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“I know you’ve been hurt badly” Her eyes widened but he continued in that same, soft, hypnotic tone “I can see it in you I realized it after that day in the attic I won’t hurt you, Mari We’ll keep our eyes open I promise”

He lifted his hand and his fingers disappeared beneath her hair Her breath caught as she fought against the urge to lean into the pressure of his hand Luca kept his promises Eyes open

“Beautiful Mari I cannot deny there is so between us I feel it You feel it, too We both felt it today, in the meadow I could see it in your eyes But the difference is we set the limits We set the boundaries”

“I can’t sleep with you, Luca” It came out on a rush of breath

A smile teased his mouth “Perhaps a kiss”

He was close enough now that she had to tip her chin up to ertips h her hair “Kiss”

“Surely you’ve kissed before?”

Mari’s insides tre time Not without utter fear

“A time or two”

His face was so close his breath wares of his jacket Surely, if she could h a first kiss, it would all be fine “Kiss me, Mariella”

Their gazes held for a second He aiting for her, she realized He understood she’d been hurt and he was letting her make the firsther around Noas giving her the power and it made him even more difficult to resist

She leaned into his hand, tilted her face up, and with her heart in her throat, touched her lips to his

For a split second she let the Their eyes were open, and the connection between the it rocked her core His lips aro of the jacket and rested a hand against his heart and she felt the thunder beneath her palm

The si Her breath ca it gently to the side and he opened his lips Her lashes fluttered shut The kiss was deliberate but soft, easing into the passion slowly, building the fire with teasing nips

For the first ti her old life behind, she threw caution to the wind, wrapping her ar him closer

The ed His hand swept froue swept into her ainst him The jacket fell from her shoulders to the floor of the terrace and his hands warmed her skin as they roamed over the bare flesh of her arms

Glory

He broke off the kiss, resting his forehead against hers