“Honestly, I have no idea how they’ll react. They’ve never really seen me in a serious relationship. I think they’ll be happy for me, but I do think they’ll scrutinize the heck out of you.” She laughed a little, and her whole face brightened. “They won’t make it easy for you. That much I know.”
He kissed the corners of her mouth. “Well, whatever they want to do is fine by me. I still want to meet them. I wasn’t kidding about coming out to see you.”
“And I wasn’t kidding about you picking me up from the airport.” She reached into the backpack Dae had tied to the back of his bike and withdrew the two small memo pads and pens they’d been using for their preserve or demolish lists.
“Sunflower meadow. Demolish or preserve?” She handed him a notebook and pen.
“That’s not even a question.” He swatted her butt, earning him another flirty smile.
“It is a question. You like to demolish things. Can you demolish something as gorgeous as this without hesitation?” She tapped her pen on the seat of her bike.
“I see where this is going. Okay, write down your thoughts, missy. I’ll pick the next stop.”
“Impossible.” Emily shook her head.
He pressed his cheek to hers and whispered, “Three times in the last twenty-four hours, Miss Please More Harder, proves I’m a sure thing.” He felt her cheek heat up against his and took her in a greedy kiss without giving her time to respond—though he knew she couldn’t by the way her jaw had gone slack and her eyes had filled with a mixture of embarrassment and lust. And now, just as he’d hoped, she was kissing him back with as much passion as she had earlier that morning. It took all of his concentration to stop kissing her when a car horn sounded. They both laughed as they mounted their bikes.
Dae had mapped out a stop at Strada and another visit at a vineyard near Chianti, but the sky was beginning to turn gray, and they opted to ride past the colorful buildings of Strada and the thick rows of the vineyard straight into Greve in Chianti instead. As they approached Greve, traffic thickened. They weaved their way toward Piazza Matteotti, the main piazza in Greve, and were surprised to find a small festival in full swing. The triangular piazza was lined with a number of colorful aged medieval buildings in vibrant shades of yellow and muted creams. In front of each building was an arched stone entranceway to the shop below, and above each archway, terraces were decorated with bountiful plants. Vines and blooms in various shades of red, yellow, purple, and white spilled over the iron railings. In the center of the crowded piazza was an impressive statue of the Florentine explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, and a handful of tented booths lined the square.
They locked up their bicycles and walked hand in hand toward the booths. Dae wondered if the euphoria that was sweeping through him was caused by the commotion of the crowd, the beauty of the piazza, or the woman he was falling in love with.
“We’re so lucky to stumble across this,” Emily exclaimed. “Listen to that music.” She inhaled and closed her eyes.
It’s you. It’s definitely you.
“And that aroma is insane. Everything smells so…Italian.”
“It smells almost as amazing as you do.” Dae draped an arm around her and kissed her temple.
“I didn’t see a festival in the brochures. Did you know about this?” she asked.
“No, but I’m glad we stumbled upon it.” He led her beneath a tent, where a woman was selling handmade baskets. “Excuse me, is this an annual arts festival?”
“The annual music and wine festival is in September. This was an impromptu festival that was put together a few weeks ago. To be honest,” the woman explained, “I can’t even tell you why it was thrown together, but I’m glad it was. I’m visiting my aunt, and these baskets are her handiwork. I would have never gotten to experience any of this if they hadn’t put it together. I’m leaving tomorrow to return to California.”
They talked with her for a few minutes before making their way through the other booths. They were offered bread with thick olive oil at one of the booths, which they gladly devoured, both famished after their rigorous trek. The elderly Italian couple at the next booth offered them tastes of wine from a local winery. Dae could watch Emily for hours as she oohed and ahhed over fine artistry and furniture made from olive wood. He was able to purchase a scarf she had been admiring in the next booth without her noticing. He tucked it into the backpack and circled her waist with his hands. He loved the way she snuggled in close and pressed her hand to his side when she wanted to show him something. Hell, he was beginning to realize that he loved everything about her, even her struggle to accept the possibility that the House of Wishes might come down. She was stronger than any woman he knew and was not afraid to speak her mind. He admired that, and so many other things about her, that he was already letting his mind fast-forward to a few months from now, to Thanksgiving and Christmas. He’d love to bring her back here again, when they were firmly entrenched in coupledom, without his leaving looming over their heads.
