It was more akin to a scene from a fairy tale than a bachelorpad.
“Your house isbeautiful.”
Luca climbed out, not giving the chauffeur time to open his door, and came round to my side. Retaking my hand in his, he helped me out before placing a large hand on the small of my back. Shivers erupted across my skin at the contact; I’d missed his touch.
The whole evening had left my mind reeling, but stepping into Luca’s home took it to another level.
Photographs of him and his mother hung on the walls, spanning from when they’d attended red carpet events together, back to when he was a child sitting on her lap. There were no photographs of his father, but lots of Luca, Jack, and, I guessed, Jack’s family—mainly at what looked like their summer camp.
Along the shelves of the warmly lit hallway sat movie memorabilia from the films he had starred in. Plants sprawled in many of the corners and decorated a few of the shelves, making the house feel homey and welcoming.
Speechless, I followed him as he led me toward the rear of the house. The dark oak floors were covered in soft, elegant rugs that cushioned each step, while traditional beams adorned the ceilings overhead, adding to the space’s charm.
As we stepped into the kitchen, I gasped, my voice a barely audible whisper.
“Luca.”
I instantly knew he had meant everything he’d said to the journalist earlier.
The space was dimly lit with a few lamps and hundreds of candles. They covered almost every surface—the kitchen island, the dining table, and the floor in front of the bi-fold doors, which stretched the entire length of the room. I had no idea how he had managed to light them all, but it was the most romantic thing I’d ever seen.
The table, which stood between the island and the doors out to the garden, was set for two. A massive platter of charcuterie, cheeses, bread, and olives covered almost the entire surface, and a freestanding wine chiller stood aside with a bottle of fizz inside.
Beyond the bi-fold doors, the garden was lit with thousands of sparkling lights, illuminating a lush lawn and pond.
My gaze returned to the room, and I covered my mouth with my palm, unable to accept what I was seeing. Luca turned to me, clasping my arm in his hand and pulling it away from my face. He held my gaze, a small, shy smile playing at the corner of his lips.
“Do you like it?” It was the first time since I’d known him that uncertainty clouded his usual confidence.
“I loveit.”
His eyes searched my face for a moment, looking for something.
“God, I wanted to wait, but I don’t think I can,” he murmured more to himself than to me. “Please—” He dragged a palm across his face. “I need to. Can I kiss you?”
“Yes,” I whispered, but our faces were already only centimeters apart, our lips connecting in a silent admission of what all this meant.
The kiss felt like liberation, acceptance, andlove. It felt like exposing yourself to someone, even the parts you didn’t like about yourself, and discovering it was worth fighting for anyway.
The weight on my shoulders vanished as Luca’s hand smoothed around my waist and pulled my body flush to his. My palms landed on his chest, savoring the feel of hard, muscled pecs beneath his suit jacket.
It was different from our other kisses. It wasn’t rushed, despite the desperation from both of us, but slow and sensual.
And it ended too soon.
Luca pulled away, pressing a chaste kiss on my lips, and steppedback. I couldn’t hide my playful smirk as he readjusted himself in his trousers.
He raised an eyebrow in challenge. I wisely didn’t comment on the bulge below his waist.
Spinning back to admire the most romantic room I’d ever seen, disbelief still soaring through my body, I flicked my gaze to Luca. “Did you honestly do this all forme?”
His only reply was a soft smile, and another raised eyebrow. Placing his hand on my back, he maneuvered me toward the dining table.
“How did you manage this, Luca? Please tell me you didn’t leave the candles burning while we were at the press event.”
“I made some calls. Admittedly, finding someone to prepare dinner with two hours’ notice wasn’t the easiest task. I stopped at a few different stores to buy the candles. I think the paparazzi might have caught some photos, too, so I’m glad I got you here before you saw any of them online. And I asked my housekeeper to light them. I texted him when we were leaving the event.”
I searched the room to see if I could find the housekeeper, but Luca added, “He’s gone to his house on the other side of the estate now.”
