“What?” Luca stares at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Your wife asked you to kiss her.” The photographer doesn’t have the slightest clue that we’re unhappily married. He snaps another picture, but I can only imagine Luca looks constipated or fed up with me.
Either way, the photographs aren’t going to be usable.
A sigh slips past Luca’s lips, and then I feel his breath mingle with mine, hovering but waiting.
I drag my fingers through his hair, and his eyes close. There’s a deep sadness, and it helps not to feel it staring back at me.
I lean in, kissing him, needing a taste, hoping that he’ll play along instead of push me away.
The kiss is tentative at first, soft, curious.
His body melts against mine, the icy exterior crumbling away as he pulls me tighter, closer, kissing me deeply.
I hear the snap, snap, snap of the camera.
Luca breaks the kiss and glares at the photographer. “We’re not giving you a free show,” he growls.
A faint smile spreads across my lips. Even if Luca is pretending to be in love with me, I’ll take it. His words make my tummy flutter and my body tingle.
Luca’s thumb grazes my bottom lip, his gaze on my mouth.
My heart quickens, and my senses are overwhelmed. Does he want to kiss me again?
How easily it would be to lose myself in him.
I’ve missed kissing him, touching him, falling into bed with him.
The photographer glances through his camera roll, pausing and zooming in. “I think a few of these will do. Unless you want another few shots? We can call it if you’re both satisfied.”
Luca untangles from my embrace and stalks over. “Let me see the photos.”
The photographer flips through the photos on the digital screen, and Luca’s jaw is tight. The latter images must be better than the first ones that we took.
Even Luca seems to relax as he reviews them and sees they’re not all bad.
“We’re done.” Luca turns and heads out of the room. It seems he’s leaving me behind until he turns at the door and glances over his shoulder. “Are you coming?” He’s short and still a bit testy.
Jealous?
Is that what’s seeping out after the compliment the photographer gave me?
“Of course.” I smile and follow after Luca.
Just outside the room, Paige and Nikki are entertaining Zeke, rolling a ball back and forth with him, which seems to be holding his interest.
That is until he sets his sights on me. “Mama!” Zeke leaves the ball behind and hurries over, stumbling as he throws himself at me, tripping over the hemline of the gown and the train, which has curled up under my feet without anyone’s help walking around.
I bend down, lifting Zeke into my arms. “Were you good for Mama?” I ask, hoping Nikki and Paige would be honest with me.
“He’s always a delight.” Nikki stands and rubs at Zeke’s back as I hold him. “Makes me miss when Luca was that little.”
Zeke buries his hands in my chest and then his face, closing his eyes.
Paige stands from the floor with a yawn and stretches. “I think someone is ready for a nap—Zeke.” She’s quick to clarify when her yawn reminds me that I’m exhausted too.
“Did you sleep all right?” Nikki glances from Zeke to me.
