Blinking against the shaft of light that snuck through the crack in the curtains, I blew out a breath. Another day alive. I said a quick prayer of thanks. We weren't guaranteed any days on this earth, and I was so thankful for every single one that I was gifted. I knew before turning that Massi wouldn't be behind me. But it didn't stop me from reaching out a hand to feel for his heat. The last two months had been nothing short of a dream. His attention. His declaration in front of his friends and family. His more ready smiles and willingness to allow me into his personal space. Whatever the girls had said to him, he had taken it to heart. With a long stretch, I sat up. Rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I prayed today would be the day my crippling social anxiety would let me have a normal conversation. Pushing up from the bed, I walked through the room and into the attached bathroom. The Amatucci house was actually a small compound of smaller homes that all branched off a main

After breakfast, Massi and I took Amara for a little walk around the property. I'd been to Sicily before, but never during the day. She had a different kind of vibrance washed under the sun. A slower, lazy rhythm that seemed to speak to my soul. Amara dashed and darted everywhere her chubby little legs would take her. And the girl could climb like she was a monkey. Up rocks in the garden. Over the edge of the fencing. It felt like every five minutes, Massi was rushing towards her as he attempted to rescue her from one height or another. Her little fingers were scrabbling at the edge of the boulder she'd fearlessly attacked. I squeezed Massi's hand, silently telling him to let me handle it.Walking over, I stood behind her so she wouldn't fall. "Up here, Monkey." I tapped a low spot with my fingers. "Put your foot here. You can do it. You're big and strong and brave."Amara's brows lowered in concentration as she attempted to lift her leg up. I helped place it when I saw it wa

I stuck my face up into the burning cold water that fell from the shower faucet. Shivering and crying, I tried to get myself under control. Tried to keep from shaking apart from the inside out. Raging against the cage I felt closing in around me never helped. Nothing did really. Not medication. Not meditation. Nothing. Just having to wait it out. I'd thrown out my Valium when we traveled to Italy. I didn't need customs looking too closely at me. And my prescription was way too old for me to legally have the drugs in my possession anymore. So here I was, hiding in my shower like the frightened little mouse Rafe had called me. I hung my head. Shoving the faucet handle all the way to the far side, I bit my lip to keep from screaming as the water changed from arctic temperatures to Saharan desert in the middle of the summer. I heard him walk into the room. The sound of the shower no match for his energy. Like a huge spring tornado, I had no idea how others didn't notice him. Su

My eyes widened as I watched the men all glare and snarl under their breath. Caught between conflicting emotions, I glanced up at Massi's face. Saw the slight smile that pulled at his delicious mouth. Everything inside me settled. As long as Massi wasn't mad at me. One of the girls snagged my arm, pulled me to the girls' side of the imaginary line. "Eden's ours, too. And from what we just learned, she's even better than Mas. So get ready to get spanked like bratty babies," Tali said, a smile in her voice. From over my shoulder, she shooed Massi to the other side of the room. "Go on. Get over there. We've got her and we'll protect her."While I wasn't quite sure what kind of protection she thought they could offer, I wasn't really willing to speak up to change her mind. Assuming I could work up the courage to actually use my voice when it felt like everyone was glaring at me. "YAY, EED!" Amara clapped from the sidelines with Momma. "Girls best!"Momma chuckled as she circle

We walked out of the huge kitchen and wandered back through the halls towards the mission ops room. Why they all wanted to meet there was a reason I couldn't fully understand, but I was just happy to be involved. Talking to Nik at lunch had been nicer than I thought possible. Even if it had been just a simple conversation with another woman. Massi squeezed my hand, drawing my attention.I turned to look at him. "I proud you," he signed. My soul exploded into little animated hearts and sweetly singing birds like in the old school Disney movies. I leaned against him, rested my head on his shoulder. "I'm proud of me, too."My voice was so quiet, I could barely hear it. But he stopped me just outside the doors to mission ops. He lifted my chin. Pressed his lips to mine. When he pulled back, his entire face was glowing. He ran his nose up the length of mine. Pressed another kiss to my forehead. We stood in the quiet, sunlit hallway. How every single space of this main hou