Page 160 of Mine Again
This friendly little tournament, the banter, the thrill of competing with him, it’s distracted me completely.
Just what I needed.
He steps closer, and the change in the air is instant.
Every nerve sparks to life.
His hand lifts to my face, brushing along my jaw, before tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“You owe me a truth.”
My reply comes out quieter than I expect.
“What do you want to know?”
He leans in, his nose brushing mine. That feather-light touch pulls every nerve in my body taut.
I breathe him in. Warm skin. Pine. And something undeniably Luca.
“Did Moretti ever do more than kiss you?”
I expected that question. And I’m happy to give him the reassurance.
“No.” I shake my head. “We agreed to wait until we were married.”
His breath hitches. It’s quiet. Controlled. But I sense it.
His entire body loosens. Shoulders drop. His jaw unclenches.
Relief pours off him like heat.
His hand lingers on my cheek. He leans his forehead to mine, eyes closed. Mine close too.
And for a moment, I let myself revel in his presence, his warmth. The solid, quiet strength I’ve craved for five long years. It sinks into me like sunlight after a long winter.
I breathe him in, letting the scent of him settle in my lungs. For a heartbeat, everything else fades.
No past. No lies. No pain.
Just this.
Just him.
I step closer, winding my arms around his waist, and melt into him.
My heart has come home.
His arms slide around my waist, pulling me closer, anchoring me to him. Our noses brush gently against each other, and for a long moment, we stand there, unmoving.
“Farfalla,”he whispers, so much raw emotion swimming in that one word.
And like the name he gave me all those years ago, the butterflies in my stomach unfurl their wings and beat against the cage I’ve kept around my heart.
Every second I stay in his arms, the gravity between us intensifies.But I don’t want to lose control again like I did in the gym.
That was impulsive. He deserves better than that.
So, with more effort than I care to admit, I ease back and gesture toward the targets.
