Chapter 70- Yes
Lucia “Yes.” I whispered, tears falling freely as I looked at the man kneeling before me. The most powerful person I knew, brought to his knees by love. “A thousand times yes.
His hands trembled slightly as he slipped the ring onto my finger the first time I’d ever seen him anything less than perfectly steady. The wom gold fel warm against my skin, generations of love captured in delicate flower engravings,
“Ti amo,” lie mamared, rising to pull me close. “More than power. More than control. More than life itself”
The kiss started gemle, a seal on promises made without contracts or calculations. But then his hands tangled in my hair, and mine fisted in his shirt, and suddenly there was nothing gentle about it arall
Morning light painted patterns across rumpled sheets as I stirred awake, surrounded by familiar warmth and the scent of sandalwood cologne. Dante’s arms tightened around me as I shifted, his usual perfect control softened by sleep
“Good morning can. His voice carried slut dangerous roughness that still made my heart race.
I turned in his embrace, studying the man who’d crossed an ocean to find nie. Dark waves of hair fell across lais forehead in rare disorder. A slight shadow of stubble darkened his jaw. Small imperfections that made him impossibly more attractive.
“Good morning.” I traced the lines of his fer, memorizing this unguarded version of him. “Still real, then! Not just another dream!”
His smile held none of its usual careful calculation as he caught my hand, pressing a kiss to the ring he’d placed there. “Very real. Though I should be asking you that question
Tve imagined this moment a thousand times since you left.” His hub traced patterns on my palm. “Waking up with you in my arms again. No contracts between us. No careful distance. Just us.”
“Romantic.” I tried for teasing, but my voice carried too much emotion. “Who knew the great Dante Romano had such a soft heart under all that perfect control?”
“Only for you.” He pulled me closer, his kiss carrying promise and possession in equal measure. “Always for you,
The moment deepened, hands wandering with renewed purpose, until his phone buzzed with unfortunately Emiliar intence.
“Ignore it.” Insinmired again his neck.
Another buzz Then another.
He groaned, the sound purely human rather than his usual careful.composure. The council meeting
“Can wait “I nipped at his jaw, ergoying the way his breath caught,
The budget vote
“Still happening without you.” My|
dy hands traced paths guaranteed to
eed to shatter his control.
The phone kept buzzing
“Cara. “The word carried warning and want in equal measure. “I have to go back today. The dry-
“Needs its great mayor?” I pulled back slightly, studying his face. The great Dante Romano, already returning to careful calculation!”
But his smile held nothing of politics or power as he touched my cheek. The sooner 1 handle the crisis they ve undoubtedly manufactured in my
absence, the sooner I can focus on more important immbers.
“More important than running the city” Larched an eyebrow, “Shocking.”
“More importam than anything” He sat up, reaching for his discarded clothes with obvious reluctance. “Like eating our wedding is absolutely perfect.”
That caught me off guard. “Our wedding?”
“MI” He stared buttoning his slut with practiced motions, though his hair remained endearingly disordered. “Everything’s arranged. The Romano estate’s ballroom will be transformed into a winter wonderland, just like you mentioned wanting as Julia’s workling”
Hear lied to my cheeks. “You remembered that?”
“I remember everything about you.” He reached for his the, movements precise despite the emation in his voice. “Every dream you’ve stured. Every wish you’ve expressed. Every derail you thought I was too focused on control to notier.”
“Everything” Challenge crepe in my love. “Prove it
His smile carried that dangerous edge that will made my pulse race. “White roses and crystal snowflakes hanging from chandeliers. String quartet playing Vivaldi’s Winter during the ceremony. Your favorite champagne from that little vineyard in Tuscany. Small cables instead of the usual long formal arrangement, because you hate having to shout across twenty people to have a conversation.”
“Lucky guessrs.” I managed, though my heart raced at how perfectly he’d captured my dreams.
The cake will have chocolate gauche filling because you said vanilla is boring at society weddings.” He moved closer, fully dressed now but somehow more devastating. “Your bouquet will include stargazer lilies because they were your mother’s favorite. The first daner will be to the same song that was playing that night at Julia’s wedding, when you wore that red dress and completely destroyed in carefully ordered world.”
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mer 20–Yes Chapter 70-
“Date…” Tears threatened again as he continued, each detail proving how carefully, he’d treasured every caual mention, every offhand comment, every dream Ed thought he’d ignored.
“The ceremony will be at sunset,” he murmured, pulling me to my feet. “Because you once said nilight makes everything feel magical. The chains will be arranged in a spiral rather than straight rows, because you hate how rigal traditional seating feels. And the dirmer mens will include your father’s arrabbiata sauce, because family traditions matter more than fancy catering.
I stared at lum, wonder earring with lingering uncertainty. “When did you plan all
“The moment you left.” He touched my face, thumbs brushing away tears I hadn’t realized were falling. “Every day without you was another chance In prove I’d been listening all along.”
“And if I want to change something?” I had to ask, testing this new reality where love trumped careful planning.
His smile carried nothing of its usual calculated charm. “Then we change it. This isn’t abour control anymore, cara. This is about building something real together. Something beyond contracts and calculations and careful political arrangements.
The phone buzzed again, more insistem this time.
