Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

J ackson

I'm in the rose garden when Luca brings me a mid-morning coffee. I haven't seen him yet this morning and my breath hitches when I spy him coming along the path. I put down the secateurs, remove my gloves, and take the mug. I can't resist leaning down for a kiss.

"Good morning," I whisper when we part, my lips just hovering over his.

"Good morning," he breathes back, breaking out into a smile.

"I think I've worked out which of these is the Larchdown rose." I indicate a shrub which is starting to put out a few buds. I'd found it on the plans last night, so had an idea where to look, but it took a bit of clearing to uncover it.

"That's exciting. Are you sure?"

"We'll know when it comes into flower, but I think so."

Luca starts to move some of the rose cuttings I've been trimming so we can sit on a low wall. A thorn sticks into his thumb and snags.

"Ouch!"

"You okay?"

"It's nothing." It looks sore, and blood is beading along the scratch. I catch his hand and gently raise his thumb to my mouth, cleaning the blood with my tongue. I give it a tender suck and then kiss the scratch. When I look at him, he's gazing at me like I've performed some sort of miracle, but there's also a sadness behind his eyes. A sadness which I know runs decades deep and can't be erased with a few gentle kisses—but it's a good place to start.

I place my fingers under his jaw, raising his chin slightly, and bend to kiss him.

"I've never had anyone take such care of me before," his voice rasps, like a tree in an autumn breeze.

"Well, now you have me." I touch my forehead to his, wishing I could wipe away all the hurt he's suffered. I know he isn't ready to let me in enough to learn his secrets. That's for him to work out himself.

It takes a few moments before he lets out a deep breath and withdraws his head from mine, but the sadness is still there.

"Thank you." He smiles weakly. "I'm sorry, those two words don't seem enough."

"They are enough. You are enough." I draw him into a hug because, well, apparently he thinks I'm good at those—and I sure need one.