Dawn reached over for Annette’s hand, and they exchanged a smile.
“I don’t have any more concerns. Do you, Gran?”
“Nope. It sounds like you landed in a well-feathered nest.”
* * *
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. I think so.”
In Dawn’s living room, Luca was lying with his head on her lap. “You’re amazing, you know that?” He reached up and caressed her face.
She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Why, Mr. Fierro, are you flirting with me?”
He grinned. “I mean it. You’ve had such a tough life, and you—you have such a beautiful heart. You’re the most caring woman I have ever met. I love you, babe.”
“I love you back,” she whispered.
Luca reached up and pulled Dawn’s head down to his lips.
“You know what?” he asked between kisses.
“What?” she whispered.
“I think I fell in love with you the first moment I met you.”
“You did not.”
He sat up and faced her. “No, seriously. I think I did.”
“You thought I was a freak. And you were pining after Lisa.” She said the name in a mincing voice, making him chuckle.
“Well, maybe I thought I was still hung up on her. But I figured out she wasn’t the girl for me once I got to know you.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I really dodged a bullet there.”
“In more ways than one,” she replied. “Imagine having Sergeant Butts for a father-in-law.”
“No thanks.” He shook all over as if a shiver had just passed through him. “So…” He grinned.
“So?” She grinned back.
“I think we should stay together. I’d say something like ‘We make a good team,’ but that’s lame.”
“I know what you mean. And yes, I agree.”
He smiled. “When did you realize you loved me?”
“Hmm…” She leaned in close and touched his lips with her fingertips. “I think it was the first time you kissed me.”
He kissed her fingertips. “I think we should celebrate our first kiss.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“How should we celebrate? With a kiss?”
“We can start with a kiss. Then maybe a surprise?”
