Chapter 179

“Likewise.” She giggles and hugs me again for added measure, her energy infectious and soon we’re walking along, hand in hand, catching up with anything we forgot to add in our emails to each other. Sophie is infectious, her happiness brimming over into every word and mannerism and I can see Leila’s influence in the quirky Converse with animal print laces and the sparkling diamantes on her jeans. Leila always liked a little bit of showiness.

We make our way back to the main house, lost in easy conversation.

“There she is!” Jake’s deep tone catches us both and she beams at him, she doesn’t, however, close the gap between them, the way she did with me and it’s the first time I see she has that same distance with males that afflicts me. It causes me a moment of pain. A flicker of heartache for her.

Jake strides forward, giving her a light hug quickly before releasing her and scooping forward to plant a kiss on me. He unashamedly makes me blush with the sheer passion in its brief touch.

“Well look at you two nowadays.” Sophie giggles with open eyed wonder. “Nice to see that you finally stopped fighting it and just got around to giving her a good kiss.” She laughs as I throw a jab at her shoulder and she ducks away.

“What are you? All of fourteen?” I giggle, affected by her youthful fun so easily.

“Can I just point out, I never fought it.” Jake’s smiles, the face of a boy trying to earn points. “I always tried like a bear.” He slides an arm around my shoulders, coming beside me, his other hand in his pocket. Sophie regards him thoughtfully and smiles with maturity.

“Thing is, with girls like us … Sometimes it takes a lot to trust people. We need the ones who try like a bear to get in.” She throws me a bashful look and we pass a smile of solidarity. A blush rising on Sophie’s face that hints at a double meaning, but I let it slide.

Jake says nothing but kisses me on the temple; no explanation required.

He definitely is someone who tried like a bear.

“So, who’s ready for lunch, because I’m starving?” He cuts in with good humor after a few seconds and is delighted to get two very strong “Me’s”.

* * *

Sophie is easily integrated into the Carrero family lunch, it’s obvious that she’s a frequent visitor with the Huntsberger family home being a mere walk away from here. Sylvana clucks over her like a mother hen and family and friends pull her into easy conversation on topics they seem to already know about. Arrick slides her in beside him through lunch and it’s easy to see the rapport they have already built, her hesitation absent at his touch. A very brotherly Arrick watching over her the way Jake did for me. I wonder if he’s Sophie’s ‘bear’ that caused the blush.

We’re all sat around a garden table that’s big enough to seat about twenty people or more and eating a light chicken salad lunch with lots of side dishes. Jake’s beside me with a casual arm around the back of my chair, already full from his huge mountain of food the minute he sat down, while the rest of us picked and made polite conversation. He’s lazing in his chair and laughing at whatever Arrick, or ‘Arry’ as Sophie keeps uttering, is saying to the left of him.

The bustling noise of this family is a joy to be a part of, having grown up with just my mother. It’s a little overwhelming but so very enjoyable, a complete contrast to the life I’ve known in my own family. The conversations are littered with fluent Italian as well as English and it seems not one of them knows how to speak without crossing over each other and butting in at every direction. They are a fun and verbal family and I now know where Jake learned the art of being social and finding his confidence. They also endlessly touch one another, prod, poke, and push or throw sarcastic gestures around. I absolutely love them all.

His fingers come up trailing my back and I throw him a sweet smile.

“You must be hungry.” He grins, watching me clear my plate for the second time, lately I’ve been ravenous at meals.

“I told you I was starving,” I shrug defensively, wondering if he’s having doubts about me staying thin. I put my fork down feeling that bite of anxiety.

“Don’t stop on my account. I like seeing you well fed, bambino.” He kisses me lightly on the cheek and runs a finger across my cheek with a smile.

“Voi due siete così appassionati di belle, mi fa così caldo dentro.” Alessandra gushes toward us, but I can only look in confusion as Jake smiles at her.

“E facile amare, Emma, non-ho potuto chiedere per una ragazza più perfetta.” Jake responds with a look toward her then at me, complete infatuation sweeping his expression, but I just stare at him, completely lost.

“What now?” I burst into laughter, and he shakes his head, leaning in close to talk quietly.

“Alessandra is envious of how we are together … She appreciates people in love.” He kisses me on the corner of the mouth, that rise of inner-warmth spreads through me and makes me blush.

“And you said?” I tease playfully.

“That it’s easy to love you … Because you’re perfect.” He grins and this time it’s me that throws a kiss on him with a smile of complete devotion.

Smooth! My man is so smooth he’s slick!

“You’ve no idea how perfect you can be sometimes.” I gush. “Sometimes, it’s easy to love me.” I correct him and get a look of agreement in response. “Hey.” I protest with mock outrage, but he just pulls me into a headlock and devours me with nibbling kisses across the face and cheek which has me squealing for help. No one at the table does but I catch Sylvana watching us with extreme glee across her face.

“Mio figlio, così innamorato.” She gestures at Jake and I can only assume she’s happy that he finally settled down with one woman as most of the table turn and smile at us. It makes me all warm inside. Jake slides his hand down my arm and gives me a cute squeeze against him. Beaming with pride.

What’s with this family talking Italian though when It’s obviously about us?

The day seems to go by effortlessly sharing time with his family, laughing, joking, and relaxing, and then time alone, wandering the beach, late in the day, with naked feet in the sand. All too soon it’s Jake telling me we have to catch a flight home in the morning, and I am hit with reluctance.

“I could stay here forever.” I grin lazily from his embrace as we lounge in a double swing bed in the huge manicured gardens. “It’s so peaceful and so unlike the city. I love it here so much.”

“Maybe we should just buy a house here and make Mamma happy.” He smiles and kisses me on the side of the head, wrapped behind me. Our breaths intermingling from close proximity. I shift around so he’s spooning me from behind and pull his hands into my stomach.

“What and leave your much too adored bachelor pad behind? I’m not that cruel to you, Jake.” I giggle and toy with his fingers.

“Maybe I realize having a bachelor pad isn’t for me anymore.” The seriousness in his tone makes me glance back at him in surprise, catching a look that is anything but humorous.

“You’re serious?” I blanche, a sudden winding fear hitting me in the gut.

He’s talking long-term houses, future, plans. Forever …

“Why not? I don’t need to be in the city to stay in contact with Margo … You like it here, so why don’t we get a house here?” He shrugs it off and goes back to nuzzling into me.

“No …Stop it.” I snap pushing myself out of his embrace and climbing off the bed, agitation prickling my skin. His face drops and he follows, coming to stand in front of me.

“What? Why the reaction? It’s okay to talk about marriage but not a house, Emma?” The confusion all over his face makes me falter, waving my hands around and trying to get my thoughts in order. I have no idea why I’m reacting this way, fear gripping my heart that this is something huge.

“It’s serious, Jake … These houses cost millions … You’re moving too fast, so soon. We have barely had time to just be together and you’re talking about uprooting and moving away from the city. You’re talking about buying a house that most families can never dream of affording and just setting up home in the blink of an eye.” My voice is high and breathy.

How can I make him understand how terrifying this is? It’s easy to slot into his life and his apartment because it doesn’t really change it in anyway and if we were to break up then he wouldn’t lose anything … Just me.