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My feet walk along the cold hardwood floors as I make my way toward him. His eyes look me up and down. The city lights flood into the apartment, somehow making the place feel more comfortable. I have never been a city girl, but I could get used to the view.
I take a seat next to him.
“Don’t apologize to me again.” His arm reaches over, his hands cupping my face.
I pull away from him. Not because I want to fight with him, but because I know that if I touch him even a little, I will forget everything that makes me hesitant to be with him fully. I stare forward, trying to figure out what movie he has been watching—or not watching.
“What’s on your mind? I want to hear every pretty little thought.” His shoulders tighten as if he’s regretting the words that came out of his mouth so effortlessly.
I could ask him everything I want to, but a part of me thinks it would frustrate him.
His stare burns into my eyes as he waits for a reply, but I can’t answer his question because I don’t know how he will react. My eyes scurry around his apartment when I realize just how much I don’t know about him. I know who he is, but I want to know the depths of him. I don’t want this surface-level crap. The only thing I know for sure is what he does for a living. But I am going to marry him, and I want to know who I am marrying.
“I can tell you one thing for sure, Nina. I would never hurt you. I don’t want you feeling scared around me. The things I do are meant to protect you. All I want from now on is for you to be safe.” He grabs my waist, pulling me in toward him with his arms wrapping around my back. He grabs the blanket that was hanging off the side of the couch and wraps it around me. “If you are going to understand one thing, let it be that.”
I nod as I fall into his arms. His words are reassuring.
I never expected a man like Giovanni to show how much he cares. And the person he cares this much for is me, of all people. Maybe it’s the life I was surrounded by growing up, but I have deep trust issues. Each word, each syllable, that comes out of his mouth takes a brick away from the wall I have spent years putting up.
“Pick a movie.” He hands me the remote.
“What do you want to watch?”
“Whatever you put on,amore mio.”
“What aboutTitanic?”
“Maybe something a little less depressing.”
My mouth falls to the floor as I laugh. “That’s my favorite movie you’re insulting.”
“That’s your favorite movie? Out of all the movies that exist.”
“Yes.”
He mutters something in Italian.
“Why me?” I finally ask the question that has been eating away at me.
“What do you mean?”
“Out of all the women you could have, why do you want me?”
He closes his laptop and places it beside him. Then he lifts me up so that both my legs hug his waist.
He looks into my eyes as if he can tell me the whole story with one look.
“I’ve had my eyes on you for years.” His fingertips trail down my collarbone, reminding me of the night he claimed me as his before I knew that I would ever be.
All this time I thought he wanted something from me. I didn’t think it was me he wanted.
I relax my shoulders, placing my arms around his neck.
Gio watches me intently as I inch closer to his lips. His hands cup both sides of my face while his thumb traces my jaw.
I can tell he wants to pull me in further, but for some reason, he is hesitating.
He leans his head back, away from mine, without taking his eyes off me. “Nina,” he sighs as I drown in his words.
