AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was as good a confirmation as any, and as he walked hisfidanzataback to her seat, it was at that moment Massimo's bride, Ysabel, flashed a mischievous smile as she asked, "Is everything okay? We heard Cat crying out."
This was enough to have Cattleya moan and cover her face in embarrassment, and laughter ensued even as the rest of hisfamigliaengulfed the two of them in a flurry of congratulatory hugs and well wishes.
This is it,Ezio thought again, but the unease that used to poison his heart every time he thought of his duty was nowhere to be found.
It was this part alone about being a Marchetti that he had secretly disliked, but something had changed.
Or rather,someonehad changed it, and while he had no idea how his grandmother knew Cattleya was perfect for him—-
His gaze went straight to the older woman who occupied the seat at the head of the table.
Grazie, nonna.
He was glad that she had seen reason, and her choice of bride couldn't be any better.
Sarica insisted on trading seats with him afterward, and Ezio gladly acquiesced as this allowed him to better enjoy the sight of Cattleya's rose-tinted cheeks. It was his first time to see her blush, and as she turned to him in askance, the temptation to touch her was impossible to resist.
Her eyes widened as he cupped her cheek.
Soft,he thought.
The word was correct and accurate, but it didn't feel right.
"Ezio?"
It was his first time to hear her say his name.
And that was when it came to him.
The delicate texture of her skin.
The soothing note of her voice.
The restfulness of her whole being.
Ah.
The right word finally came to him.
Tender.
Because that was what she was.
Exquisitely, pricelesslytender.
His hand on her cheek slowly slipped down to curve around the nape of her neck.
So damn tender.
Not once in his life had Ezio kissed a woman in public.
It was simply not his thing.
But because she was changing him in more ways than one...
Ezio heard more than one female member of hisfamigliagasp as he pulled Cattleya's head close.
Her panic-widened gaze was a delight to see, and the way she actually tried resisting even more so.
