Love Not at First Sight by Sarah Ready
Epilogue
Sam
Sooner rather than later…
The sun spillsover the green hills of the Italian olive grove. Veronica lays in my arms in the shade of an olive tree. Bees drone overhead and clouds float lazily in the deep blue Tuscan sky. A picnic basket sits in the grass next us. It’s empty of the bread, olives, fresh cheese and wine that we packed earlier. I stroke my fingers through Veronica’s hair and kiss the edge of her mouth. Then, I stretch back on the soft picnic blanket, gather her close, and smile up at the light filtering through the leaves.
“Do you think,” she asks, “we could do that again?”
I smile. Making love under an olive tree in the Italian sun has its appeal.
“If we hurry,” I say. I look at the height of the sun overhead, then at my watch. “Everyone should be here in thirty minutes.”
Two weeks ago, Veronica and I were married in a sunrise ceremony in the Dolomites. We flew everyone over to celebrate our wedding with us—my family, Veronica’s mom, Chloe, Nick and Ava, and Chloe’s Aunt Erma. Ava, a healthy and happy baby, was the flower girl. I think Chloe spent the entire wedding trying to keep Ava from putting rose petals in her mouth.
“That soon?” asks Veronica. She looks at the long empty drive and the quiet countryside road. Between us and the road is the private seventeenth century villa we’re staying in. It’s a sun-washed yellow with a bright tile roof. There are gardens, an outdoor kitchen and a swimming pool.
We hiked and climbed the Dolomites for the week after our wedding and then took a meandering drive down the coast, exploring villages, wineries and stopping in quite a few empty fields for an hour or two of lovemaking in the sweet grass and sunshine.
Life is better than anything I could ever have imagined.
“Yup. That soon,” I say.
Our family and friends explored Italy on their own and are joining us for one last evening before heading back to New York. Veronica and I are going to spend another week in the villa. Hopefully, right under this olive tree.
Veronica starts to run her hand across my bare skin, down my abs, and then she whispers a suggestion in my ear. I glance at her in surprise and there’s that look in her eyes, the one that she has when she’s planning something especially adventurous.
I swallow. I’ve never been able to resist that look.
“Come to think of it,” I say slowly. “We have plenty of time.”
She smiles and I grin back.
“That’s what I thought,” she says.
I roll her beneath me and get busy fulfilling every whispered request. After we’re done and she’s back in my arms, sprawled on the blanket, looking up at the sun-drenched sky, I lean over and press my lips to hers.
Veronica
Sam presseshis lips to mine and I think about how lucky I am. How loved.
Our family will be here soon, but I want one more minute just taking in the feel of him and the warmth of his lips against mine.
Laying in the Italian sun, wrapped in his arms, I know two things. Love makes you strong and life’s an adventure. And adventures are always better when you take them with someone you love.
THE END
