“Oh,” I murmured.
“Did I mention how beautiful you are tonight?” he asked.
I glanced down at the deep green dress I was wearing. I had bought it on sale last year with an unexpected tip around the holidays. I had loved the simplicity of it and the way it looked on with the off-the-shoulder neckline and asymmetrical skirt. I had never worn it but had been grateful for the impulse buy as I slipped it on tonight. I wore my hair up, showing my neck, and Stefano was filled with effusive praise when he picked me up.
“You did. A few times.”
He leaned close, dropping a kiss to my neck. “Stunning,” he breathed out.
I shivered. He’d been looking at me as if I were the meal the entire time.
“Do you think Theo is okay with your mom?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
“He’ll be fine. Mama has my number if there is an issue. She’ll spoil him all night. She was making him ziti with extra meatballs. She baked cookies. She loves spending time with her grandkids.”
My wineglass froze partway to my mouth. “Theo isn’t—”
He cut me off. “She already adores him. He’s family to her now.”
I set down my glass. “Your entire family moves fast.”
He shrugged, waiting until the salads were in front of us before he spoke again. “Mama knows what loss is. She has always encouraged us to grab life and live it.” He pierced a forkful of lettuce. “She knows how I feel about you.”
I was quiet as I ate my salad.
“You seem too good to be true sometimes, Stefano.”
He wiped his mouth. “I’m hardly perfect, Gabby. But I try to be a good person. It’s easy with you.” He covered my hand with his, warm and strong. “You make it easy. You expect nothing and are always shocked by kindness.” He paused. “I assume whatever you left behind you didn’t include much of that?”
I set down my fork. “No.”
He studied me. “I’m not going to push. When you’re ready, I’ll listen.”
“Theo’s father and I—it wasn’t good. I left him. I had to protect Theo.”
“Good.”
“He wasn’t happy about it,” I confessed.
“I’m glad you’re out of it. I’m glad you’re here, with me.”
The soup arrived, and Stefano changed the subject. I was grateful, not wanting to talk about this in a public place. I knew I had to tell him, but part of me was scared to. He might decide that I, that we, were too much to handle and walk away.
The thought hurt me.
My phone rang, and I glanced at it, shaking my head and ignoring it. He noticed my frustration and lifted an eyebrow in a silent question.
“I must be on some sort of list,” I complained. “I keep getting hang-up or dead-air calls.”
Stefano grunted. “I hate those. I was getting them so much I ended up changing numbers. Best not to answer.”
“I don’t.”
“We can look into it, if you want.”
I sat back in wonder. “You just want to help with everything, don’t you?”
He shrugged. “When it comes to you, yes.” He met my gaze. “Is that a problem?”
“I’m not used to it. I had to learn not to rely on anyone but myself.”
“You don’t have to anymore,” he said gently. “It’s just going to take some time for you to get used to that.”
I wasn’t sure how to tell him I was afraid to get used to it. Worried that he might change his mind. Terrified if I told him how much I loved him back, he might still choose to walk away.
I couldn’t seem to find the words.
I wasn’t sure if I would ever be brave enough.
But I had to try.
STEFANO
Gabby gasped as she looked at the huge spa tub in the bathroom. The gleaming marble was bright under the lights, the pile of fluffy towels and the robes laid out beside it inviting.
She had been quiet during the last half of dinner. Smiling and responding to my questions, eating her meal and commenting on how delicious it was, but I saw the small furrow between her brow that kept returning. Felt the occasional tremor of nerves that came over her every so often. Something was on her mind. I had to figure out how to get her to reveal her thoughts to me. To open up and trust me completely. Anything less was unacceptable.
I slipped my arm around her waist. “Like that, Tesoro?”
“You could fit three people in there easily!”
I chuckled and bit her earlobe. “Not into sharing, but I bet we could play around in the water. Figure out how to use all the space.”
She giggled, the sound low and soft.
“Fill the tub,” I murmured in her ear. “Then I’ll give you something to compare with Charly when it comes to hotel sex.”
She was laughing as she bent over the tub, her pretty green dress riding up and showing me her shapely thighs and the bottom curve of her spectacular ass.