I reached for her hand, cradling it between mine.
“Beatrice,” I rasped.
“Salvatore,” she whispered, leaning into me. “It’s okay. I feel it too.”
She might have been humoring me, but I was thankful for it regardless. She let me look at her, memorize her piece by piece. The moment my thoughts caught up, I hooked my arm around her waist, pulling her against me.
“Can I kiss you?” I asked.
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
So would I.
The second our lips connected, everything quieted.
The street noise faded. The movement around us blurred into the background. Her mouth under mine was soft and certain, lips parting without a beat of hesitation. I kissed her with a familiarity I hadn’t yet earned but felt down deep in my gut. And when she kissed me back—slow, deliberate, fingers curling into the front of my jacket—it made sense.
Wemade sense. Together.
When we finally pulled apart, the city was still there. The lights. The traffic. The hum of conversation outside the gallery doors.
But she was the center of my focus.
I brushed my thumb over her bottom lip. “I’d rather not go so many days without seeing you.”
She flashed me another electric smile. “It did seem like too many, didn’t it?” She patted my chest. “You could have asked to see me sooner.”
I groaned, rolling my forehead along hers. “I will next time.” I threaded my fingers with hers. “I have some news that’s frustrating me.”
“Tell me.”
“I inadvertently double-booked myself. What do you think about joining me for dinner with Sam and a few industry people after the gallery? If you’re uncomfortable, I understand, but I can’t skip it. It’s not what I had in mind for tonight—”
She pressed a kiss to my chin. “It’s fine. If you’re okay with me going, I’d like to.”
I frowned. “The conversation will likely revolve around tech news and software updates—dry and fairly boring to someone not familiar with the topics.”
She arched a brow. “Are you trying to talk me out of agreeing?”
“No. Absolutely not. Having you by my side will make the evening infinitely more bearable and a lot more interesting. I just want you to know what you’re getting into.”
“Okay. I’ve been warned.” She sighed, toying with a button on my shirt. “If boring dinners are part of being with you, I guess I’d better get used to it.”
My gut unfurled with relief. “I try to avoid them, but unfortunately, I can’t say no to every one. Sam would riot.”
She let out a short laugh. “We can’t have that.”
“No, I suppose we can’t.” I nodded toward the door. “Are you ready to go inside?”
“I am. I can’t wait to see the kind of art you’re into. It’s like…a peek inside your mind.”
I squeezed her hand, steady now.
“That might be true,” I said softly. “Just…don’t judge me too harshly.”
She grinned up at me, eyes dancing with mischief. “No promises.”
Chapter Twenty-five
