Page 109 of Winter With You

Luca laughed. ‘We’re talkin’ like that now?’

‘Can I say “capeesh”? It feels like a place where I should say “capeesh”.’

‘Are you insulting my roots, Gabriella Felix?’

‘I would not dare. You’ve told me what you can do with an umbrella.’

‘Shh,’ Luca said in a whisper. ‘You can’t say that too loud around here. The people who really say “capeesh” will jump you.’

‘I don’t know if you’re being serious or not, but I’m going to shut my loud British mouth.’

‘Hey,’ Luca said, nudging her shoulder. ‘Don’t ever do that. It’s one of your best features.’

‘One you can’t actually help me style,’ Gabriella replied.

‘You think?’ he asked. He stopped in his tracks and then pulled her to a halt and into his arms until they were body to body.

‘Now what happens?’ she asked him, looking directly into his eyes.

‘Now I assess the look,’ he said, thumbs on her cheekbones.

‘And?’

‘I check out every angle.’

‘OK, now remember we’re on a public street and we both have a professional reputation to consider.’

‘I am considering only one thing and it’s not very professional.’

‘Are you going to add an accessory or not?’

‘You want me to?’

‘You’re the stylist and, apparently, that makes you in charge.’

He didn’t wait any longer. He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, slow at first, savouring every delicate nuance, each sensation, until all of them were flooding his brain with an emotional high he’d never had with anyone before. Then deeper, with passion he wasn’t completely in control of, nor wanted to be. Until finally it got so dangerously steamy, he did have to put on the brakes.

‘Is this too fast? Do you think?’ he asked her.

‘The kiss? Well, I was thinking “where is the nearest hotel” but⁠—’

He smiled. ‘I meant, what we have going on here. With us.’

‘What do we have going on with us?’ Gabriella asked.

‘I don’t know. Do you?’

She laughed. ‘No, not really but…’

‘But?’

‘I was going to say “but I like it”.’

‘You were gonna say?’ he asked, nervousness suddenly in his gut.

‘Yes,’ Gabriella said. ‘But that was wrong. Because… I love it.’

‘Yeah?’