Luca’s voice startled me,and I dropped the box on the floor. I scrambled to grab it and shove it back in the suitcase.
“Babe?”
“Uh . . . yeah. Yeah. Do you even have to ask?” I shouted as I walked out of the closet only to find Luca standing all naked chef in the doorway. He’d already put on an apron. Post-sex cooking always called for an apron to avoid possible grease injuries.
“Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” Luca eyed me suspiciously.
“I saw a spider.”
“No,you didn’t.” He looked behind me as if a giant monster was about to jump out.
“Yeah, but don’t worry,I got’em.”
Luca nodded,blowing out a breath. “I hope you used one of your shoes.”
“Of course! Now chop-chop!” I grabbed his shoulders and turned him around,giving his delicious rear a slap. “Mama needs asammie.”
Luca tried to look stern but ended up smiling over his shoulder.
I crawled into bed and tried to calm my racing heart.
He has a ring.
Luca has a ring.
He’s going to propose.
I waited forcommitmentpanic to set in.
A minute went by, then another.
I sat in our bed,waiting for ultimate dread to wash over me, but it never came.
Eventually, Luca came in carrying a tray with a couple of glasses of water and some sandwiches.
“I cut up an extra apple and warmed up some of that dipping sauce you like so much and—Why are you smiling like that?”
I traced my fingers over my lips. Sure enough,a smile wide enough to split my face was front and center. “Because I love sandwiches,and I love you.”
Atthat moment,I knew I wasn’t scared. In fact, it wasn’t only that I wasn’t scared, but that I was fucking excited. I couldn’t wait to marry Luca Moretti.
Giddy and ready for more of my soon-to-be husband, I crawled to the edge of the bed and took the tray from his hands, setting it on the floor. “Before I eat that, there’s something else I want to taste.”
The front of his apron failed to hide his growing interest in my hunger.
“The chef in me wants to point outthe food will get cold, but the man in me wants to wrap your hair around my hand and give you exactly what you’re hungry for.”
“Let’s go withoptiontwo.”
* * *