The Marine

Don't Let Go

The blonde. Sergeant Stephanie Leer. She was texting him. Luca. My Luca. The one who just professed how interested he was in me, and how beautiful I was 'inside and out'. When would he be back? He was staying with her? I braced myself on the counter and slipped the cell phone back into the bag. My mind raced with what to do. I was angry but more so hurt. He was hiding this from me, even if he had an innocent explanation.

The front door opened and Luca walked back in. I quickly perked up and decided to see if he'd tell me something. Admitting to having looked at his phone wasn't going to work.

"Close your eyes." He said.

I did. Erasing the romantic dinner from existence as the darkness claimed me. I focused on my breathing. In and out. Slower still. What I needed was patience and a calmer head. No matter what, I wasn't going to be taken for a fool.

Warm hands caressed my shoulders suddenly, jolting my senses. Luca let out an audible 'mmm' by my ear. Goosebumps formed on my skin. My body was reacting separate from my brain.

"My mom makes these special lotions using scents imported from Italy. I thought you'd like this one."

I did like it. It was floral and light with a hint of vanilla. It smelled like a wild flower garden. Damn him. I kept my eyes closed until I felt his hands rub on my neck. He was trying to get sexual. My body reacted in kind. I couldn't have this though. Not now, after seeing what I did on his phone.

"Luca...let's finish eating." I blurted out, turning to face him.

He stopped abruptly and frowned.

"Something wrong?"

Yes. He and Stephanie were wrong. Him thinking he could hide it from me was wrong. And me hoping he'd want to date me was wrong.

"No. I'm just hungry still."

We sat back at the table and I began to finish my food, taking care to look at it closely instead of Luca. I could feel his gaze on me as he drank the rest of his wine. I needed to act normal. I swallowed the last bite and sighed, looking up with a tiny smile.

"Thank you for dinner. It was good."

He searched my face, no doubt wondered what I was really thinking. I knew he was smart and intuitive.

"Did something happen after I left to go outside?" He asked.

"No. I'm just thinking about what you said earlier. How you aren't looking to date."

"Ah..." He said, hesitantly.

"It's not that I don't want to date, it's just that I'm careful now."

Now? From his ex? My interest piqued but the blonde sergeants message was still there too.

"Your ex broke your heart?" I asked.

He got up to pour more wine in both of our glasses.

"You can definitely say that. I asked her to marry me. It wasn't what she wanted though. She was younger than me." He said. "Not unlike you."