Dakota immediately lowered her head guiltily.
She was about to take a bite of her pancakes and maple syrup to hide the fact that she had been sneaking a peek, only to discover that they had already been eaten.
"Slap—"
A crisp sound echoed with a hint of pique.
Dakota tossed the spoon into the empty bowl, muttering resentfully, "Who wants to sneak a peek at you."
Curtis watched Dakota calmly.
His gaze was intense and straightforward, seemingly trying to discern signs that she might actually have feelings for him.
Dakota felt a bit uneasy under his stare.
She reached for a napkin, wiping her mouth and leaving her lipstick mark on the soft white tissue.
By the end,
Dakota returned to her usual commanding demeanor, "Have you finished eating? If so, hurry up and change to take me to work!"
Her tone was very tender.
There was no unpleasant sense of command, nor any harshness or sharpness, instead making Curtis smile warmly, "Okay—"
"As ordered," he put down his chopsticks, carefully wiping his lips, then lazily tousled her hair, casually adding, "Mrs. Pineda."
This nickname really pleased Dakota.
Her ears turned red again.
"Mrs. Pineda."
It wasn't binding her as his possession, but rather, being his chosen and cherished Mrs. Pineda.
Dakota didn't respond.
But Curtis didn't seem eager for her to respond right away, only bending to give a light kiss to her hair, "Wait for me."
Dakota's ears grew even hotter.
In her panic, she almost knocked over the glass beside her when raising her hand, reaching quickly to steady it,
"Be careful."
A deep, magnetic voice sounded in her ear, conveying a sense of stability and security.
Dakota and Curtis's fingertips touched beside the cup, the nerve endings tingling as if burned, causing Dakota to quickly pull her hand back, "No, no problem."
Curtis looked down at her hand.
He then responded with a low, lazy chuckle, "Mrs. Pineda, don't be nervous. If you can't handle this pace, just tell me, and I'll slow down."
Pace... slower...
It was a normal statement, and Dakota understood the true meaning behind Curtis's words, but for some reason, her mind conjured up other images.
Dakota felt like fireworks were going off in her head.
She spread her fingers, bringing the cup over to hold it with both hands to mask her nervousness, "Uh... uh."
Uh???
What was she "uh"-ing about?!
Dakota closed her eyes in frustration, biting her lip in annoyance, wishing time could rewind.
Fortunately, Curtis didn't push too hard.
He truly gave her space as promised, not teasing her further, and went upstairs to change.
When he came back down, the man who had been cooking in the kitchen was now dressed in a suit, looking suave and elegant.
Curtis wore a high-quality black shirt.
A pin was fastened at the collar, its golden shine reflecting faint spots of light on his jawline as the sun illuminated it.
The suit jacket was loosely draped over his shoulders.
Curtis lifted his chin slightly, tying the tie that had been loosely hanging around his neck with deliberate slowness.
"Shall we go?" he asked.
This man seemed to switch personas quickly.
Just moments ago, he was a caring husband, making her breakfast and kissing her hair, but once he donned the suit, his sharp and refined demeanor became evident.
Dakota looked up at Curtis.
The man's jawline was sharp and smooth, his long eyes cool and casual, exuding not only rebellious sexiness but also a touch of gentlemanliness.
Dakota suddenly thought of a word—
Suit-wearing thug.
Dakota pursed her lips, nodding and standing up, but quickly put on a proud facade, tossing her bag to Curtis, "Hold this for me."
Curtis had one last step to finish his tie.
He paused, then laughed loosely, "Alright, I'll carry Mrs. Pineda's bag."
Carrying the bag was fine.
But he had to emphasize the "Mrs. Pineda".
Curtis bent his fingers, finishing the final step of his tie smoothly and neatly pushing it up, then reached out to take Dakota's bag.
Dakota instantly felt relieved.
A man who switches personas so quickly, even if he wears an expensive custom suit, still has to carry her bag obediently.
A luxurious black sports car is parked in front of the museum.
Its sleek, cool body lines, along with its ostentatious license plate and emblem, swiftly captured the attention of many office workers as they sped by.
The car finally parked in the parking lot in front of the office building.
Dakota undid her seatbelt, looking up at Curtis, "Should I pick you up after work?"
"No need." Dakota refused quickly.
Her refusal was instinctive, due to her habit of doing things on her own, never expecting others to pick her up.
But this time it felt different.
She hesitated after speaking, "What I mean is... my little pink car is already here at here, and I can't leave it in the parking lot all day. It's more convenient for me to drive it back tonight after work."
Curtis's lips tightened slightly.
He rested his right wrist on the steering wheel, leaning towards her, "No need to explain. Mrs. Pineda should simply choose what makes her most comfortable. As for me—"
"Mrs. Pineda doesn't need to worry too much about my feelings. As long as Mrs. Pineda is happy, I am happy."
Dakota's heart melted all over again.
But she still lifted her chin proudly, "Alright, you're showing the awareness of a husband. Remember to come home early to cook dinner tonight."
The latter part was just a random remark.
She swore it was just a casual comment, not a real order for Curtis to come home early to cook.
But the man looked at her calmly, "Alright, let me know what you want for dinner tonight via message."
Curtis's expression changed slightly.
It was obvious she had a "I was bluffing but ended up being caught" look.
But she quickly regained her composure, saying "Got it" quickly and got out of the car.
Curtis lifted his hand, adjusting his tie with two fingers, watching Dakota's back until she disappeared from his view before driving off.
But coincidentally, one of Dakota's colleagues had just parked their car.
She was just about to open her door when she unexpectedly saw a shocking scene.
