“Why not? The restaurant is ours for the night.”
I can’t help but smile as he pulls me up and into his arms. We sway gently to the distant music. His hands rest at my waist, careful and reverent.
“Sei Bellissima,” he says.
“What does that mean?”
“It means that you are beautiful.” He spins me gently, and I laugh. “You are carrying our child, and you’ve never been more magnificent.”
I purse my lips. “I don’t feel magnificent. I feel terrified and overwhelmed and—” I stop. “But I also feel hopeful.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, it is.” I lean into him, my head on his chest. “I think we might actually be able to make this work somehow.”
“We will,” he says, not a trace of hesitation to his voice. “Whatever it takes.”
We sway together in the candlelight.
“Take me home,” I whisper.
He looks at me, a curious expression on his face.
“Something wrong?”
“No, it’s perfect, in fact. But I can think of a way to make this night even better.”
His concern fades, a sensual smile spreading across his handsome face.
“Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 37
THEA
The partition is already up when we slide into the back of the limo.
Gabriel’s hands find mine right away, threading our fingers together as the car pulls out into evening traffic. City lights stream past us.
I glance down for a moment, letting my gaze linger on our intertwined hands.
“Thank you,” I say softly.
“Thank you? For what?”
“For tonight. For making me feel—" I trail off, not sure how to finish the sentence. “Normal. Happy. Like it’s just you and me.”
“Itisjust you and me.” He places his hand on my belly. I love when he does that. “For now, at least. The rest of the world is just a distraction.”
Then he lifts my hand to his lips, placing a kiss on my knuckles.
“You deserve everything,” he says. “Every good thing this world has to offer.”
Heat blooms low in my stomach at his words.
He leans closer, his free hand cupping my face. I close my eyes. When his lips touch mine, it’s so familiar, it’s like coming home to that same softness, that same scent, that same everything.
How did I live so long without it?
