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She glanced down She was a little e the yellow dress underneath—the one he’d caught her dancing in But she tilted her chin toward hireen raincoat and handed it to him Matteo left her coat over one of the leather chairs then held out his hand toward her again There was a flicker in his eyes and the corners of his mouth turned upward as his eyes took in her yellow dress

He led her down the corridor to the atriu his phone fro some buttons

There was a gleam in his eyes “I added a little extra to the house in the last few days”

She frowned and looked around She couldn’t see anything different “What?”

Gentle music filled the air around them The music from Phoebe’s favorite musical She couldn’t help but smile

“May I have this dance?” Matteo asked

“Do you knohat you’re doing?” she asked

He raised his eyebrows “Around you? Apparently not But I’ out”

She was holding her breath as she slid her hand into his “I believe you need to start on the stairs,” he said as he led her up the curved staircase, then stood a little underneath her

It was silly It was ridiculous But it was exactly what she’d dreamed of Matteo was just underneath her He wasn’t in a suit—just a simple pair of dress trousers and white shirt

This time when he looked up at her there were no shadows in his eyes—only sincerity His gaze was fixed entirely on her

Her heart was playing a pitter-patter kind of tune in her chest It had taken three years to kiss soain It had taken three years for her to find the courage to step onto a plane again—and whether he believed it or not, Matteo had given her the boost to do that But was she really ready to give her heart away again?

The music was infectious Her body started to sway in ti her the whole time She moved up and down the staircase but as she reached the last few steps Matteo held out his arly at her waist, the other held her hand tightly as he started to htly to him as he swept her around the atriu this, every day, for the rest of your life?”

Her footsteps slowed “How can I trust you, Matteo? What do you have to give me?”

He didn’t hesitate “My heart It’s yours Forever I hadn’t realized that I needed to learn to trust To open the shutters To put myself out there So, I’m here now My heart From this point on, we’re family You and me For always”

Phoebe snaked her hands around his neck “I ht have some conditions”