They had lunch on the patio of a restaurant at the piazza, where they could people watch as they ate. It was customary to eat the largest meal of the day at lunch, and after eating mozzarella, tomato, and fresh basil, all of which tasted heavenly, they shared a plate of tortellini that melted in Dae’s mouth. From the moans of appreciation coming from Emily, he knew she was just as delighted with the delectable assault on her senses as he was.
After they ate, an attractive brunette waitress offered them tiramisu and coffee.
“I’m too full to move, thank you.” Emily patted her stomach.
The waitress’s eyes lingered on Dae, pushing past politeness to uncomfortable. Dae set his eyes on Emily and reached across the table for her hand.
“Just the check, please,” he said without taking his eyes off of Emily. Dae was used to attention from women, and he took it in stride. Until now. He didn’t want Emily to feel the least bit threatened by any other woman. Ever. She made him feel things he’d never imagined he would, and he’d never met anyone with the ability to slay him with a glance, or a whisper, or a touch, the way Emily could. He was beginning to understand how Leanna had felt when she’d fallen for Kurt so quickly. And like his sister, he wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of the feelings that were becoming more intense with every second they were together.
“I guess I should get used to that, huh?” She bit her lower lip.
He debated playing it off like he had no idea what she was talking about and quickly decided against it. Head-on. That was the only way to handle things. The next two days would go by in the blink of an eye, and by the time he left, he wanted no question in Emily’s mind about how he felt about her.
“What you need to get used to is knowing, and trusting, that it won’t matter who looks at me. I only have eyes for you.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, holding her eyes with a steady gaze that he hoped translated how deep his feelings were taking root. “Never doubt that as long as we’re a couple, whether you’re with me or if you’re a million miles away, there’s not another woman on the planet who could draw my eyes, much less my heart, away from you.”
“Oh, Dae.” His name came out as one long breath.
He shook his head and leaned across the table. “Now that I know what your other Os feel like, when I hear you say it, my body remembers, too.”
She flushed, and he kissed her softly on the lips.
“I know it’s a lot to take in after knowing me such a short time, but, Em, it’s how I feel. And when I leave on Thursday, I want you to know, without a shadow of a doubt, exactly where I stand.”
EMILY COULDN’T BEGIN to form a response to Dae professing his feelings for her. She was sure her heart had swelled so large it would burst. He’d said everything she could hope to hear, but she was afraid to reciprocate. Wouldn’t it just make it that much harder when they both realized that they might never find a middle ground? Would he ever see her side or understand her love of preserving cu
lture and history—even if some of that culture and history was intangible? Or was she just being stupid to worry and think about this stuff at all? Was this what relationships and love were really like? Did people pretend their way through life, giving in when they didn’t really want to, accepting each other regardless of their own beliefs?
How would she ever know for sure?
She needed to talk to someone, but over the past year she’d become closest with her brothers’ girlfriends, and they weren’t going to tell her those things. Not when she was loyal to her brothers and there was a chance it would get back to them. Family always came first. And yes, when she was with Dae, he was first. Above family. Above her brothers when they texted her. Her priorities had shifted so fast and without any warning. She never knew the heart was so powerful, so all important.
“Babe?”
One look at Dae and she understood, could feel the difference from her scalp to her toes and everywhere in between. He was her priority. She blinked past her confusion, bringing Dae’s handsome, concerned face back into focus.
“I’m sorry. I spaced out a little.”
