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Chapter sixty-three

Samara

Sunday, August 30, 2026

T he hostess leads me to the outdoor patio to seat me at a table for brunch. My palms feel a little sweaty. I haven’t been on a date, a real date, in so long.

And the way Luca looked like he hadn’t slept a single second last night made it even more difficult to leave him for this. Truthfully, I crave his company more than I’ve ever craved anyone’s, and it’s nerve-wracking to think about.

I take a seat, sipping my water and hoping I don’t fuck this up, or I’ll be hearing about it till the end of time. My mom would never let it go.

A tall, handsome man with kind eyes approaches my table, extending his hand for me. “You must be the lovely Samara. I’m Jasiel. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he tells me, taking my hand in his and grazing the back of my knuckles with his full lips.

Alright, Jasiel’s got game.

“It’s nice to meet you, Jasiel. I’m sorry our moms pushed you into this.” I chuckle, trying to laugh off my discomfort.

“It’s really not a problem. Sometimes, I think my mom wakes up in the middle of the night just scheming over how she’ll find me a wife,” he says with a laugh. It’s a deep sound that has my ears tingling.

“I know the feeling.” I smile, picking up my menu and taking a look so I can stop staring at his handsome face.

As I look over the options, I can’t help but think about how nice it’s been to have Luca around for meals. He’s taken on the role of sharing entrées with me, so I always get what I want in the end, without compromise. And the moment the thought passes, my eyes snap up to meet Jasiel’s kind hazel eyes, making me feel guilty for even thinking about Luca in the first place.

***

Jasiel walks with me all the way back to the resort and stops at the front doors. “I had a really great time, Samara. Thank you for going out of your way for this. I’m sure our moms will both be happy to know that at least I had fun.”

“I had a great time, so thanks for that,” I say, smiling.

He drags a hand through his soft brown curls and closes the distance between us. My mind short-circuits, realizing too late that he’s about to kiss me. The moment his mouth descends upon mine, it’s like my body decides on its own. I turn my head, and his lips land safely on my cheek for a chaste kiss. His cheeks start to turn pink when he straightens. “Have a great rest of your day, Samara,” he tells me before hurrying out of here.

When he’s out of earshot, I blow out a long breath and turn to head inside.

The doors open, and I’m blasted with cool air from the lobby. Luca’s arrogant smirk greets me as soon as I step inside.

“Hey there, princess. Looks like the sparks weren’t flying after all, huh?” he asks, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

I muster up the best eye roll I can manage as we head down the hall toward our room, but before we get there, Luca’s large hand wraps around mine, pulling me into his chest. A breath gets knocked out of my lungs as I steady a palm on his hard chest to balance myself.

He brings his lips an inch from mine, his warm, minty breath coasting over my lips and sending a chill through me. The tip of his nose drags slowly down the bridge of mine, and I see his eyes dilate when I peer up into them, unable to step out of this trance.

Luca closes the distance, and just as our lips are about to meet, he pulls away entirely, dragging me along behind him as he chuckles. Poorly contained anger trickles through me. I just got played.

“Don’t be angry, Samara,” he chides softly. “I just had to prove to you that you want me as badly as I want you, but I’m not going to be the one to make the next move. You’re the only one hung up here, so you have to be the one to make the decision. I won’t make it for you,” he explains, gently squeezing my hand.

What the hell? When exactly had Luca decided he wanted something other than sex with me?

It appears I fully dropped the ball on this one.