Luke pulled away slowly, reluctantly. Next to us, his father raised an eyebrow and his grandmother smiled sweetly, while I choked on my own spit and dropped my head to Luke’s chest. Hiding behind my curls didn’t help with my heated cheeks.
“You didn’t tell me we weren’t alone,” I muttered under my breath.
Luke chuckled. “There are a lot more people here than just my family, Red Cheeks. Come on, I’ll take your bags.”
He looked around for my suitcase with a furrowed brow.
“About that,” I huffed. “I think I lost my luggage.”
“You mean, the airline lost your luggage,” Luke specified. “What did they tell you?”
I sucked my lower lip into my mouth and stared at our feet. “I... ah... didn’t ask.”
The soft brush of Luke’s lips on my forehead relaxed my tensing muscles. “I’ll take care of it, Haylee. Stay here.”
He handed me off to his grandmother, who pulled me into a hug of her own, and I saw him strolling toward an info desk with the confidence I’d been lacking.
“Ciao,” I said awkwardly, dragging my eyes from Luke’s back to his family. “I’m sorry, I still don’t really speak Italian.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll pick it up in no time,” Luke’s father replied with a grin.
Nonninudged him. “You scare the girl away, then Luke is heartbroken again. We speak English.”
“I am not so easily scared.” Not after the kiss Luke welcomed me with. My lips tugged up in a smile. I couldn’t wait to kiss him again.
My eyes drifted over to the info desk again, searching for him. His fingers tapped the desk as the woman behind it confirmed something on the phone. As if feeling my eyes on him, Luke turned his head and winked at me. I raised my palm to my heated cheeks as if that would help to cool them.
“Belle guance rosse,”Nonniscolded me, pulling my hand away from my face. “Be proud of your nickname.”
“Guance rosse,” I repeated. “Is that ‘red cheeks?’”
“One and the same.”
“They can’t find it,” Luke confirmed what I’d already feared once he got back. He took over carrying my small travel bag and pulled me to his side as he led our small group towards the exit. “It’s all right, you can wear my T-shirts and shorts until they figure out what went wrong.”
He leaned in closer to my ear, and his breath tickled the delicate skin as he whispered much quieter. “An image I’ve been thinking of for the past fifteen minutes.”
“Okay. As long as you’re fine with it.”
“More than fine.”
Warm air greeted us when we stepped outside, easing some of my headache, and I sighed blissfully.
“I’ll take you shopping if there’s anything you need,” Luke said, dodging the mayhem of people trying to find their way wherever they needed to get.
“Like underwear,” I blurted.
“Hmm, you won’t need underwear where we’re going, but sure.”
“Sure.” I giggled uncontrollably.
“I’ll take good care of you, Haylee. I promise.” His arm squeezed me tighter to his side. We’d reached where they’d parked the car, but he was reluctant to let me go. “Your bag will be delivered to the farm once they find it. They have my address.”
I pouted. “Everyone but me seems to have your address.”
“You don’t need my address, Haylee. You have my heart.”
“You have my heart, too,” I whispered.
Luke kissed me softly, before he threw his keys to his father and dragged me onto the back seat. I melted against his side and rested my head on his shoulder, listening to the car roaring to life.
“Let’s take you home, love.” Luke murmured, kissing my hairline.
The rocking of the car lulled me further into relaxation, and I closed my eyes, rubbing my cheek against Luke’s shirt.
“I am already home,” I sighed happily.
The End