Dae paid the bill and took Emily’s hand as they walked back into the crowd. He didn’t push her for a response after laying his heart out on the line, and she knew that had to be killing him. But she was afraid that the minute she started to explain—again—what she was feeling, sadness would hit her and tears would rob her of her voice. They made their way to the statue in the center of the square, and while Dae read the plaque, Emily tried to sift through the roller coaster of emotions that were confusing her to no end. She knew what she felt for Dae. She should tell him that, at least. He deserved to know that he’d opened her heart in a way that no man ever had, and that whether they were together or apart, she thought about him every second. He deserved to know that when they made love, her world came together in a blissful state she never wanted to leave.
He deserves to be with someone who doesn’t think that blowing up the House of Wishes is one of the worst offenses he could commit. The thought made her throat close up.
“You had the museums on your list. Do you want to head over that way?”
She met his warm, loving gaze. She expected to hear a grating in his voice over her lack of response, or to see a lessening of emotion in his eyes. She didn’t expect him to simply accept her for who she was and for what she had to offer at this very second, which wasn’t much more than silence. Guilt settled around her as heavily as the gray clouds that were moving across the sky.
She stepped in closer and pressed her cheek to his chest, taking comfort in how naturally, and willingly, he folded her into his arms. His heart beat strong and sure beneath her cheek.
I love you, Dae. I love the way you treat me. I love how thoughtful you are and how you’re eager to do the right thing. I don’t care that it’s fast or that we’re both thousands of miles away from anything familiar. This. You. Me. It feels right. This feels real. And I never want it to end.
He kissed the top of her head, and she knew that she didn’t have to say any of the things she was thinking. Somehow, he knew.
The good. The bad. And the conflicted.
Chapter Twelve
THEY FOLLOWED THE Chiantigiana Road back the way they’d come. The blue sky that had smiled down on them on their way to Greve had clouded over during the long afternoon. The wind had picked up, and Dae worried about Emily getting caught in the rain. Her sheer top and shorts weren’t exactly rainproof, and he didn’t want her biking on slippery roads. He hadn’t even thought to bring a slicker in case the weather changed. Damn. And he thought he’d been so prepared. He cocked his head to the side and shifted his eyes up to the ominous gray above, which was darkening by the second.
He flagged Emily over to the side of the road.
“Is something wrong?” Her skin glistened with the sheen of her exertion.
“It looks like the rain is moving in fast.” He spoke loudly so she could hear him over the wind. “We should find a place to get you under cover.”
“Pfft.” She waved her hand. “What’s a little rain? I’ll be fine. I really want to make it to the House of Wishes. It’s not that far from here.”
He glanced up the hillside at a weathered farmhouse. Maybe they should consider finding shelter until after the storm. “Em, I’m not sure I want you on the roads when it’s wet and windy. It’s dangerous.”
“You worry too much, and you sound like my brothers. I’m fine.”
“See the farmhouse up there?”
She nodded, brows drawn together.
“See the barn off to the right?”
“Yeah. It looks like it’s ready to fall down.”
“Preserve or demolish?” He grinned, knowing this was the last thing she’d expect—and he’d put his money on her tearing down the lopsided structure, which had a roof that dipped by at least thirty degrees on one side and walls that sagged like skin on a shriveled old woman.
She rolled her eyes. “Really?” A gust of wind howled over the meadow. “In this wind, with the rain about to pour down on us, you want me to assess a barn?”
He didn’t say a word, just raised his brows as he dug out the memo pads and handed her one. She scribbled fast, her face pinched in irritation. She shoved the pad back into the pack, and he glanced up at the farmhouse again, hoping that standing in the path of the gusty wind might soften her resolve.
“Em—”
“Don’t even say it. I’m not going to ask some stranger if I can sit out a little rain in their house. Besides, aren’t you the one who said life’s too short to miss out on anything?”
She climbed on her bike, and he had no choice but to admire her determination. And her hot little body as she sped away.
