him. If I’d made him realize I loved every part of him, even the parts he didn’t think were loveable.
The screen door opened at my back, and I glanced over my shoulder to see the man I’d just been thinking of moving down the steps toward me, already showered and dressed in jeans and a soft blue sweater, looking sexy and every bit the man of my dreams.
“There you are. I was starting to think you’d run off.”
“I was trying to let you sleep.” I handed him some of my blanket as he sat next to me on the outdoor couch, moving close just as I wanted him to do.
He wasn’t content just to be close, which made me smile. He pushed me forward so he could slide behind me, then pulled me in so I was completely surrounded by his strength and heat.
His lips brushed my temple as he held me tight. “I sleep better when you’re next to me.”
“Mm.” I sighed and relaxed into him. “I’ll remember that.”
We sat in silence for several minutes, listening to the sounds of the water lapping the shore, and I closed my eyes and told myself, no matter what, we were together. We could get through anything so long as we held on to each other. I believed that. If I was patient, if I gave him time, the Luc I knew was in there would find his way back to me.
“I was thinking about driving into Edinburgh,” he said softly near my ear.
“You were?” My eyes came open, and I looked out at the water. “What for?”
“Felicity left a name on the counter. I called, and they can see me at two p.m.”
Shocked, I pushed up and turned so I could face him. “You called the counselor?”
“Yeah.” He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, looking nervous and completely unsure. “I’ll go alone if I have to, but I was kind of hoping, maybe, you’d go with me?”
My heart pounded so hard, I was sure he had to hear it. “Of course I’ll go with you. I-I didn’t even know you were thinking of it.”
“I wasn’t. Until last night. But, what you told me...” He blinked rapidly, and I realized he was struggling to put his emotions into words. “I want to be what you need. And I need to find a way to be the man we both remember.”
I threw my arms around him and held him to me, fighting to keep from crying, because I knew how hard this was for him. “I love you. You know that, right? I love you no matter what.”
“I know. It’s the one thing I know with absolute certainty.” He slid his arms around my waist. “There’s no way you’d put up with a shit like me if you didn’t.”
He was making a joke. A stupid joke that made me want to both laugh and cry. I held him tighter. “Don’t make fun. My heart can’t take it.”
“I’m not,” he whispered near my ear. “I’m making things right. I promise I’ll make things right for us again, angioletto.”
I closed my eyes and pressed my lips against his throat, knowing he would. And for the first time in weeks, I actually believed we might finally be okay.
I wasn’t sure what I expected. I knew Edinburgh was a city rich with history and ancient buildings. But I expected this doctor’s office to be in a modern high-rise. Or, at the very least, a medical park with other legitimate, licensed doctors.
“It looks like a church,” I whispered to Luc as we moved up the front steps of the old stone building.
He tightened his fingers around my hand and reached for the right side of the heavy arched red door. “It is. Fourteenth century, I think. A lot of churches in Europe are being converted for other uses.”
“Why?”
“Because we live in a self-obsessed society where religion isn’t important to people anymore.”
I chewed on that thought as I followed him into the building. I’d never been a particularly religious person, but I did consider myself spiritual, and I knew Luc did as well. It had been important to him we be married by a priest—both times. Though, thinking back, I wasn’t sure if that was because of Salvatici House rules regarding the legality of marriage in his country, or if he actually believed in the sacraments. We’d never had that discussion.
Those thoughts came to a spinning stop as we moved into the central space. It was enormous.