Redo
“Well. I think the day I came to see you in the choir room, I would have introduced myself. I would have told you who I was instead of allowing your uncle to do it.”
“What would you have said? How would you have introduced yourself so I wouldn’t have run screaming from the room?”
He reached out, pulling her chair around the table, the metal legs screeching on the pavement, until their thighs touched. “Hello Zorah. My name is Icaro Lucchesi, and we have not yet met formally. Many years ago, I met your grandparents and they along with me and my family, felt very strongly we are meant to be together. I know you don’t know who I am, and this is all very sudden for you, but your uncle and mother both know of our grandparents’ arrangements. Would you do me the honor of joining me for lunch so we could discuss this a bit further?”
Her eyes were wide at the soft velvety tones of his voice and the way his hand gripped hers on the tabletop. The pleading quality to his words were making her heart thrum wildly.
He traced her cheek softly, “I am not a kind or decent man, Zorah Esposito but I promise you, I will keep you safe from harm and I will give you the world but mostly, I want to give you all the love a woman like you deserves. Will you let me cherish and honor you?”
Now she was trembling at the way his eyes stared deeply into hers, the bright blue of his irises blazing with the heat of a thousand suns. His hand stroked her hair, playing with the tendrils and then draping them over her shoulder, his knuckles brushing against her heaving chest as he let her hair fall.
“Let me take you to lunch and then if you are satisfied, I mean you no actual harm, perhaps we can have dinner? I have things which I’ll need to tell you about my past but I’m willing to get on my knees to be your forgiveness if only for a moment of your time.”
“Damn Icaro,” she felt her tongue dart along her bottom lip.
“If you agree, it will make me the happiest man on the planet. What do you say, Zorah? Would you bless me with your presence and let me tell you all about how you and I are meant to be?”
“You definitely should have started things off like this,” she giggled nervously.
He smiled as he kissed her nose, “how about we go for a little walk?”
She did not want to go for a little walk. She wanted to sit here and let Icaro keep giving her swoon-worthy dialogue and looking at her the way he was. She was a quivering mess in her chair. Yet she took his extended hand and taking her flowers off the table, she walked alongside him.
“Now, the city here is lovely,” Icaro kept her fingers intertwined with his, “however there is a place about an hour’s drive from here, called Taormina. If you are up to it tomorrow, perhaps we can take a drive and visit?”
“What is there?”
“Mount Etna is near there.”
“The volcano?”
“Yes. We can do a walking tour in the morning, a little shopping in the afternoon and then in the evening, would you like to take in an Opera? There is an opera house there.”
“Could we?”
“Of course we can. Whatever you want my bride, I will give you.”
“How far up the volcano can we go?”
“We won’t go too far, Zorah,” he chuckled.
“Whew, I don’t want to be a virgin sacrifice.”
His laugh startled pigeons as they walked, and she giggled leaning her head on his shoulder. She felt his lips on the top of her head, and she couldn’t stop the warm feeling spreading in her chest.
“This is nice, spending time together?” he asked as they strolled.
“It is nice.”
“There is a cathedral nearby, at the Piazza Del Duomo. Would you like a chance to visit? We have nothing planned the rest of our day. We can be tourists if you like.”
“I would love to.”
“There is also a Roman theatre we can visit near the cathedral and there are fountains and many art and architectural designs on display for you to take in everywhere along the way.”
She nodded vigorously at his offer and
They walked hand in hand along the cobbled alleys until they reached the piazza and Zorah found herself standing in the center of it in awe. “It’s so pretty here.”
“Nothing prettier in the world,” his eyes were firmly fixed on her and she blushed.
“Flirt.” She shook her head at him.
“Simply speaking my truth,” he kissed her forehead.
She looked up at his profile as he turned to look in the direction of the cathedral, ready to walk with her.
“Why are you being so nice to me, Icaro?”
He turned to her in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”
“Why are you being so nice to me. For the last ten days I’ve been nothing but a first-class bitch. I’ve snapped at you at every turn. You mentioned me letting you into bed with me but part of me doing it, and you know it as well as I do, was to make sure you knew you were only there by my permission. The staff were trying to be friendly to me at the farm and I ignored them all. I kept your parents and grandparents at arm’s length as much as I could. I’ve been throwing insults at you left, right and center. I knew you were coming, and I told your mother I didn’t like you, and I wanted you to hear me say I didn’t love you. I’ve been thinking of ways to run away from you.” She blinked back tears, “yet you’re standing here telling me how pretty I am and ready to go into a cathedral with me when I already know your views on the church and these grand displays of their power with their fancy buildings because you know it would be something I enjoy. Why?”
“Because you are here. Because as long as you are here, with me, Zorah, I am going to try and earn your love. I love you, amoré, and being angry with me is not going to diminish how much I love you. Even if you choose to leave me, I will still love you until I draw my last breath and every moment you allow me to spend with you, like this,” he waved around them, “is a moment I am going to treasure and enjoy.”
“Icaro,” she rocked on the side of her foot.
“Yes, my love?” The gentleness in his expression spoke of the patience he held for her.
“Will you kiss me again?”
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