Tuscan Love Letter

CHAPTER 13

I wake up to the sound of Sofia's voice calling me out, dazzled by the sun even though I'm wearing sunglasses. She stands in front of me, blocking the sun with a worried expression.

"You fell asleep in the sun, amore. You're all red," Sofia says, her voice filled with concern.

I sit up, feeling the heat on my face and shoulders. "Great," I mutter, rubbing my eyes.

Sofia disappears for a moment and returns with a bottle of aftersun cream. She sits down next to me, squeezing some of the cream onto her hands. "Hold still," she says gently, starting to apply it to my face.

I frown, not enjoying the cold sensation of the cream against my sunburnt skin. "Do we have to do this now?" I grumble.

"Yes, we do," Sofia insists, her touch soft and soothing despite my irritation. "You don't want to peel or feel worse later."

Sofia chuckles at my discomfort, her fingers gentle and soothing. Despite my irritation at the cream, I find myself just staring at her. She's so caring, and so beautiful. "You're like a big baby," she teases. "You're lucky I found you before you turned into a lobster," she teases, her eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, yeah," I grumble, trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably.

When she's done, she leans in and gives me a peck on the lips. "There, all better."

"Thanks, my love," I say, pulling her into a proper kiss this time. "What would I do without you?"

"You'd probably be a sunburned mess," she laughs, resting her forehead against mine. "Now, let's get you into some shade before you burn even more."

"Good idea," I say, standing up and taking her hand as we move to a shadier spot. "But only if you promise to keep taking care of me like this."

"Always," Sofia says, her smile warm and reassuring.

✽✽✽

We head inside the house, where the rest of the group is busy storing the products they bought at the market into the fridge and cabinets. As soon as they see my red face, the teasing begins.

"Looks like someone's trying to match the tomatoes we bought," Lisa jokes, giving me a light punch on the arm.

"Yeah, Noah, you know you're supposed to rotate while sunbathing, right?" Mark adds, laughing.

"Did you forget your sunscreen or just decide to see how much you could resemble a lobster?" William chimes in, grinning.

Finn, however, takes it a step further. "Maybe you should leave the sunbathing to Sofia. She's the one with the natural glow."

The others laugh it off, but his comment irks me. I brush it aside, not wanting to make a scene. And Sofia, always the peacemaker, smiles politely and keeps the atmosphere light.

We move to the kitchen, where Sofia and some of the others start preparing lunch with the fresh products they bought. I stay in the living room, keeping an eye on Sofia. She's busy chopping vegetables, her movements efficient and graceful.

Finn is trying to help, but it's clear he's more interested in being close to Sofia than in actually being helpful. He asks her a lot of questions, leaning in too close for my liking. Despite this, Sofia handles it well, answering politely and keeping her focus on the task at hand.

"Is this how you usually cut these?" Finn asks, almost brushing against her shoulder as he leans in to watch her chop.

"Yes, it helps them cook more evenly," Sofia replies, her tone calm and measured.