Now she had to remember how to act on a date. She hadn't had one of those in a long time that went well. It should help that she’d already agreed to marry him, but the zip in her pulse told herotherwise.
Lucio's arm went around her waist as he pulled her from the back to stand hand in hand with him beneath the sun. With luck, this was truly theirbeginning.
6
Amy's eyeswidened when they stepped onto the balcony area of the restaurant. A half-dozen white linen-covered tables were empty, yet the candles were all lit to create romance in in the dim interiorlight.
She walked further onto the wooden flooring and realized the light sound of rain wasn't coming from the clear blue sky. She rushed to the railing and peered over the side at water rushing over the edge. Her gaze feasted on the beautiful natural display. She turned to Lucio. "Awaterfall?"
He came beside her and folded his hands over the grooved rail cap. "Yes. I thought you might likeit."
The water fell from a small ledge of the hill into the pool below, crashing onto smooth rocks. She scooted closer to Lucio, her shoulder to his strong arm, and said, "It'sbeautiful."
He placed his hand on hers and tugged her backward. She followed. "It's still early and the owners were nice enough to close the balcony for ourlunch."
Kind, sure, but no doubt Lucio had paid. The idea that he’d been so thoughtful brought her to tears. He led her toward a table where they could still see the waterfall. He pulled out her chair for her and she sat, unfolding her napkin until he joined her. Once he was beside her, she smiled. "I should thankthem."
"After you try the food." He winked and sat back in his chair, completely sure ofhimself.
Wait staff brought out glasses of water and a white wine. She pressed her lips together, not sure she could eat a bite, but then the appetizer in the center of the table tickled her nose. Delicate golden pieces of chicken covered in a sauce that smelled like honey. Her stomach rolled. She picked up her wine, sipped and sat back without tasting amorsel.
"Lucio, I'm too nervous to eatmuch."
He leaned closer, his expression warm with compassion rather than brooding and dark. "Why are younervous?"
Her heart began to beat faster. She balanced the base of her glass on her lap and stared into the clear depths of wine. "Because it's been a long time since I went on a date." She peeked into his eyes. She let out a sigh and held the glass higher. "The last one went so bad, I decided not to look for six months and just enjoy my time with friends withoutpressure."
She sipped the moscato and hoped that could be the end of theconversation.
"Whathappened?"
Right. She put her glass down on the table and let her fingers trail on the linen as she avoided eye contact. "I went out with an octopus." The memory of him groping her legs and thigh replayed in her mind and she shivered and hugged her waist. "He had his hands everywhere. I ended up texting my friend Suzie—she came to the restaurant and took mehome."
Lucio slowly leaned back, sipped his wine and waited until she settled in her seat and could look at him. Once she did, his eyes seemed softer. "Suzie sounds like a goodfriend."
She lowered her lashes and remembered the ride home and how Suzie had been so angry at the guy she’d threatened to go back and punch him. Amy nodded, "Yeah, she is, though she chided me to never go on a first date in the guy's car, and to meet somewhere safe in the future where I had a cleangetaway."
Amy laughed and pictured how different the whole thing would have been if she'd been beside Lucio that night. He was a truegentleman.
Every light touch of his set her on fire. "I swore I would be more cautious and yet here I am, with you. Stillnervous."
He sat straight. "I hope I haven't touched youindecently."
The way her body reacted to him meant that was impossible. She shook her head and stared into his mesmerizing gaze. "The opposite." Her voice lowered. "I've been thinking aboutus."
He leaned so close that the smell of his almond spice aftershave made her trembleinside.
"And?"
She put her glass down and locked her gaze to his. "We haven't evenkissed."
He moved his hand near hers, but didn't touch. She could feel his body heat get under her own skin. "Do you want me to kiss you,Amy?"
Perhaps the heat was all her. Her face felt like it was on fire but she told the truth. "I'd like to know if there is any chemistry." She had a feeling it would beexplosive.
He rose and offered her his hand. "Join me overhere."
Her heart beat loudly in her ear drums as she leaned against the wooden railing next to the waterfall. "I feelembarrassed."
