Chapter 88 2 Wine And Hesitation

• Clara looked up at him. The question hung quietly between them in the gentle light of the suite.
• She opened her mouth, then closed it again and gave a small, nervous laugh. “I don’t really know how to answer that yet,” she said. The wine sat warm in her chest and made her voice a little softer than usual. “I’m still getting used to the idea that I can actually ask for things without someone looking at me like I’ve lost my mind.”
• Luca stayed where he was. He didn’t move closer. He just watched her with that calm, open expression and kept one hand resting lightly on the back of a chair. “Then we don’t have to name it right now,” he said. “We can keep talking. Or I can pour you another glass and we can sit for a while. Whatever feels easiest for you.”