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I kiss his throat. “Luca…yes.” I’m laughing as I look up at him. “Yes…and yes…and yes…and yes more.” Tears are dripping down my cheeks. I frame his face with my hands. “I will take your name. Of course I will.”
His mouth covers mine. The kiss is soft and gentle—salty. His mouth slants a little harder at the end, and then he’s pulling away, his hands finding mine.
He says, “I want to put it on.”
I haven’t really looked at the ring until it’s in between his thumb and pointer finger. “Oh my goodness.”
He laughs. “Is that good?” He sounds nervous.
“That’s a big diamond.” I laugh at the near-ridiculous beauty of the teardrop-shaped gemstone, set in a simple yellow gold band. “Are you sure you didn’t find it in a pirate’s ship?”
“I bought it the day I found out you were leaving the D.A.’s office. My friend Alesso stopped by and told me.” He breathes deeply, looking down at the sand as his jaw works for a moment. He smiles again, meeting my eyes. “I was at this place—this antique jewelry place, that only has old diamonds, not the new ‘blood diamonds’—in an hour flat, la mia rosa.” He gives a hoarse laugh. “Didn’t want to come to you without a ring. I kind of didn’t want to ask you at all. I wanted to just be here when you landed.”
He blows his breath out, pushing a hand into his hair. “I got here a week ago and met the woman that you’re renting from. Found out she’s got some other cottages in case you didn’t want me in yours. But I got your place ready, rented myself a bike. Then I started talking to…this therapist.” His voice sounds choked on the word. “I started talking to her and stuff. She said I can come two times a week.”
I watch as tears gleam in his eyes again; it’s strange to see, because he’s smiling—almost grinning, really. “So that’s all I have to do. Sit at the beach, help you put little person things together…if that’s okay.”
I kiss him gently. “It sounds perfect, cuore.”
“Until the baby gets here…”
“And then what?” My stomach flip-flops.
He shakes his head, wide-eyed, like a startled owl. “Then nothing. And then we just…will stop sleeping.” His eyes widen again. “I heard that’s how it works, right? Those things don’t sleep.”
He gives me a topsy-turvy smile.
My heart begins to hammer. “What about Roberto—and the other people in your circle? You said you’d be needed after…what happened in the garage.” I can barely even whisper it.
“That’s all been settled. Roberto, he wanted me to do what made me happy.”
“Are you for real?”
He laughs, sort of tugging at his hair again. “I wouldn’t make it up. I’m a fulltime dad, I guess.” He swallows. “And husband,” he says hoarsely. “If you’re sure you want that.”
His hand cups my cheek as heat flames in my face and throat and chest.
I want it so much, I start crying again. Luca looks startled, and then I’m clutching his neck. He pulls me onto his lap. I’m shaking so badly he can barely get the ring onto my swollen finger.
“My fingers are fat.” I can’t help cackling laugher as I look down at my hand. “It fits, though,” I whisper. “It’s not too tight.”
“I wasn’t sure what you would want,” he murmurs, “so I hope you like it.”
“Oh my God, Luca.” I’m laughing, tugging his dark hair. My palm caresses his face, which sports some stubble, and I look at him—like really look, to assess. “I love it so much. And where’s the rose?”
He plucks it off the sand. I hold it to my chest, and now I’m trying so hard not to outright break down on the beach.
“You were all that’s missing. When I got here, that’s what I thought. It felt too quiet, too lonely—because you were missing. But I didn’t know if I would ever get to have you.” Tears are streaming down my cheeks—because it really is painful.
He hugs me. “I’m so sorry. Never again. No matter what, I promise that I’ll never make you question things that way. I’ll always be here.”
He presses his lips together, and I trace his lovely cupid’s bow. I stroke his dark hair again; it looks longer than it was last time I saw him. “I’ll always be here, too. It will be easy, because there’s nothing about you that’s not everything I want and need.”
He leans in to kiss me. When we come up for air, he rests his forehead against mine. “Still don’t know if I deserve it, but I’m told that’s not the point.”
“No, it isn’t.” I brush my lips over his. “Let’s get married here in Italy.”
“You want to?”
I wipe my eyes. “I’d do it right now, but you might want more time.” I laugh.
