Chiara squeals loudly before tugging on my hand and pulling me onto the couch. “Tell me everything, and really everything.”

I giggle and flop down next to her, replaying the last few minutes.

Chiara gasps. “So it’s on?”

I nod while my heart is rattling like a wild animal protesting to get out of a cage.

“What will you wear to bed?” The gleam in her eyes makes me nervous, like I missed something important.

“Um, I…didn’t think about that yet. My usual pajamas won’t do?” My nose crinkles at the thought of going shopping right now.

“I think your pajamas are cute. Just put something sexy underneath them.”

I’m already thinking about my black silk bra and panties. I wonder if Lukas is having the same problems, deciding what to wear for bed. But remembering his naked back from the first night, I can bet whatever he wears, it won’t come close to his bare skin.

For a second, I imagine him lying on the bed, buck naked, waiting for me.

Chiara elbows me lightly. “What are you thinking?”

I simply shake my head, and by some miracle, she doesn’t ask more.

My heartbeat slowly calms down as we start to work on how to manage the guest list for Maddy’s wedding. We send emails to our partners telling them what they can expect from us in the coming weeks and come up with a to-do list of tasks we’ll be sharing.

It’s almost evening when Chiara leaves my office.

There’s a tremble in my steps as I walk from my office toward the suite. I stop with my hand on the doorknob, and a shiver runs through me as I wonder if Lukas is already inside. With great effort, I step inside the room, and my accelerating heart rate calms a little at the sight of an empty bed.

The door to the balcony is open, with the hanging string lights turned on. I place my laptop onto the coffee table and walk through the arched doorway.

My breath hitches at the sight before me. Lukas is typing something on his laptop, while on the table there’s food on the warming tray and a bottle of ginger ale. There’s a powder-blue candle burning on the side.

“Hey, the food just came.” Lukas closes his laptop and places it on the side table.

I sit down on the empty chair. When he removes the cloches and pushes a plate in my direction, my nervousness calms down.

This is Lukas. Nothing has changed.

“We’re drinking ginger ale.” I take a bite of the mashed potatoes and point toward the green-label bottle.

He simply nods, but there’s a fire in his eyes. Before it can accelerate my heartbeat, Lukas asks, “How are the plans coming along for the wedding?”

“Good. I have a few questions for you.”

“Shoot.”