Leonora exclaimed, "Taylor, what are you doing? Why'd you toss my face mask?"
Taylor shrugged, "It was expired. Wearing it might cause allergies, you know?"
Leonora couldn't shake the feeling that he was just making stuff up.
Seeing the dismay in her eyes, Taylor took her hand and chuckled, "Relax, Arielle. You won't end up in the news over this."
Public exposure was no big deal for Taylor; it was part of his daily routine. But Leonora was a private person, and Taylor didn't want to disrupt her life or cause her any trouble.
Reassured by Taylor's promise, Leonora finally agreed to enter the supermarket with him. She had been worried about being recognized, but soon forgot her concerns amidst the array of products, eagerly adding anything that caught her eye to their shopping cart.
Pushing the cart and seeing how delighted Leonora was made Taylor smile. "You're such a kid at heart," he thought.
Leonora's enthusiasm for even the simplest items like dinner rolls made Taylor's smile impossible to hide. He found her endlessly fascinating and entertained the idea of spending their lives together, accompanying her on supermarket trips and filling their fridge with goodies.
In past relationships, supermarket visits and pushing shopping carts were foreign concepts to Taylor. His previous girlfriends would prepare lovingly made lunches and deliver them to his office.
However, being with Leonora offered a different kind of enjoyment, even in purchasing mundane household items.
To Taylor, everything about Leonora was captivating, reminding him of the innocent joy found in everyday life.
After some time, as they were paying for their groceries, Taylor took Leonora's phone from her, insisting, "Keep your salary. I've got this."
Leonora looked up at Taylor as he paid and returned her phone afterward. She couldn't help but secretly smile, finding his gesture unexpectedly charming.
Once they reached the parking garage, Taylor loaded the shopping bags into the car's trunk while Leonora sneaked a box of chocolates.
Seeing this, Taylor didn't stop her but gently reminded, "You're on your period, try to eat less chocolate."
"I'll just have two pieces," Leonora responded.
Their interactions were unmistakably those of a couple.
As they drove out of the parking garage, Leonora offered Taylor a piece of chocolate. He wasn't fond of sweets, but he never declined what Leonora offered.
After tasting the chocolate, Leonora asked, "Is it good?"
Taylor replied, "Yes, as delightful as you are."
Leonora playfully scolded, "Can't you ever be serious?"
Their banter continued until they arrived at Leonora's apartment complex.
It was still early, not yet ten o'clock, so Taylor parked the car and asked Leonora to stay a bit longer for a chat.
Enjoying the moment, Leonora didn't rush to leave and stayed to talk.
Taylor asked how she knew Grant, but Leonora, cautious, quickly changed the subject to tales of her childhood and school days.
This was the first time in two years that Taylor had seen Leonora so open and lively in conversation, revealing a side to her he had never known.
He cherished the unguarded moments with Leonora.
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