Read Online All Wrapped Up by Braxton Cole - Free Book Online

bursts and ignited a fire deep inside. I stared into his eyes wondering what life with Luca would truly be like. Every night couldn't be as passionate and engulfing as this one. I told myself that, but so far, every night had proven to be just that. Luca had awoken a part of me that had been long dormant, a part of me that, prior to him, had been so deeply hidden I wasn't even aware I had it.
    Luca kissed me then, softly, reverently, and with so much tenderness it broke down my resistance. If he could lay himself bare like that, then I should, and could, be brave enough to acknowledge my feelings for him.
    “Before we go any further tonight--” Luca said before he swallowed heavily. He was gearing up to make a heartfelt speech. “There are a few things I need to say to you. First, it's not right for a man to tell his girlfriend's mom that he loves her before he tells his girlfriend. And it's even worse when he follows up with a text message as confirmation. I'm sorry for that. Mari, plainly and for the record, I love you. I love you so much that I smell your perfume when you're not with me. I hear your laugh when I'm alone. I picture your face and it makes me forget everything I'm doing. I love you completely and thoroughly. And I know with absolute certainty that I will love you for the rest of my life.”
    That was another thing I loved about him. He never half-assed anything. Emotion choked in my throat and all I could do was smile and nod. Tears threatened to fall and I was helpless to stop it.
    “You don't have to say it back. I know you love me. And I know you'll say it when you're ready. I've pushed for us to live together, but that's only because I can't wait to start the rest of my life with you. I don't want to be yours on weekends. I want to be a part of your life every day, starting now. I understand that you're not there yet, and I'm trying to be patient, but it’s very hard. I'm the type of man who grabs hold with both hands when I find what want. I want you, Mari. I want you so much I can barely think.”
    I wanted to say “I love you” back to him. The words were there, formed in my heart, but I just couldn't get them out. My throat was locked so tight that I couldn’t say anything. I just stood there nodding and smiling like an idiot.
    Luca pulled me into a hug. “I know, baby. I know.”
    Did he? Did he know how scared I was of all of this? Getting divorced was hard, but it didn't destroy me. I was mostly embarrassed to admit to failure. Luca was different. I was in so deep that it would devastate me to lose him. What would happen when I said it, when I gave all that emotion a name and admitted to how I felt? Just the thought of losing him crippled me. I wouldn't be able to cope with the reality. And there was one thing I was absolutely certain about: people change, emotions change. He loved me now, I believed that. But that didn't mean he would love me ten years from now. There was no way for him to promise the future. It was undeliverable.
    “We should eat.” Luca stepped back to a respectful distance. “Can you sit?”
    The plug had been in so long at that point I'd almost forgotten about it. My ass no longer panged when I moved wrong or shifted in just the wrong way in my chair. It wasn't comfortable, not by a long shot, but I no longer had an internal voice screaming Out! Out! Out! Get it out now!
    “I can.”
    Luca held out my chair and I settled into place to watch as he gathered the pieces of the meal and readied them to serve.
    “Wine?” Luca held up a bottle of Syrah that I'd tried once before while out to dinner with him. It was quite good. I loved that he remembered even though he'd preferred his beer over my wine.
    “Not tonight.” For the first time in weeks, I wanted a clear head. After Luca’s declaration of love, it would have been cowardly for me to dive into yet another bottle of wine.
    “Very well, I'll drink water with you.” Luca returned the wine to the rack and his