Page 31 of His Innocent's Passionate Awakening

She smiled, her eyes bright, her cheeks flushed pink. ‘Rosa brought me. I wanted to be with you. I forced myself to get here. I can’t say it was easy. It was awful, actually. But I kept doing the slow breathing thing and somehow I made it.’

Luca gathered her close to his chest, breathing in the flowery scent of her hair where it tickled his chin. He was overcome with emotion, thinking about the effort it must have cost her to stare down her fears.

For him?

Fears she had lived with for ten years and she had pushed through them to get to his side. To be with him while he faced the very real possibility of losing his grandfather. He wasn’t sure how it made him feel...awed, honoured, touched in a way he had rarely been touched. He was used to having entirely transactional relationships with people. He took what he wanted and they did too.

But Artie had given him something no one had ever done before—her complete trust.

‘You were very brave, mia piccola. It’s so good to have you here.’ He held her apart from him to smile down at her, a locked space inside his chest flaring open. ‘I still can’t believe it.’ He brushed his bent knuckles down her cheek. ‘Nonno will be so pleased to meet you.’

Her forehead creased in concern. ‘How is he? Did you get to speak to him before—?’

‘Yes, he’s in Theatre, or maybe in Recovery by now.’ Luca took both of her hands in his. ‘I’ve missed you.’

‘I’ve missed you too.’ Her voice whisper-soft, her gaze luminous.

He released her hands and gathered her close again, lowering his mouth to hers in a kiss that sent scorching streaks of heat shooting through his body. She pressed herself closer, her mouth opening to the probe of his tongue. Tingles went down the backs of his legs, blood thundered to his groin, rampant need pounding in his system. Her lips tasted of strawberries and milk with a touch of cinnamon, her little gasps of delight sweet music to his ears and fuel for his desire. A desire that burned and boiled and blistered with incendiary heat right throughout his body in pummelling waves. How could one kiss do so much damage? Light such a fire in his flesh?

Because it was her kiss.

Her mouth.

Her.

Luca lifted his mouth off hers to look down at her flushed features and shimmering eyes. ‘If we weren’t in my grandfather’s hospital room, I would show you just how much I’ve missed you right here and now.’

Her cheeks went a delightful shade of pink. ‘I’ve sent Rosa back home. It’s okay for me to stay with you, isn’t it?’

Luca smiled. ‘I can think of nothing I’d like more. My villa is only half an hour from here.’

She stroked his face with her fingers, sending darts of pleasure through his body. ‘Thank you for helping me move past my fear. I know it’s still early days, and I know I’ll probably have lots of setbacks, but I feel like I’m finally moving in the right direction.’

Luca tucked a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear, feeling like someone had spilled warm honey into his chest cavity. ‘I’m so proud of you right now. The first steps are always the hardest in any difficult journey.’

Artie toyed with the open collar of his shirt, her eyes not quite meeting his. ‘I found it helped to shift my focus off myself and put it on you instead. I knew you wanted me with you and I wanted to be with you too. So, so much. That had to be a bigger driver than my fear of leaving the castello. And thankfully, it was.’

Luca framed her face in his hands, meshing his gaze with hers. ‘Once Nonno is out of danger, I am going to introduce you to everything you’ve only dreamed of until now.’

She wound her arms around his neck and stepped up on tiptoe to plant a soft kiss to his mouth. ‘I can hardly wait.’

* * *

A short time later, Luca’s grandfather was wheeled back into the room. Artie held on to Luca’s hand, feeling nervous at meeting the old man for the first time. She had met so few people over the last decade and had lost the art of making small talk. But she drew strength from having Luca by her side and basked in his pride in her for making it to the hospital. Something had shifted in their relationship, a subtle shift that gave her more confidence around him. He might not love her but he wanted her with him and that was more than enough for now.

It had to be enough.

Her love for him might seem sudden, but wasn’t that how it happened for some people? An instant attraction, a chemistry that couldn’t be denied, an unstoppable force. Luca didn’t believe himself capable of loving someone, but then, she hadn’t believed herself capable of being able to leave the castello. But she had left. She had found the courage within to do so. Would it not be the same for him? He would need to find the courage to love without fear.

Nonno groaned and cranked one eye open. ‘Luca?’

Luca moved forward, taking Artie with him. He took his grandfather’s hand in his. ‘I’m here, Nonno. And so is Artie.’

The old man turned his head on the pillow and his sleepy gaze brightened. ‘Ah, my dear girl. I’m so glad to meet you in person. I hope you’ll be as happy with Luca as I was with my Marietta.’

Artie stepped closer. ‘Buongiorno, Signor Ferrantelli. It is so lovely to meet you face to face.’

The old man grasped her hand. ‘Call me Nonno. You’re family now, sì?’

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