few minutes to decide what to have. We both go with the chef's recommendation, and I learn he and Tyler are good friends—the reason Tyler chose this place.

Once it's just us again, Tyler takes a sip of his freshly poured wine. "So, about your question. I'd say whisky is my favorite drink. But I don't really drink much. I'm often either preparing for a fight or recovering for one, so there's not too much room for drinking."

"Whiskey, of course." I take a sip of my wine, studying him, and his eyes crinkle with humor.

"Why is that?"

"It suits you." I hold his gaze. "You're confident... Comfortable on your own skin and definitely non-bullshit taker."

"And you got all that just by knowing whiskey is my favorite drink?" The flirtatious smile he gives is too tempting, making me look away. "What about you? What's your favorite drink?"

"Red wine," I answer, taking another sip and enjoying the warmth spreading within me.

Tyler studies me for a moment before pushing his chair a little closer, creating an intimate bubble around us. "And what does that say about you?"

"That I'm on my feet most of the time and I need to relax when I get home?" I smile playfully, enjoying the twinkle in his eyes.

"So, is wine the way to your heart?" He tilts his head, his eyes dropping to my lips.

Heat flushes over my neck to my cheeks, and I know I'm blushing. It's unnerving the way he holds my gaze and studies me closely as if he can't get enough. "Wine and food. The perfect combination to a girl's heart, right?" I say quietly.

"Nah..." He chuckles low and easy. "There must be more to decipher the way to your heart. You're this beautiful, independent woman with a sweet smile and a heart of gold... I bet there are a bunch of guys who would kill to be here in my place."

"I could say the same about you." I raise my eyebrows, and he looks down, his lips twitching.

Before he can say anything the waiter arrives with our pasta. The quality of the food is amazing and soon we start talking about our favorite kinds of food and restaurants in the city. Like me, Tyler is super laid back and when I see we're making plans to check some restaurants together. It's like we have done this a thousand times before, and it only serves to intensify my attraction to him.

"Look what the cat dragged in." A man, which I assume is the chef approaches our table and Tyler stands up to greet him.

"Nico! It's been too long," Tyler says, pulling him into a quick embrace.

"I'm glad you're finally home, my friend," Nico says, pulling away from Tyler's embrace to look at me. "Bellissima! You must be Andie. I'm Nico, the restaurant chef, and Tyler's good friend."

"Nice to meet you, Nico." I offer him my hand. "Your food is out of this world. My brother is a pasta lover. I was just telling Tyler I'll have to bring him here one day."

"Ah, thank you! What every chef loves to hear!" He gives me a sweet smile. "I'm afraid the place is really busy tonight, though and I'll have to go back to the kitchen. But it was a pleasure to meet you, carissima."

"You too, Nico." I nod.

"You should get the rest of the gang together some of these days. I'd love to catch up." Tyler pulls him into a side hug, a content expression on his face.

"I'll text you soon," Nico says, before turning to me. "Enjoy the rest your your night, Andie."

As Tyler and I sit back down, his mention of being back catches my attention. "Did you move back here recently? Nico said something about being happy you're back home?"

"Yeah... Kind of... My whole family is based here, but I've spent most of my adulthood all over the country." He studies me. "When the divorce was finally official, I decided to come back."

"Can I ask why?" I ask, and he looks at me for a second.

"How about we go for a walk in the marina? We can get the desert to go and talk some more while we enjoy the nice weather."

"Sounds like a good idea." I smile, and soon he's paying the bill and we're walking out of the restaurant.

Tyler's posture is alert and the way he circles his arm over my back shows me how protective he is. There are still some paparazzi outside, but this time, I try to focus on Tyler and not on them.

"Are you sure the marina is a nice idea?" I look around, worried. Tyler has just gotten divorced, so I'm sure being seen with me will cause some speculations from others.

"Fuck. I guess you're right." He looks to his side, motioning the valet to bring his car.

Once we're inside his car, Tyler lets out a long breath. "I'm sorry about all of that. I don't know why they're so interested in my personal life."

"It's okay," I say, placing my hand on his shoulder. He grasps it gently, intertwining our fingers.

"I wasn't ready to end the night yet," he admits, glancing at me hesitantly.

"Oh?"

"I mean, I totally understand if you say no, but... Would you like to go back to my place? We can eat the chocolate mousse and open a bottle of wine while we talk some more?" He looks at me with that sweet smile of his and all I want to do is to say yes.

But am I going too fast? Am I ready to go to his place for the first time?

_____

A/N: Important question: Would you say yes or no to him?

Please remember to vote! 

XOXO

Celeste