Chapter 236 All They Felt Was Love

Chapter 236 All They Felt Was Love
Calla stayed in his arms for a few more seconds before finally pulling away. Rico looked at her for a moment. He lightly tilted his head toward the tent. “Come," he said.

Calla smiled and followed him.

Inside, she realized he had arranged an actual dinner. It wasn't overly luxurious, or something prepared to impress. It was things she liked.

There was creamy seafood pasta, grilled chicken with herbs, warm garlic bread, roasted vegetables, and small bowls of fresh fruit arranged neatly to the side.

Her lips slowly parted, and she turned to him. “When did you get all these prepared?”

Rico chuckled lightly and sat down first. “It wasn't that hard, you know," he replied. That alone made her smile.

Dinner passed more easily than she expected. At first, she thought the mood would feel emotional because of where they were.

But somehow, it didn’t. Rico didn't let it get to that. They talked and laughed. She complained about him leaving her alone all day, and he defended himself. She accused him of becoming boring now that he was Don, but he said paperwork was ruining his life.

At one point she laughed so hard she almost spilled her wine. And Rico... he actually laughed too. Not the quiet breathy laugh, a real one.

For dessert, there were slices of strawberry cake and small bowls of vanilla gelato.

Calla looked at him suspiciously. “You planned all this?”

Rico looked away, touching the side of his nose. “No," he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. She narrowed her eyes at him, but he ignored her. She shook her head at how he was trying to be mysterious.

They finished the wine slowly while watching the lights reflect against the water. By the time they were done eating, the air had gotten colder, so they moved outside the canopy.

Rico spread one of the blankets across the dock. Calla sat first, then he sat beside her, and she naturally leaned against him. And together, they looked up.

The sky was clear, with stars stretched endlessly above them. They didn't speak as they watched the stars quietly.

After some time, Calla noticed something. Rico wasn’t paying attention—at least not fully. His eyes kept shifting, fingers moving slightly, jaw tightened occasionally. Like his mind was somewhere else.

She turned, her brows pulling together. “Rico?” She called softly, her hand touching his chest. He looked at her, and she smiled. “What’s wrong?”

His expression softened immediately. “Nothing.”

Calla narrowed her eyes. She knew him and that was not nothing. But she didn’t push. She rested her head back against his shoulder, and the conversation continued.

They talked about random things. Places she wanted to visit, dishes she wanted to try, whether Eli would finally stop climbing things, how Sophia is addicted to online shopping, and what color of shawl Donna Marta was lacking.

And somehow, they ended up talking about themselves. Calla smiled. “Do you remember the first day we met?”

Rico looked ahead, nodding. "You were a feisty one," he said and a faint smile appeared. “You were annoying too.”

Calla gasped. "I was not!" She exclaimed.

His smile widened and continued. “You talked too much. And I liked my peace and quiet."

She glared at him, hitting his arm. 

He chuckled. Then his expression softened. His eyes remained on the stars. “I remember," he spoke again after a while. “You changed my life.”

Calla looked at him, the candlelight glistening in her eyes as she stared at his gorgeous face.

His voice stayed calm. “When I met you…” He exhaled quietly. “…I didn’t expect anything. I thought it would only be about the sex and no strings attached." His fingers moved over his knee, eyes lowered briefly. 

“But then things happened," he said as his lips curved faintly. "The good, the bad... the things I wish never happened.” He looked at her, gaze softening, and his hand found hers. “And somehow… you stayed."

His fingers intertwined with hers. Calla stared at him, her chest tightened. Rico looked down at their joined hands, quietly laughed once, seeming a little nervous. Almost annoyed.

He muttered something under his breath, and Calla blinked. “What?” She couldn't understand why he was suddenly getting nervous... or was it emotional?

He looked away, then suddenly cursed quietly again. He took a sharp inhale, and turned fully toward her, taking both her hands. Calla's gaze remained on him, and her heartbeat started changing. 

Rico looked at her for a long second. “I never thought about forever, I never looked at people and imagined growing old with them," his eyes held hers as he spoke, his thumb brushing over her fingers lightly.

"Rico?" She whispered, feeling her throat tightening.

“I didn’t believe in love. I thought people exaggerated it," he continued, then his eyes softened. "But then I met you.”

He swallowed, and suddenly he moved. Calla’s eyes widened as Rico stood up and slowly got down on one knee. Her breath caught, eyes immediately filled.

Rico reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. When he opened it, inside sat a ring. A clear diamond surrounded by smaller stones.

Calla froze, her hands immediately covering her mouth. She couldn't believe this.

He smiled at her, his thumb brushing a tear that slid down her cheek. "If life had ended that day I almost died... my biggest regret would’ve been not telling you this.” 

Calla’s eyes blurred even more. His voice became gentler. “I would be grateful…” His fingers tightened slightly around the box. “…if you would spend your life with me.”

She quickly wiped the tears that kept falling, sniffing and blinking rapidly.

“Lyra Monroe," he called. “Will you marry me?”

Calla stared at him, the ring, then back at him, as she cried harder. She nodded immediately. “Y-Yes.” She laughed again. “Yes.”

Rico smiled, and the nervousness disappeared instantly. He took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

And before he could say anything, she launched herself into him, and he caught her... always.

She wrapped both arms around his neck, while he wrapped his around her waist, and they stayed like that, laughing, trembling, crying, holding each other beneath the stars.

When they pulled away, Calla held her left hand up, staring at the beautiful ring on her finger. She laughed through her tears, shaking her head. "I can't believe this. You— is this real?..." she asked.

Rico touched her jaw, lightly rubbing her cheek. "It is real."

She cupped his face with both hands, her lips slamming against his without hesitation, sucking them. He was slightly taken aback, but soon matched her fierceness.

Rico held the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, tasting all her sweetness. He suddenly pulls away, breathing heavily, his forehead resting on hers.

Calla was panting, her hands placed on his chest as she searched his face. "What is it?" 

He stayed silent for a moment, chest rising and falling. “After Luciano died… this place only reminded me of what I had lost," he said. "His death made me stop bringing good memories here. And I think Luciano would be angry if I stayed stuck there forever.”

"What is it you want?" Calla asked him, still panting from the kiss.

"I want this place to witness my joy..." he said. "As the place where I started my forever."

With that, his lips crashed against hers again, softer and slower this time. Her hands snaked into his hair, and his hands found her waist, pulling her closer, like he was trying to memorize this moment. Their clothes started coming off one after another, not with urgency, but with soft smiles and lingering touches.

The night breeze passed around them, and everything else disappeared. Their bodies stayed intertwined, naked, beneath the stars.

But instead of the night air, all they felt was love. 

✨THE END✨