Page 147 of The One
His words pierce through my doubts, wrapping around me like a warm embrace.
When he leans in to kiss me, it’s not just a kiss. It’s an apology, a promise, a vow that I feel in my soul.
As he pulls back, his eyes search mine.
“I get that this seems like it’s happening out of the blue for you. But for me? It’s been decades in the making. I always knew that once I found my One, found you, there’d be no need for a lengthy courtship. Things would simply fall into place. And they have.”
He pauses, brushing his thumb along my jawline. “Admittedly, unlike you, I had a few days to grow certain of my feelings for you—”
“Well, I had a few years to be sure of mine,” I interrupt him with a laugh.
He looks adorably sheepish. “Yeah. There’s that.”
Before I can tease him further, he leans in and kisses the tip of my nose, a playful glint in his eyes.
“Just goes to show you’re much smarter than me, much more in tune with your feelings. But,” he arches a brow at me, “what I was trying to say before you so rudely interrupted me is that we need some time together to get to know each other—”
“Well, we have the rest of our lives for that,” I cut in, grinning.
“Interrupting meagain?” he asks, mock exasperation coloring his tone. In one swift move, he tickles my side, and I squeal, squirming to escape his reach. But he only pulls me closer, his arms secure and comforting around me, as he presses a kiss to my temple.
“I want time with you,” he murmurs, his voice deliciously rough. “No distractions. No chaos. I’d like to take you to my place in Tuscany. Just you and me.”
“No entourage?” I ask, raising a brow in surprise.
“No entourage,” he confirms, his grin widening.
My heart skips a beat at the thought of being alone with him, away from everything else.
“I would love that. When can we go?”
We left after Mateo made the necessary arrangements for his absence. During that time, I packed a bag for both of us, and messaged Isa that I’d be gone for a few days and leaving the phones behind, just as Teo requested. I also picked up a basket filled with food and drinks from Giulia.
She hugged me tightly, and all my worries about what she might think of me vanished.
“I’m so happy for you two,” she had whispered in my ear. “I had an inkling about this. The way Mateo fussed over you after your father’s visit… well, that told me everything I needed to know. You’re good for him,mia cara.”
A mix of gratitude and admiration settles in my chest. Mateo had shown his care in ways I hadn’t even fully realized, and hearing it acknowledged made my heart swell.
We set off in his Ferrari, Romeo trailing behind us in another car.
Since Mateo had insisted on no entourage, I was confused. He quickly explained that Romeo’s role in following us was purely to appease Santino, the head of security, until we could slip more discreetly off the radar.
After a half-hour drive, we pulled into a remote storage facility where the actual plan unfolded.
Mateo stepped out of the car, his tailored suit giving way to something far more relaxed. Watching him change into fitted jeans and a casual shirt left me hot and bothered.
Then came the real surprise. Mateo swapped the Ferrari for something that left me speechless.
Before I could express my bewilderment, Romeo bid us goodbye with a casual bro-hug for Mateo and a playful kiss on my cheek. It made me blush and Mateo growl.
The ‘off the radar’ vehicle wasn’t a sleek, flashy sports car, but an ordinary Fiat four-wheel drive. It’s a nice enough car, but I never imagined seeing Mateo in something like this. I suppose that’s the point.
The drive to Tuscany takes hours, but they fly by in his company. Our conversation flows easily, and I get to see a side of Mateo that’s far more light-hearted than he usually shows.
We start with lighter topics, like favorite music, my love of the guitar, and how I taught myself to play. Then, his curiosity shifts to my fashion drawings and how I learned to sew.
In turn, I pepper him with questions about his life. I ask about his work, and his enthusiasm lights up as he talks about a new line of innovative, fail-proof false identity products his team is developing.
