He laughed, and then we were moving again, gliding through the winding Roman streets like this had always been our life. It was my turn to record, and I captured the breathtaking views for my memories when I got back. But the main subject of my recording was Theo.
“Where are we going?” I asked, watching buildings blur past in golden hues.
“You’ll see.”
“My God, I hate those words.”
“You’ll like this,” he said, shooting me a quick sideways glance. “Promise.”
We drove for a while, farther than I expected. The city fell away slowly, replaced by quieter roads and sprawling green hills. The light changed too—softer now. He pulled onto a long, private drive lined with cypress trees, the gravel crunching softly beneath the tires.
I straightened in my seat. “Theo…”
He didn’t say a word as we pulled up to a house.
A house.
Not a rental or an apartment or a villa.
A home.
Newly built, by the look of it. White stucco walls, black iron railings on the balconies, and wide glass doors.
It looked like the model he asked my opinion on that one time in his office.
My mouth parted. “What is this?”
He turned off the engine, then looked at me.
“It’s ours.”
I blinked at him. “What?”
I stared at the house again, then back at him.
“Fuck, I wish I got that look on your face on camera,” he smiled. “Let me take over recording for now.”
He reached over and took the camcorder out of my hands while I looked at him dumbfounded.
“You built a house.”
He nodded and aimed the lens at me. “Yes.”
“For us.”
“Yes,” He pushed a button, and the car doors clicked open. “Let’s go look inside, okay?”
I stepped out of the car, legs shaky like I’d just run a marathon. My feet crunched over the gravel as I turned in slow circles,trying to take it all in. Theo came up behind me, his free hand sliding around my waist as he pulled me back against his chest.
The wind kicked up lightly, brushing hair across my face. I pressed my hands over his.
I turned to face him, tears threatening to well in my eyes—not just because of the house, but because of the way he looked at me.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” I said quietly. “Between us. With my life. But right now… this is the first time I’ve felt like I could breathe in weeks.”
Theo tilted his head, brushing his fingers along my cheek. “Then breathe, baby. That’s all I want for you.”
I leaned into his chest, grounding myself in the scent of him, the heat of his body, the sound of his heartbeat against mine. He felt so safe.
