“Honestly, I don’t understand how you can like Darcy so much,” he said, breaking the comfortable silence.
I lifted my eyes from the book and looked at him over my shoulder, frowning in mock indignation.
“What? How can younotunderstand? He’s perfect, Enrico. Practically the ideal prototype of a man.”
He chuckled softly, shaking his head as he kept reading.
“He’s rude, Valentina. And way too arrogant. I’ve never understood this female obsession with Darcy.”
“He’s proud, not arrogant,” I corrected immediately. “And that’s exactly what makes it so incredible when he finally admits his mistakes and shows who he really is.”
Enrico raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Ah, now I get it. You like the transformation. The man who starts off kind of an idiot and then turns out to be amazing.”
I nudged him lightly with my elbow, laughing as he pretended to be wounded.
“Exactly, Ferrara. The transformation is the most important part. And by the way, you should pay close attention to that detail. You might learn something.”
He laughed again, his eyes glinting with provocation.
“Not that I’m proud of it, but if the secret to winning you is starting out as an idiot and then becoming incredible, I think I pretty much aced that test.”
I bit my lip to hold back a laugh—but failed. It burst out of me, shaking my shoulders.
“Apparently, you’re still in the ‘idiot’ phase,” I shot back, and he laughed too.
His lips brushed my cheek, and I sighed. God, that felt good.
“As long as the ending is winning you, I’m fine with it.”
I smiled sweetly and tilted my head back slightly to look at him.
“Maybe I’ll need a few more literary demonstrations like this to be absolutely sure. How aboutSense and Sensibilitynext?”
Enrico rolled his eyes dramatically, sighing as he pulled me a little closer.
“Why do I get the feeling that afterSense and Sensibility, you’re going to ask for yet another literary demonstration, Valentina Ferrara?”
It was the first time he’d called me that—or at least the first time I noticed.
And it sounded… right.
I laughed softly, relaxing against his chest as I turned back to the open book in my hands.
“You have no idea what’s waiting for you.”
I felt his warm breath against my neck as he replied gently, his voice heavy with meaning:
“I can’t wait to find out, my love.”
We fell into a comfortable silence as we both read.
It didn’t last long.
“But let’s be honest, Valentina—this guy spends half the book dragging things out before admitting what he feels. He could’ve made everyone’s life easier by just saying it from the start,” he said, his voice low and laced with that teasing tone that always unsettled me.
I rolled my eyes, laughing softly as I shifted closer.
