“Is that them?” Prescott asks.
“Yes.” I’m going to cry again.
Prescott waves. “Hey, guys.”
I walk toward them. Leo shoves the flowers at Alessio, who barely catches them before the boy starts running toward me. I run too so I can meet him faster. I drop to my knees to give him a proper hug, and I hold him tightly.
He squeezes me back. “Hey, Lake, look.” He pulls back and points, his blue eyes as clear as the sea. “My uncle got you a bunch of flowers. It’s one for every day we missed you.”
I look up at Alessio, who hasn’t moved from his spot.
“Prescott, this is Leo. Leo, this is my little brother. I hope you can show him around.”
“I will.” Leo shakes Prescott’s hand, and since they’re both nice boys, I’m sure they’ll get along fine.
I walk to Alessio, who holds the flowers between us. I lean in and sniff them.
“They smell nice,” I say.
He offers them, and I accept, moving them to the side so I can stand in front of him. Alessio appears guarded, maybe even unsure of what to expect. His blue eyes seem darker than I remember them, as if they hold shadows or pain now. That makes two of us.
The world around us buzzes with energy, but we stand still. It occurs to me that Alessio won’t make the first move, or he would have already. I glance down at his clenched fists and hope I read the body language correctly. I think he’s holding back from grabbing me and kissing me silly. By not doing that, he’s allowing me to control the moment. If that’s the case, and I’m pretty sure it is, I appreciate the gesture.
I take the end of his scarf and bring it to my nose. God, this man smells good. “Alessio, if you don’t bend to kiss me, I’ll have to fetch a ladder and climb you like a tree.”
Alessio scoops me up, and I press my lips to his. If the kids weren’t watching, I’d stick my tongue into his mouth right now. But the boys stare like two curious birds, so I pull back, then kick my feet. “Your hair grew back.”
“It happens,” he says. “Welcome home.”
I swallow. “Thank you.”
Alessio puts me down and turns to Prescott, who’s blushing, probably because he’s never seen me happy with a man, and the affection feels strange to him.
“I’m Alessio, Leo’s uncle.” He takes off his glove to shake Prescott’s hand, and my little brother squares his shoulders when he introduces himself.
“Nice to meet you, sir. Thank you for having us.”
“My pleasure. Are you ready for the carriage ride?”
“Heck, yes.”
We walk through the lobby of the Giulia Angelini Airport, which is decorated with a large silver-and-blue Christmas tree. Christmas music plays softly in the background.
“You noticed I sent a one-way ticket, correct?”
“Yes, Alessio.” I slide my hand into his. He’s wearing leather gloves, and the leather on my bare skin turns me on. I squeeze his hand.
We walk outside, where Alessio’s coachman, Nicolo, waits for us in a carriage covered in Christmas lights. The horses have antlers on their bridles. The massive tree on the lawn outside twinkles, and everywhere I look, there are decorations.
Prescott sighs. “This place is magical.” He approaches one horse and extends his hand. The horse nudges his fingers briefly, and Prescott smiles. It’s good to see my brother happy. As the boys load into the carriage and Leo answers all the things Prescott is curious about, Alessio stands beside the carriage, waiting for me to climb in.
I tug his coat, asking him to bend so I can whisper in his ear. “I didn’t say anything to Prescott about the one-way tickets because I’m not sure he’ll want to stay with me. Maybe he’ll want to go back to the US and stay with my aunt. I want him to have a say in the matter.”
Alessio nods and offers me his hand. I take it and climb in the carriage, and he sits across from me. His gaze is intense, more intense than I remember it. Or maybe in the months we’ve been apart, I forgot how beautiful this man is, and now that I’m back in his presence, I’m smitten all over again.
Nevertheless, the intense way he looks at me makes me drop my gaze. Heat rises to my cheeks when he smirks.
“Did you miss the island?” he asks.
