A Hart To Call Home

Chapter Thirty One

"Where are we going?" Kit asked as Luca drove out of town instead of towards the Donato estate.

"You'll see," he said as he slowed down and pulled off, right by that welcome to Willow Park sign he'd stopped at twice before.

"Are you throwing me in the lake?"

"No, but I should," he said as he side-eyed her. "I just want to talk, and this is our spot."

He got out and started down to the lake without waiting for her to respond.

"Our spot?" she called out as she exited the car. She hurried to catch up to him as he strode to the lake. Good thing he wasn't going to toss her in; it had grown colder as the night drew on. It seemed like it was going to rain, and there was a chilly breeze.

"Yeah, our spot. This is where it all changed." Luca turned to face her. "Maybe because I told off Kyle. Or maybe because I got you to stop thinking for a second, I don't know."-

"But what?"

"You looked at me differently after that day. I stopped being your enemy."

"You were never my enemy, Luca."

"... you were mine."

She blanched at that and took a step back. She'd intended to apologize, and suddenly, she was annoyed again.

"Gee, thanks," she spat out.

"Just hear me out," he spoke in a gritty voice as he ran a hand through his messy locks.

"I'm listening."

"I didn't ever plan to put my heart out there again." He took a step closer, his cobalt eyes stormy as they regarded her. "Then I met you, and in a way, I did see you as an enemy because I knew you'd break all my walls down, and that scared me."

He let out a humorless laugh. "I tried to fight it, I tried to walk away, and I couldn't, because I fell in love with you."

"You're mad at me because you love me?" Her lip began to quiver as she struggled to understand.

"No, that's not what I meant." A frustrated sigh left his lips. "But you don't get to make me love you and then get pissed at me for doing it."

"What? I didn't do that"-

"Yeah, you did because I don't give half-assed love; I give it all. You're my girl, I'm not going let you suffer, and that extends to your family."

Her eyes welled up with tears for the hundredth time that night.

"I get it, I do," she spoke in trembling. "But they are my family, and I get a little overprotective."

"You've been in the middle of my family drama from day one. I can't get involved in yours?"

"That's not what I said." Her jaw tensed, and she hugged her arms around herself.

"When you stormed out of my house, all pissed off." He paused to slip his hoodie off and then hung it loosely over her shoulders. "That's what I heard."

Any ounce of anger she had left evaporated at that moment.

"Luca..." she tightened the sweatshirt around herself.

"Kit Kat," he leaned his forehead gently against hers.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I overreacted horribly. I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry, too, for blindsiding you with it."

"Let me finish being sorry first!"

"I can't stay mad at you, so don't be sorry anymore; just kiss me, baby." He lifted his forehead and peered down at her lips.