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I head down through the lobby of the apartment building and nod to the man sitting at the security desk with his mouth gaping open. I guess I can’t really blame him. I look amazing. But at least Luca isn’t able to see the man leering at me. I can only imagine what he would do if he could to that poor man.
Luca is waiting right out front for me, just as he said that he would be and perfectly on time.
The moment he sees me, he clutches a hand to his chest as if the very sight of me is too hard to process.
Heat flushes my cheeks as I stand there, waiting for his comment on the outfit.
“You… look…” Luca fumbles over the words and can’t seem to focus on where he wants to look first. His eyes drag over me, lingering on every curve before moving to the next one. “Fuck the date. I would much rather spend the evening peeling you out of that dress.”
Luca steps forward like he’s going to bend and throw me right over his shoulder. I playfully dance out of his reach.
“Uh-uh! I was promised a date!” I tease him before spinning to walk toward his car.
Luca jogs in front of me to open the door well before I can get there. “Fine, but I make absolutely no promises to keep my hands to myself.”
“I expect nothing less.” I wink. “I would be disappointed… all of this skin and to be untouched? Tsk, tsk.”
Luca’s grip on my door tightens as I swing my legs into the passenger seat of his car like he’s debating hauling me right back out of the car again. I can’t help but smirk at him as I reach for the door myself and pull it close. At least he’s smart enough to move out of the way before I close his talented fingers in the car.
He jogs around the car and gets into the driver’s seat. He leans over so quickly that his kiss takes my breath away. Sweet and short, but full of passion.
“I meant to do that when I first saw you. I knew that the dress was going to look incredible on you, but I didn’t think that it would look likethis.” Luca gestures to my figure and I can’t seem to stop blushing. My thighs press together. I hope that the heat in his eyes is a good indication for where this evening is going to go.
He places a possessive hand on my thigh, fingers curling into the skin just the way I like so much and the car roars into motion.
He chooses a hole in the wall Italian joint. Because ofcoursehe does.
There’s a charming little red carpet on the three steps up into the place. It looks like it’s somehow been there for a hundred years or more and modern enough all at the same time. A single man stands out front at the valet booth.
The restaurant really is nothing more than a door inset into the side of a brick wall between two other much larger businesses.
I can’t help but be curious.
Luca escorts me out of the car and guides me up the three stairs. What I see inside takes my breath away. It’s a quaint place that sprawls out farther than I could have initially assumed. Each table setup is slightly different from the ones around it. It makes me feel like I’ve just walked into someone’s home. Everything is warm and cozy. I would feel overdressed if it weren’t for the fact that we are the only two people in here.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I rented out the whole place so that there would be no interruptions.” Luca says as he slips his hand inside of my own. My heart thuds in my chest. I can’t deny that I’m excited to share this with him. I can’t seem to stop smiling. No doubt he’s never going to let me hear the end of it.
“Any particular reason that you want me alone so badly?” I ask with a raised eyebrow as he pulls out my seat for me.
“If I start getting into those reasons, I’m going to haveyoufor dinner instead of the food.”
“I don’t see the negative here.”
“That’s because you haven’t had Zia’s food yet.” Luca says ominously as he slides into the seat across from me.
“Zia?” I ask.
Before he can answer the kitchen staff comes forward to greet us. Loudly. A very short, full-figured woman comes forward. Her skin is the most stunning shade of olive that I have ever seen in my life. Her face is without too many wrinkles to show her age, but she wears it in her hands. Hard working hands that somehow make you feel the pride radiating off of her.
“Zia.” Luca says by way of explanation and stands to greet her. I copy his motions as he loudly hoots a greeting to her and kisses the air on either side of her face. Zia doesn’t hesitate to do the same gestures me.
“You have been away for far too long, nephew!” the woman I presume is called Zia byeverybody. It’s a fitting title for her.
I wonder if Luca’s actually her family or if that’s just an affectionate name that they use for him.
But from the way that he’s looking at her, it’s obvious that she’s of great importance to him. Related to his mother. Now that I’m looking at them so intently, I can see the similarities in their complexions and the set to their eyes. My chest warms. Is this his way of introducing me to the family that actually matters to him?
Why do I suddenly feel so insecure about it?
