Page 76 of Hard Lessons

“You said yes lots of times,” he said, lifting up a fraction and grinning.

“I’m pretty sure asking at the exact moment of orgasm is breaking the rules.”

“Mio amore, you know I’m a rule breaker.” He smiled. “And you’ve said yes now, no going back.”

She traced his jawline. “I don’t want to take my acceptance back. I meant it, every yes.”

“I’ll make you the happiest woman on Earth. I promise.”

He kissed across her cheek, to her neck, then over her collarbone.

Serena blinked up at the sun hanging in the watery blue sky. Whether Luca agreed to a new life on Hebridon or not, she knew she’d be his wife. Living without him wasn’t an option.

After a few minutes Luca pulled out. “Notice I carried you away from the sand.” He chuckled and tucked himself away.

Serena pulled her jeans on and straightened her t-shirt in. “Very considerate.”

“I didn’t want my wife-to-be getting sand in places sand has no right to be.” He laughed and tugged her to standing.

After wrapping his arm around her he kissed the top of her head. “We should go back to the cottage. Get that money tucked away somewhere safe.”

They walked back the way they’d come. Serena had a backward glance as they reached the steps. She couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to be proposed to by the man of her dreams. From now on this small curve of sand would be one of her most treasured places on Earth.

* * *

Once back in the cottage, Luca set to packing the money into the base of Serena’s bag again and tucking it under the bed. “It’s not ideal,” he said, “but it’s the best we can do for now.”

“It’s okay. We’re not going anywhere.”

He looked her up and down. She’d added a pink flowery apron to her outfit and donned a pair of yellow rubber gloves. “What are you doing?”

“This place needs a spring clean.” She sprayed polish onto the dresser. “And I don’t want to wreck these Gucci jeans.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Ah, okay. You carry on with that.”

“I will.” She sauntered out of the room humming a happy little tune.

Luca smiled to himself. He was one heck of a lucky man.

Soon he found himself fixing the hinge on a kitchen cupboard. The thing was an accident waiting to happen hanging on the way it was.

Serena was in the living room cleaning the window. Her humming had progressed to singing an old Italian song.

Luca thought his heart might burst with love. His whole body tingled with delight. She’d said yes. This amazing creature who surpassed every other person he’d ever met had agreed to be his, forever.

The sooner he got a ring on her finger the better.

He was sure she’d be up for that. A quick wedding. No fuss. A ceremony without the whole family there.

Wasn’t there a famous place in Scotland where couples ran away to get hitched? Gretna Green,si, that was it. He smiled and tightened a screw. Perhaps he’d suggest it. See what Serena thought.

And then what?

Hebridon.

The little island she had in her head was her idea of paradise. The perfect place to raise their family.

He couldn’t deny the thought of his days full of the sea breeze, honest work, home grown food and his wife and children’s laughter appealed to him more than he thought it would. Maybe he was getting old. Either that or his spell behind bars had shown him the bitter taste his lifestyle could leave in his mouth. That was a year he could never get back. A year he’d wasted by not being with Serena.

---