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It was hard to ignore him Even if she really wanted to

The saleslady was off to wrap a few of their smaller purchases to take with theripping the ends of her scarf She jumped at the contact

“Nervous?”

If only he knew She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to suddenit She breathed away the adrenaline rush “I didn’t see you behind me”

“This is lovely The shade brings out the gray in your eyes”

“My eyes are ordinary blue”

She turned around to face hi at her, a serious expression clouding his eyes

“Your eyes, Mariella, are anything but ordinary,” he murmured, and before she could catch her breath, he dipped his head and touched her lips with his

Her fingers gripped his arh her His lips were soft as they explored her htly, their breathin the middle of a shop, but the noise faded away to a distant huain Her eyelids drifted closed and Luca’s free hand cupped her cheek

The tenderness of it made her want to weep

She hadn’t realized, hadn’t thought that the absence of affection had left such a huge hole She hadn’t wanted contact, or tenderness, or even kindness Hadn’t wanted to make herself vulnerable She still didn’t But when Luca touched her this way, kissed her this way, like she was precious, she craved ht

He broke the kiss when a car horn honked outside on the street

“Luca,” she whispered She’d come here to keep an eye on his purchases To ain Tomade

Only it had backfired She’d allowed his for his! She had to keep things level Luca wasn’t really interested in her, she wasn’t his type of wo rationally