After composing myself a little, I looked at Luca and smiled. That seemed to surprise him a little. “Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
Luca beamed, immediately losing his angered expression. “Don’t mention it. I would have dealt with them sooner, but I had a stubborn pain in the ass who had been keeping me occupied.”
“Well, that sucks,” I said sarcastically.
“No, it doesn’t, actually. The stubborn pain in the ass doesn’t realise it yet, but she’s making me all kinds of crazy. I know I’m crazy about her.” He stroked my palm a little bit more, sending the goose bumps rising. “Do I have to give you a little reminder as to why I’m here?” His sexy eyes danced over me, making me shudder.
Despite my raging hormones, I had to ask. “Why were you gone so long without a word yesterday?”
Luca sighed. “Stubborn to a fault aren’t you?” He shook his head and looked down at the floor. “This Fabiano, who Alessandro mentioned… He was one of my men. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack and died yesterday.”
I felt immediately guilty. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry. Were you two close?”
Luca nodded. “We had known each other for fourteen years. He was a good worker, but he’d been at it for too many years. I had been telling him to slow down as I could see the work was starting to take its toll on him. He always insisted he was fine, but he obviously wasn’t.” He ran his hands over his face and leaned back in his chair. “His wife, Annabella, was distraught. I was with her virtually all day trying to calm her down. I wanted to be with you, and I wanted to call you, but she needed my attention.”
Looking down at the floor, I felt remorseful. “I’m sorry. If I had known—”
Luca leaned forward and grabbed my chin, willing my eyes to meet his. “You don’t need to apologise. You were right to be angry with me. You weren’t to know, so don’t feel guilty.”
I searched his eyes. “Why do you do this?”
Luca looked confused. “Do what?”
“Make me like you when I should hate you.” Luca laughed a beautiful, hearty laugh which sent my pulse sky-rocketing.
“Why would you want to hate me?”
“Why? Look at what you’re doing to my girls. Look at what you’re doing to my business. One can’t live without the other, and you’re running me into the ground.”
“Clara, listen to me.” I looked into his eyes. “I’m not doing this on purpose. I realise what you’re saying, but the girls have been compensated for the absence of business. I spoke with them this morning about it. They seem relatively happy. They’re not happy about you being up here, but they are happy otherwise. I’ve just been a bit selfish—wanting to keep you to myself. I like spending time with you. To me, you’re like what the stars in the sky are to the sun and like what the moon is to the earth. Some things can’t live without their counterparts. You make me happy, and I haven’t been happy in a very long time.” He then turned away, looking pensive.
He looked so sad, and I wanted to reach out to him. I stroked his cheek and pulled his face to meet mine. “Define long?”
Luca sighed. “Since I was a young boy.”
I wanted to know more. “Why? Why have you not been happy?”
Stroking my hand on top of his face, Luca leant in for a kiss. I didn’t stop it. I wanted to feel his lips on mine. I wanted to feel everything of his on me.
Before too long, he pulled away. “I can’t have this conversation with you now. The day has barely begun, and I don’t want to start it on a sad note.”
I smiled encouragingly. “Well, whenever you’re ready, I am here.”
Luca beamed. “Are you?”
I laughed at my oblivious play on words. “I can’t believe I just said that, but yes… I am.”
“Good,” he sighed. “I want to talk to you about something.”
“Okay.” I didn’t know whether or not I was going to like whatever was coming next.
“I’ve been organising a masquerade ball for tonight. A lot of people are coming.”
It didn’t take long for my anger to come surging back. “You’re doing it again. I’ve been running this by myself since the start, and you’re taking over again despite my feelings on the topic.”
“I’m trying to take the edge off—for you—for just a little while,” he protested. “Do you want to end up like Fabiano?”
Those words hit me harder than I thought they would. I was young and carefree. I had never considered that the stress of running this would one day take its toll. “No, of course not—”