Layla stepped out of the car, her eyes lighting up with excitent as she took in the lush greenery surrounding her. The rolling hills of Umbria stretched out in the distance. In front of her stood an ancient stone house.
"So, you’ve finally made it!" A deep voice rang out, drawing their attention. At the top of the stone steps stood a man with a warm smile, arms crossed casually as he leaned against the doorway. He walked to them after a mont.
"Demitri," Lucius greeted, striding forward with purpose. The two n exchanged a firm handshake before pulling each other into a brief, brotherly hug.
Lucius turned to Layla, who had been watching the exchange with curious eyes. "This is my wife, Layla Rosenzweig De Salvo," he said, his voice filled with quiet pride. "Layla, et Demitri Velkazh."
Demitri stepped forward, extending his hand with a smile. "It’s a pleasure to et you, Layla. I’ve heard a lot about you."
Layla shook his hand, her grip firm yet warm. "The pleasure’s mine, Demitri. So, you’re one of Lucius’s friends?" Her brow furrowed slightly, curiosity sparking in her eyes.
"Not just a friend," Demitri replied with a playful smirk. "We were high school classmates. Best friends, in fact."
Layla’s eyes widened in surprise. "High school friends? Really?" She turned to Lucius, raising an eyebrow. "You never told you had close friends from school."
Lucius, who was busy juggling her purse, hat, and their duffle bag, gave her a small, knowing smile. He was already anticipating the questions that would co later about why he had omitted this detail. He simply shrugged, his expression saying, We’ll talk about it later.
Demitri feigned a wounded look. "I’m hurt, Lucius. You didn’t even ntion to your wife? I thought we were closer than that."
Lucius chuckled. "You know how I am."
Demitri shook his head in mock disapproval before glancing at the two n standing nearby. "Roger, Aiden," he greeted warmly, pulling them into quick, friendly hugs.
With a sweep of his arm, Demitri gestured toward the open door. "Co on in. My grandmother’s house is your ho for as long as you’re here."
Once inside, they were greeted by Demitri’s grandmother, a lively woman with a warm smile and an energy that seed to fill the entire house. Layla was imdiately embraced in a tight, affectionate hug. The unexpected warmth made her smile, and her hands instinctively moved to return the gesture.
"Thank you for having us, Grandma," Layla said, pulling back slightly but still holding the older woman’s hands. "I brought sothing for you." She glanced over her shoulder, signaling Roger, who promptly handed her a small, elegantly wrapped bag.
"Oh, Layla! You didn’t have to," Lady Alessia said, her eyes twinkling as she took the gift. "But thank you. You’re so thoughtful."
Lady Alessia turned her attention to Roger and Aiden, her eyes narrowing as she gave them a once-over. "You two look so thin! Is your boss working you too hard?"
Aiden chuckled. "Not at all, Grandma. Boss takes good care of us. It’s probably just been too long since you’ve seen us."
Roger nodded in agreent. "We’ve been well-fed, trust ."
Lady Alessia huffed lightly, though a smile played on her lips. "Demitri, show them their rooms," she instructed, before turning her attention to Lucius. "And you, young man, have outdone yourself with your wife. But I’m still upset you didn’t invite us to the wedding. You owe , Lucius. We’ll settle it in the vineyards."
Lucius chuckled. "I’ll make it up to you, Grandma. I promise. I hope we aren’t imposing."
"Imposing? Nonsense!" she exclaid with a wave of her hand. "Thanks to you, my grandson finally rembered I exist and ca ho. Now, if only he’d find himself a wife. I want to see my granddaughter-in-law before I take my last breath."
"Grandma," Demitri interjected with a groan, "I’ll marry soon."
Lady Alessia gave him a skeptical look. "You’ve been saying that for years. Boys these days are hopeless. Back in my ti, we married young, had kids, and lived life to the fullest." She turned to Layla, her expression softening. "Layla, if you have any single friends, send them my way. My grandson needs all the help he can get."
Layla laughed, her eyes sparkling. "I’ll keep that in mind, Grandma."
Demitri cleared his throat, motioning toward the hallway. "Let show you to your rooms. Roger, Aiden, you know where yours are."
"Yep!" Roger replied, leading the way with Aiden close behind.
Layla and Lucius followed Demitri to the guest room. As Demitri pushed open the door to their room, he stepped aside, letting them enter. "Make yourself at ho," he said with a small smile.
"Thanks. I’ll see you later," Lucius said, turning toward Demitri, who gave him a nod before heading down the hall.
The mont Lucius closed the door behind him, Layla spun around, arms crossed over her chest, her eyes narrowing in mock accusation. "So, you have one more friend?" she said pointedly.
Lucius sighed, setting their belongings on the table. "I knew this was coming," he muttered, glancing at her.
Layla raised an eyebrow, waiting expectantly. "Care to explain?"
"Well," he began, scratching the back of his head as he avoided her gaze. "I always considered Matteo my closest friend. Demitri, on the other hand, was the class genius. I’ve never been fond of studying, so we didn’t interact much. Besides..." he paused, his voice softening, "I was a shy type back then."
Layla snorted, clearly unconvinced. "Don’t lie. You could never be the shy type."
Lucius smirked, stepping closer. "I am," he murmured, taking her hands gently in his. His dark eyes locked onto hers, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "It’s just with you that I feel bold."
Layla’s breath hitched as his nose brushed against hers. Before she could respond, his lips captured hers in a slow kiss, drawing her into his warmth. His hands slid to her waist, pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. Layla’s arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, her initial irritation lting away in the heat of the mont.
When they finally pulled apart, her cheeks were flushed, and her heart was racing. "You always know how to distract ," she whispered breathlessly.
Lucius chuckled, his forehead resting against hers. "I have my ways," he said, his voice filled with affection.,
Reviews
All reviews (0)