This was probably going way too fast but she couldn’t stop it. And what else was new? Their heads were swimming and both were going under. She wanted him, desperately wanted to be with Harry.
Or whatever his name was.
Chapter 23
Then
‘You really don’t have to keep coming here,’ Colette argued for the thousandth time. ‘I’m fine now.’ She sat rigidly on the tatty old sofa in the living room, while Luca brought her food.
She appreciated his efforts but she was sure the man had better things to do.
When Luca smiled it was like the clouds opening on an overcast day, and suddenly the sun came through in full force, making everything brighter.
Colette couldn’t help but study him as he moved. He was so cool and authoritative in everything he did. The way he walked with long calm strides. The controlled way he moved to unpack the tray of food he’d brought with him.
However, what really got her was the way he looked ather.His dark eyes seemed to peel back all of her defences and cut straight through to what was beneath.
‘I told you, I will be here until you are fully recovered,’ Luca insisted as he set a glass of water on a side table and took a seat on the sofa next to her. ‘Besides, I promised my aunt I would look after you. I would be in big trouble if I didn’t.’
Colette smiled. Yes, Mama Elene was sweet but fierce, she’d seen that much for herself. ‘I’m guessing she can be a bit of a drill sergeant,’ she joked.
‘I always thought her more of a general,’ Luca said as he set the tray on her lap and carefully arranged everything out in front of her. Colette had never been so well looked after in her entire life. Not even her mother had been this attentive when she was a child.
‘There is another reason I come,’ he said then.
‘What’s that?’
His dark eyes brightened a little as she met his gaze. ‘You.’
Colette felt as if her head was about to explode. She must have misunderstood. ‘What do you mean?’
He smiled again and took her hand in his. ‘I mean that I want to get to know you better, my English rose.’
‘I don’t understand,’ she said, slowly removing her hand from his. ‘Why?’
Her question seemed to amuse him as Luca began to chuckle. ‘You really don’t see yourself, do you?’
Her brow furrowed at his odd response. What did he mean she didn’t see herself?
‘Why wouldn’t I want to get to know you?’ he asked. He folded his arms over his chest and adjusted where he sat to make himself more comfortable. ‘Tell me. I’d love to hear it.’
Colette could feel the heat rising up through her body and she could only imagine what hue her cheeks had taken on as she fumbled for the right response to his question.
‘I’m just … not the kind of person someone like you notices,’ she began with a shrug of her shoulders.
‘And what kind of person do you think you are?’
That was a loaded question. Colette had to think for a moment. ‘Well, I’m not particularly outgoing, or gregarious like, say, Annie,’ she began. ‘And I’m not worldly or beautiful like Kim,’ she added softly. ‘I’m just … simple, I suppose.’
Luca smiled. ‘Usually the simplest things are the best things.’
Colette couldn’t help the reaction his response had on her. A large smile spread across her face.
‘And you’re wrong,’ he added a moment later.
‘About what?’
‘You are beautiful,’ he replied as he curled a strand of her hair around his finger and forced her chin up with another so that their eyes met. ‘Don’t ever say or think that you aren’t.’