“Go.” I pressed a kiss to his jaw, enjoying the slight roughness of stubble. “Save the city from whatever crisis they’ve manufactured in your absence
“Come with me.” He caught my hand, pressing a kiss to the ring he’d placed there. Come home
“I have to fish the semester.” But we both heard the lack of conviction in my voice. “My professors
*Can arrange remote leaming options.” His thumb traced the delicate engravings on the ring. “I already checked. Everything can be handled through video conferences and submitted work”
Of course he had “Control freak”
“Only about things that matter.” He pulled me closer, resting his forehead against mine. “And nothing matters more than having you home. Having you with me. Building the life we should have had from the beginning, if I hadn’t been too focused on control to admit what was right in front of
The phone buzzed yet again.
“Go.” I said softly. “I want to finish this semester here.”
“Sure.” He kissed me one more time, beat and promise and possession all wrapped in love. “Everything I build is for us now,”
Save some dreams for me to shape too,” I teased, but emotion made my voice shake slightly.
His smile carried nothing of politics or power as he headed for the door. “Always, cara
The phone buzzed again as he reached the threshold.
“Oh, and Dame?”
He turned back, one eyebrow raised in that devastating way that still made my heart nice.
“I love you too.” The words felt like freedom Like future. Like everything we should have said from the beginning. “My perfectly controlled, surprisingly romantic husband.”
His laugh – real and unguarded and beautiful – echoed through the apartment as lie left.
To love.
Real, messy, perfectly imperfect love
Chapter 71- Dreams Taking Fligh
Chapter 71- Dreams Taking Flight
Lucia Winter sunlight streamed through the airplane window as Oslo’s snow–covered landscape disappeared beneath the clouds. Three months of independence, of rediscovering myself beyond contracts and calculations, had reshaped more than just my academic credits. Each video call with Dante, each shared plan for our future, had built something real from the ashes of our arranged beginning.
The seat belt sign dinged off as we reached cruising altitude, and I touched the worn gold ring that had replaced that ostentatious diamond. Sample flowers etched with generations of love felt right in a way that perfect political symbolism never had.
My phone buzzed with a message from Elina: “Did you tell him yer
Heat flooded my cheeks as 1 typed back. “Tonight. Maybe, If I don’t lose my nerve
The secret I’d been carrying for two weeks felt simultaneously terrifying and wonderful. Like standing on the edge of something massive, something that would change everything.
“Almost home, signora? The flight attendant’s Italian carried the same warmth I’d missed during my Nordic exile.
Home. The word meant something different now. Not just a city or a penthouse in the clouds, but wherever Dante and I could build our figure together. A future that was about to get considerably more complicated.
The descent into familiar territory brought butterflies that had nothing to do with shade changes Somewhere below, the most powerful man in the city was waiting.
Customs passed in a blur of stamps and practiced smiles. My hands trembled slightly as I pulled my carry–on through the arrival gates. And then I
Dante Romano could make waiting look like an art form. He stood apart from the crowd, that natural authority drawing eyes even in casual clothes though “casual” for hum means perfectly tailored charcoal slacks and a cashmere sweater that probably cost more than most care. His dark hair fell in slight waves, softer than hus usual rigid control, and his smile when he spotted me carried none of its usual calculation
Welcome home, tam. His voice wrapped around me like warni honey as I walked into his embrace. He smelled of sandalwood and power and everything I’d missed.
“Miss me?” I tried for teasing, but emotion made my voice shake
His kiss answered the question thoroughly, public setting be damned. When he pul adoration that still made my heart race. “Every second“.
pulled back, his eyes held that dangerous mix of j
Epossession and
“Liar.” I smoothed his sweater where my hands had gripped it. “I bet you enjoyed having your perfect pentieuse back to normal. No ceramic fish sculptures ruining your careful aesthetics.”
“Actually. His smile turned slightly wicked. “I may have commissioned a few more pieces from that artist you like. The living room needed. personality”
I gaped at him. “Who are you and what have you done with my control–freak husband“”
He laughed – that real, unguarded sound that still felt like a gift – and took my carry–on. “Speaking of control…” His eyes gleaned with something that made my pulse jump. “How would you feel about a small change of career plans?”
“Meaning?”
natural
“The urban development office received an extremely qualified internship application last week. He guided me toward the exit with that n grace that still drew every eye in the terminal. Top of her class, innovative design proposals, particular interest in community spaces…”
Understanding dawned. “You didn’t
“I merely ensured your application received appropriate consideration. His hand settled on my lower back, warm through my travel clothes. The interview panel was quite impressed.”
“The panel you absolutely didn’t influence at all?
“I would never.” But his smile carried that dangerous edge I’d grown to love “Welcome to the tram, intern”
“You’re going to be impossible about this, aren’t you?” Despite my attempt at exasperation, joy bubbled up inside me, Working together, building something real, not just for us but for the city…
“Completely impossible. He opened the car door with a flourish. “And you love is,”
“God help me, I do.” The words carried more weight than he knew. More futures than be’d planned for.
The city spread out before us a Taylor navigated through familiar streets. Everything looked somehow brighter, more alive, than when I’d left. Construction crews worked on what looked like new community center. Parks bloomed where abandoned lots had been.
You’ve been buny,” observed, watching pride flaxis across his face.
“We have a lot to build. His fi
fingers Inced with mine, thumb brushing the worn gold ring. But first, there’s something I need to show you. A
“Another one?” I laughed. “What happened to my perfectly controlled husband who lusted surprises”
“He fell in love.” The simple honesty in his voice still took my breath away. Tomorrow works begins on your first major project as part of the urban development team.”
