I grin. “I love it when you do that.”
“And I loveyou.”
“What did you say?” I immediately pull back, trying to get a read on his expression. His eyes are wide, like he didn’t expect the words to fly out of his mouth, but he doesn’t correct himself.
“Did you say youloveme?” I whisper.
He simply nods. “I fell in love with you in Italy.”
“Love…” I test the word out on my tongue. The taste of it has me both elated and scared at the same time. Only two people have said that to me before, and I’m related to them. I study his face again. “Are you sure that it wasn’t the fact that we were in Italy and you were happier there? Maybe you should wait until after some time passes, now that we’re back in New York.”
He looks baffled. “You think I was happier because of the scenery? That it was the fuckingfig treesthat motivated me to fall in love with you?”
I look down nervously.
“I was happier in Italy because I was able tohold your hand. Not because of the setting. Eyes up here, Cara.”
Gio places a finger underneath my chin, tilting it up.
“I don’t say things I don’t mean.” He takes a deep breath. “But let me be clear about what I want.” A mix of love and amusement flickers in his eyes. “I want to iron your clothes, and I want to watch you draw. I want to make a shitty poster for your next marathon. I want to drench you in affirmations and drown out the negative voices in your head.” He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. “I wantyou. Or I want nothing at all.”
My eyes start to sting.
Gio lifts his hands to cradle my cheek, and a small worry line forms between his brows. “Is it too soon?”
I slowly shake my head, pressing my cheek into his left palm. “No.”
His blue eyes bore into mine knowingly. “You love me too, then?”
“Yeah,” I breathe. “I love you, Gio.”
He glances behind me and frowns. “I’m sorry we’re in a stairwell for this.”
“I don’t know… It kind of feels right.”
I can feel his smile as he presses his lips to mine in a kiss that’s almost poetic. Nuanced. What I love most about kissing Gio is that it’s never just one. He plants soft, small kisses along my jawline, followed by a quick one behind my ear.
I sigh and rest my head on his chest, breathing in the bergamot of his cologne. “So, what’s next for us?” I ask.
“What do you mean?”
I shrug. “You know. What should we do next?”
He pulls back slightly, not letting go of my waist but looking me in the eye. “Go back to my apartment and have sex.”
I roll my eyes. “Not that. I mean details-wise.”
Gio cocks an eyebrow. “…like a list?”
“Sure.”
“Okay. Get the food. Get our stuff. Check out. Drive to the apartment. Make you come at least twice. Late lunch, sex again, shower, talk you to sleep, wake up in the morning together…”
“Gio.” I give him a look.“Be serious.”
“Iambeing serious, Cara. I want to do all of that on repeat for as long as you’ll let me.”
I mentally stow away the first long-term promise he’s ever made me.