The clouds darkened even more as they neared the House of Wishes. When the first droplets of rain dotted Dae’s skin, he glanced up at Emily. She was pedaling fast and hard. He couldn’t help but be impressed. She was fiercely determined in everything she did. It was no wonder she was having such a difficult time with what he did for a living. She was probably used to reasoning her way through with clients—and winning. He had to wonder if she’d be as disturbed by his love of things that go boom if the latest object of his demolition skills weren’t the House of Wishes. She was an intelligent, reasonable woman. She was an architect. Surely she knew that certain structures were dangerous if not torn down. He thought back to the things she’d said about preserving culture, family, and things that weren’t tangible, like myths and legends. She had a heart as big as the moon, and he couldn’t really fault her for that. He only wished he knew how to get that heart of hers to be more accepting of his ability to make the right decision.
As the villa came into focus just over the ridge, the clouds opened up, sending a torrent of rain like a wall of water down upon them. The wind howled across the fields, picking up speed with the hammering rain. Dae barely had time to think as he pedaled faster to reach Emily. Her foot slipped from the pedal, and her bike keeled to the left. He pedaled faster, coming up behind her as she skidded over a rut in the road. As if in slow motion, Emily’s front tire stopped and the rear of her bike lifted off the ground and jerked to the side, sending her flying over the handlebars.
Dae jumped from his still-moving bike. “Emily!” His voice was drowned out by the storm. His heart shattered in his chest as she landed on the grass in a heap.
“Em!” He hovered over her, trying his best to shield her from the pummeling rain, which now felt like a smattering of bullets against his skin. Mud streaked her cheeks, forehead, and hair. He ran his hands down her arms and legs, feeling for broken bones. No breaks. Thank goodness. Her pain-filled eyes opened, tears mingling with the rain and mud covering her face.
“Emily. Baby, are you okay? Where do you hurt?” He wiped her tears with the pad of his thumb, but the rain just slicked her skin again. Her body trembled and shook as he shifted his body to try to cover her head to toe from the rain. “Can you mov
e your arms and legs? I don’t want to pick you up if something’s broken.”
“I…” She wiggled her fingers, then shifted her legs. “Damn, that hurts.”
“Where?” His heart slammed against his chest. He knew he shouldn’t have let her ride. He was supposed to protect her, not let her determination sway him.
“Everywhere. My shoulder and hip are sore from landing on them, but I think I’m okay—just shaken up.” She rolled onto her back and blinked at the tears in her eyes. The side of her cheek was laced with scratches and pitted with pebbles. She pushed up onto her elbow.
“Don’t get up. I’ll carry you to the house. It’s not far.” He brushed the loose pebbles from her cheek and took off her helmet, then removed his own and tossed them aside.
“Carry me?” She pushed up to a sitting position. “I’m okay, Dae. I might be sore as heck tomorrow, but I can walk.”
“Like hell you will. I’m not taking any more chances.”
She slid her knee up so her foot was flat on the ground and gasped a sharp breath.
“Ankle?” He slid his hand down over the bones, again feeling nothing broken.
“It’s okay. Just twisted or something.” She tried to flatten her foot again and cried out in pain.
Dae didn’t hesitate. He scooped her into his arms and held her shivering body against his chest. Her skin was ice cold. His only thoughts were to protect her from the driving rain, check out her injuries, and get her inside. He imagined that, like with everything else Emily did, she’d try to muster through the pain, wanting to be strong and needing to feel like she was in control. He knew her well enough to see that although she loved the way her brothers protected her, she was driven by a daily need to prove she was just as strong and successful as they were. When she rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, he felt a wave of gratitude roll through him. He knelt with her in his arms and unhooked the backpack from its tether to the forgotten bike. He tugged his bike off the road. He’d come back later to retrieve it. Right now he had to get Emily out of the rain. He hooked the pack over his shoulder, shifted Emily in his strong arms, and with her nestled firmly against him, rose to his feet and crossed the field toward the property that had stolen a part of Emily’s heart, which he hoped to reclaim, or at least share.
Dreaming of Love Page 13