Page 67 of Between the Lines

“I was an asshole.” He cupped Theo’s face, looked into those wide, trusting eyes and felt his heart swell until he was certain it couldn’t be contained. “You’re so fucking real, Theo. So full of heart and emotion, so responsive, so amazing. And brave. I know I don’t deserve you, but, God, can we try?”

His beautiful, wry eyebrow lifted. “Why else do you think I’m here?”

Luca smiled, vibrating with emotions he could hardly comprehend: want, love, joy, hope. Gratitude. A million things he’d vowed he didn’t need and now couldn’t live without. And all of them for Theo. He bumped their noses together, felt Theo’s soft breath against his lips, felt his hands rest on Luca’s hips. God, but it felt good to be touched again. Slipping his arms around Theo’s waist, Luca splayed one hand on his back, holding him steady, close. Safe.

“Luca.” Theo breathed his name into the tender space between them.“Luca.”And then they were kissing, a deep slow slide of mouths and lips, Luca’s hand knotting in Theo’s hair, bodies tangling, breath mingling. Theo tasted of salt-tears, his mouth hot and open, hands twisting into Luca’s shirt as they pressed together from chests to toes, every inch of them touching.

Gasping for air, Luca kissed Theo’s jaw, his ear—felt Theo’s knees give, his soft moan so beautiful Luca’s eyes burned. “I love you,” Luca said again, the words easier now, less terrifying. “I love you, Theodore Wishart.”

“I love you, too.” Theo laughed, a watery joyful sound. “Oh God, I can’t believe this is real. I can’t believe it’s really happening.”

And all the doubts contained in those words made Luca choke, made him wrap Theo in his arms and hold him hard. Theo did the same, both of them wrecked and tearful and flying so high Luca could feel the heat of the long-set sun on his back.

“Whoohoo!”

The yell came from the clifftop, and they turned, not pulling apart, to see shapes dancing on the edge, backlit by the faint glow from the Majestic. Theo laughed, burrowing in closer to Luca. “Oh God, I think that’s Miranda.”

“She’s not alone,” Luca said. “Shit, everyone’s up there.”

Theo pulled back, eyes sparkling, and smiled. “I guess the party’s not over.”

“Over?” Luca cupped his face in both hands and kissed him again, earning another cheer from the peanut gallery. They both were smiling too hard to kiss for long. “Come on,” Luca said, breaking away to tug on Theo’s hand. “The party’s only just begun...”

* * *

In the end, it lasted all night.

It was the best night of Theo’s life. Jude cried when he told her about his plans for the hotel, taking his hand and thanking him over and over for saving the Majestic, for saving her legacy.

“I knew you would,” she said. “From the moment I first saw you, I knew it.”

Theo certainly hadn’t had any idea himself, but he let it go. Maybe Jude was right and shehadseen something he’d missed? He was hardly the most perceptive person in the world. Even Don shook his hand, face burning as he congratulated him and said he hoped he and Luca would be very successful at the Majestic. From Don, Theo figured, it was as good as a blessing.

There was food and drink, and laughter and excitement, and every time Theo looked up at the chandelier, or out the French doors to the garden, he thought,This is ours. It’s really ours.His heart thrilled at the idea of sharing this adventure with Luca. He understood the business well enough to know it wouldn’t be easy, but with Luca at his side Theo felt fearless. And Luca was at his side all night, holding his hand, touching his back, and Theo had never felt more loved. It was a rush. It was heady. And, in his own heart, love blossomed broader and deeper with every hour.

By the time the sky began to lighten and everyone started to make their way home, Theo was tired but so happy he still didn’t want to sleep, didn’t want the night to end. So he wandered out onto the porch while Luca said goodbye to the last of the guests and gazed out across the garden to the ocean.

It was still dusky, but the horizon was streaked with red and pink, the colors dipping into the water and spreading out like ink across its surface. Today, the property would change hands from Jude to Lux, and from Lux to Theo. He ran his hands along the porch railing, felt the cool solidity of the wood—noted it would need to be refinished—and breathed in the dewy scent of dawn.

Footsteps behind him, and then Luca’s arms around his waist, tugging him back against his chest. Theo nuzzled his cheek against Luca’s, feeling the rub of his stubble, and smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so happy.”

Luca kissed his cheek. “Come and sit down.”

They sat on the porch swing, Luca steadying it while Theo sat down, shoulder to shoulder and hands threaded together in Theo’s lap. Ahead of them, the sun breached the horizon, lances of golden light spearing up into the sky and across the water.

“So...” Luca said, like it was a preamble to something serious. “Your dad.”

Theo smiled. “Ah.”

“Ah?” Luca turned his head, looked at him with a frown. “Come on, spill.”

“Not much to tell,” he said. “I told him I wanted to run the Majestic as a boutique hotel, he said there wouldn’t be enough profit in it for Lux. I said I’d buy it from him instead.” His cheeks heated a little as he added, “I had a trust fund and some investments.”

“So you said.” Luca’s fingers tightened on his hand. “And you put it all into this?”

“Lux isn’t a charity. I had to offer market price.”

“That’s a lot of money.”

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