“Do you think we’d even have a chance?” The reality of the situation struck full force. It was crazy. He was an Italian tour guide I’d known for a month. How could we possibly be thinking about dating? “Or will we just be postponing a necessary heartbreak?”

He leaned in, his hands cupping my cheeks. I fell into that dark, penetrating gaze that was warm and joyous. “I want to try,” he said again. “I think you are worth fighting for.”

I blinked. How had this man broken through my walls and captured my heart? And did I really want to see what could happen between us? Was it easier to just be strong and break it off now? “Enzo, I need to think about it,” I said slowly. “This is hard for me. I have so much to contend with when I get back home. I want to be sure if we do this, we’re both all in.”

He nodded. “I understand.” He kissed me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. “Will you do one thing for me tonight?”

I laughed. “What?”

“Go skinny-dipping with me.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“When we were talking at dinner, Allegra teased you that it’s on your bucket list. The lake is beautiful at night. Come with me. Now.”

“Skinny-dipping? Me? Right now?”

“Yes, cara. The night is still ours. Let’s not waste it.”

I stared at him for a while before finally making my decision. “I’ll do it.”

Giggling like teenagers, we hurried outside and down to the lake. It took me a while to work up the courage to strip and dive into the water, but once I did, it was pure heaven. The water was silky smooth against my naked skin, and the crescent moon winked above me amid the stars.

We splashed and swam and floated. Then we climbed back into our clothes, dripping wet, running back to the house and collapsing into bed together to make love all night, feeling like morning might never come.

Eventually, it did.

He left me with a kiss on the lips and a promise lingering in the air. And for the first time, I realized the very controlled, orderly life I’d been so proud of had shattered around me in pieces.

And I’d never felt so alive or hopeful about the future.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Sophia

My girls were hurting.

We sat at the table for our final breakfast. The luggage was packed and loaded. We’d take the rental car to the airport and make the flight back home. Ian had gone yesterday, and Enzo left in the early morning while we still slept. It was just us again.