LILLY POV
If someone had told me a few months ago that I'd be getting dressed to have dinner at Luca Demon's house, I would've laughed in their face.
But there I was, standing in front of my mirror, tugging nervously at the hem of my navy-blue dress, wondering if I looked too simple, or worse—like I was trying too hard. My curls were loose around my shoulders, and I wore the silver earrings my mum had given me last year for my birthday.
"You look like yourself," she had said.
And that was what I needed to remember.
Luca had invited me earlier that week, casually saying his mum was back from Paris and they'd be having a family dinner. When I hesitated, unsure if I would fit in with his world, he simply texted: You're part of it now.
Still, I was nervous. More than nervous. Because this wasn't just dinner.
This was a door opening.
---
LUCA POV
I had never been this restless.
I'd cleaned my room twice, changed shirts three times, and even asked Elena to check if the guest towels in the bathroom were folded properly.
"You're losing it," my fifteen-year-old sister said as she leaned against the doorway. "She's just a girl."
"She's not just anything," I muttered.
Elena rolled her eyes. "You like her. I get it. But if you mess this up, I'm siding with her."
"Noted," I said with a dry smile.
The scent of roasted herbs and something creamy drifted from the kitchen—my mother's signature cooking. The whole house smelled like polished wood, leather, and expensive cologne. Even the air felt like it belonged in a luxury magazine.
And right at six-thirty, the bell rang.
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LILLY POV
Luca answered the door himself, dressed in a black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His smile was casual, but his eyes lit up like fireworks when he saw me.
"You came."
"You invited me."
"Still counts."
The inside of his home was everything I imagined and more. High ceilings, marble floors, an actual chandelier. But it didn't feel cold. There were photos on the walls, candles burning, and the faint hum of classical music playing in the background.
"This is beautiful," I said softly.
"Thanks. We try not to live like Bond villains."
His mum appeared from the kitchen. She was stunning—tall, poised, with gentle features and eyes that sparkled with warmth. She wore a silk blouse and greeted me with a hug.
"So you're Lilly," she said. "We've heard so much about you."
I flushed. "All good things, I hope."
She winked. "Only the best. Come, dinner is ready."
---
Dinner was... easy.
Luca's mother asked thoughtful questions, and Elena teased him the way little sisters do. We laughed. We shared stories. I felt seen.
Somewhere between the second course and dessert, I realized something.
I wasn't nervous anymore.
After dinner, Luca offered to show me his room. Elena rolled her eyes, muttering something about boys and their plans, but his mother simply smiled.
---
LUCA POV
I opened the door to my room, letting her step in first.
It wasn't what people expected. Sure, it was big—a king-size bed, bookshelves, a wall-mounted screen—but it was messy in the way an artist's mind might be. Sketches. Scribbled lyrics. Open notebooks.
"This is you," she said, walking around.
"Is that a good thing?"
"It's... honest."
We sat on the rug, side by side, flipping through one of my old sketchbooks. I showed her the ones I never showed anyone else—the ones I drew when I was hurting. Or lost.
And she listened.
She always did.
At one point, she reached for a candy on my desk, and I reached at the same time. Our fingers touched.
We both laughed.
Then I tackled her.
Not in a serious way. Just playful. Teasing. She squealed and tried to push me off, but I ended up hovering above her, both of us breathless from laughter.
And then the laughter faded.
We were too close.
Her curls fanned out on my rug. Her lips slightly parted. Her eyes wide, uncertain.
I should've moved.
I should've said something clever.
But all I could do was feel the ache in my chest—the one that had been building for weeks.
I leaned down slowly.
And I kissed her.
Soft.
Careful.
Scared.
But she didn't pull away.
She kissed me back.
And the world stopped spinning.
---
LILLY POV
When his lips met mine, everything inside me stilled. There was no overthinking, no fear.
Just heat.
And softness.
And the feeling that I had just crossed a line I couldn't uncross—and didn't want to.
His hands were warm on either side of my face, gentle, as if he was holding something precious.
Me.
When we finally pulled apart, my heart was racing. I looked up into his eyes, searching for regret.