69 | I might ask for the moon
The car hums to a stop outside the Costa mansion, its towering silhouette stark against the twilight sky, but for once, it doesn't feel like a cage.
My skin's still warm from the sun, my dress carrying the faint scent of salt from our picnic on that hidden beach, Luciano's secret place.
I step out of the car, my sandals soft against the gravel, and Luciano's right beside me, his hand finding mine like it's the most natural thing in the world.
My heart's bubbling, a fizzy, unfamiliar joy that makes me want to laugh, to spin, to dance, because today was real,we were real.
I really went on a date with him.
I can't quite believe it happened, that I'm here, holding his hand, feeling something other than fear or anger for the first time in what feels like forever.
We walk inside the mansion, the grand foyer full of shiny marble floors and sparkling chandeliers, but I barely notice any of it.
All I can feel is Luciano's thumb gently brushing my hand as we head up the staircase.
The floor feels cool under my feet, but I can't stop noticing him, his dark suit jacket over one shoulder, his swim trunks gone, replaced with slacks.
Just being near him makes something warm and bright bloom in my chest.
Our hands swing lightly between us, and I steal a glance at him, catching the way his lips curve, soft and unguarded, like he's feeling it too.
"Did you like the date?" he asks, his voice low, a touch hesitant, like he's bracing for me to pull away, to say it was a mistake and to drink my sorrows away.
I look up, meeting his dark eyes and a smile breaks across my face, unstoppable.
"Of course," I say, my voice lighter than I've heard it in months. "I loved it, Luciano. I wish... I wish we'd done this sooner."
He stops on the stairs, turning to face me, and his grip on my hand tightens, just enough to make my pulse skip.
"Sooner?" he echoes, his brow lifting, a teasing glint in his eyes. "You mean before I dragged you into this mess of a marriage when you were in a coma?"
"Yeah," I say, tilting my head, my smile softening. "Before all the lies, the fights, the... everything. We could've had picnics by the beach instead of fights."
His expression shifts, and he steps closer, the space between us shrinking until I can feel his warmth, smell the faint cedar of his cologne.
"I'd have taken you every day," he says, his voice dropping into a whisper. "If I'd known you'd look at me like that, smile like that, I'd have stolen you away to every hidden place I know."
My cheeks heat and I try to hide my face away from him, but he lifts my chin with a gentle finger, forcing me to meet his gaze.
"Don't hide," he murmurs, his thumb brushing my jaw, and it's so tender it steals my breath. "I want to see you, Aurelia."
I swallow, my heart pounding, because this is so different from the darkness we've lived in these past months.
"It was perfect," I clear my throat. "The date, the beach, the food, just... being with you. I didn't know it could feel like that."
He smiles, a slow, radiant thing that makes my chest ache, and starts walking again, tugging me up the stairs.
"You liked the cannoli best, admit it," he teases, glancing back, his eyes dancing.
"Okay, maybe," I concede, squeezing his hand. "But only because you remembered I love them. How'd you even know that?"
"I notice you," he says simply, and the words land heavy, true, making my heart skip. "Every little thing, Aurelia. The way you bite your nails when you're nervous, the way you steal extra sugar packets for your strawberry tea-"
I stop this time, halfway up the staircase, and he turns, his brow furrowing.
"What?" he asks, a flicker of worry in his voice, like he thinks I'm pulling away.
"Nothing," I say, but my smile's wide, unstoppable, because I'm happy for the first time in so long it feels like a miracle.
"It's just... you. Saying things like that. It makes me feel—" I pause, searching for the word, my free hand gesturing vaguely. "Bubbly. Like I'm floating and I don't ever want to land on the ground again."
His eyes soften, and he steps closer, his hand sliding to my waist, anchoring me.
"You deserve to feel that way," he says, his voice low, fierce. "Every day, if I can help it."
My throat tightens, because I see the truth in his eyes, the devotion.
"I want it too," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared, Luciano, but today... today was good. Better than good. It was fucking amazing."
He smiles before pulls me up the last few steps, our hands still tangled.
"Then we'll have more," he says, like it's a promise, a vow. "Beaches, picnics, whatever you want. Just say it, and it's yours."
I laugh, leaning into him as we reach the landing, the hallway stretching toward our room.
"Careful," I tease, glancing up at him, my eyes sparkling. "I might ask for the moon."
"Then I'll get you the moon," he says, his voice rough with want, and he stops, turning to face me, his free hand cupping my cheek. "Anything, Aurelia. For you."