“For a split second, his finger touches my skin, and he might as well have brushed me with a lit match.” — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“He lifts one of my hands and raises it to his cheek, a gesture so tender and unexpected that my breath catches… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Andrea’s unlocked the back door, and Kendra and I push and shove Paige in. She flops down inside with a long sigh… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I look up at him, and my heart stops for a moment. “Luca!” Andrea says, echoing Leonardo. “ Finalmente! ” “This is… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“And I really don’t want to go back yet.” “I wouldn’t either,” Kelly says. “Not if a boy like Luca were after… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Sebastiano and I arrive, breathless and laughing, on the stone oval of the dance floor. I’m delighted to see that Kelly’s there… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Ugh, mi fa incazzare a bestia. ” He glances at me, black brows drawn tightly together over blazing blue eyes. “It makes… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I tell the truth,” he says. “ E la cosa più importante nel mondo. The most important thing.” “You can know what… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“So, you have a nice time with Luca?” says a sharp, high voice right behind me. I turn to see Elisa. “Luca… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“ Violetta ,” he whispers into my mouth. “ Violetta, cosa mi fai? ” I open my eyes just a fraction, to… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“ Veramente particolare! You know what this word means?” She looks straight at me, and I feel very large and under-made-up by… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I tell the truth,” he says. “ E la cosa più importante nel mondo. The most important thing.” “You can know what… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I don’t understand the Italian, but it’s obvious that they’re all fighting over him. The principessa wants Luca to have dinner here;… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I stop at the touch of his hand on my bare skin, my heart pounding in shock. I turn to look up… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I want to get some fresh air,” I say, and move around him, stepping off onto the stone slabs and promptly sinking… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Luca leans forward, propping his elbows on the bar table, and I think he’s going to ask me something, maybe what some… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“So I smile as best I can, saunter over to the Vespa, take the helmet, and say casually as I put it… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I draw in a long breath, and then it catches in my throat as his hand closes over mine, still wrapped around… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Italians stand up a lot at bars,” I comment, taking the glass of water Luca’s pushing toward me. It’s fizzy, with ice… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I don’t dare to move. I don’t want him to stop touching me. But I can’t just sit here like an idiot.… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“You shouldn’t pay any attention to what she says,” Kendra says firmly, nodding at Elisa sprawled out on the terrace chair. “She’s… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“The curtain billows gently in the breeze behind him as he steps out to meet me, his hair jet-black by contrast with… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“There are plenty of boys clustered around the wall, laughing, shoving each other playfully, yelling, competing for the attention of the girls.… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I am Sebastiano, and your name?” he asks. “Violet,” I say as we step over the threshold. “Violetta!” he says, throwing his… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“There’s something thrilling about seeing him like this, so carried away, when he doesn’t know I’m looking; it feels illicit, almost like… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“There you are!” Kendra says as they pull to a halt in front of me. They both look flustered and cross. “We… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Luca sits down next to me; the seat isn’t that wide, and his thigh presses against mine as he positions himself so… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I’ve never been out partying in the countryside before, but this dilemma is bringing home to me the brutal reality that cars… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“So,” he starts slowly, “if I am thinking that I want to kiss you, I should not say it out loud?” Oh,… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Just as I’ve reached that conclusion, and am smiling at my own observation, something happens that is the oddest thing I’ve ever… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Did you get Paige to bed okay?” “Yes and no,” Kendra says quietly, coming down the steps to the parking lot. Andrea’s… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“ I’m in public, in a club in Florence, snogging a boy who I met only a couple of hours ago, so… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“This is Luca, our friend,” Leonardo says happily as I think: Luca. Finally. “Ciao ,” Luca says, nodding at us, his long… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Luca waits patiently while she clutches him, kisses him, pats his cheek, muttering “ mio bellissimo figlio ,” “my beautiful son,” something… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I consider, momentarily, running off to the loo to do a better fix-up job on myself, but what if Luca comes back… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“Hey!” Paige waves flirtatiously at Luca, one of those girl-waves where you open and flutter your fingers while flashing a brilliant smile.… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“We should go,” I say. I look at Luca hopelessly. “Get home safe,” I manage, shrugging out of his jacket, which I’ve… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“I feel sick!” Paige whines beside me, snapping me out of my reverie. “I’m getting totally carsick! These roads are way too… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“It is eerie and uncanny how Luca has the ability to read my mind. “Will you go back now to London, Violetta?”… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“How cool ,” she says, directing a melting stare at Luca. “I’d love to live in a place like this--just pull a… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share Image
“ Something else that’s different about Italian boys, I realize. If they see a girl they fancy they go up to her and start… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“I realize that looming up before us is one of the major holiday hurdles that any group of girls has to face: the first… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“ Violetta ,” he whispers into my mouth. “ Violetta, cosa mi fai? ” I open my eyes just a fraction, to peep, and… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“You didn't mind someone shutting out the world as long as they were happy to take you inside with them.” — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“For a split second, his finger touches my skin, and he might as well have brushed me with a lit match.” — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“Luca leans forward, propping his elbows on the bar table, and I think he’s going to ask me something, maybe what some particularly nonsensical… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“Luca sits down next to me; the seat isn’t that wide, and his thigh presses against mine as he positions himself so we’re facing… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“ I’m in public, in a club in Florence, snogging a boy who I met only a couple of hours ago, so madly that… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“How cool ,” she says, directing a melting stare at Luca. “I’d love to live in a place like this--just pull a cord when… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“I stop at the touch of his hand on my bare skin, my heart pounding in shock. I turn to look up at him,… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“Luca waits patiently while she clutches him, kisses him, pats his cheek, muttering “ mio bellissimo figlio ,” “my beautiful son,” something an English… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“ Bellissime tutte ,” he continues. “You are all beautiful.” Even Kendra, who’s so cool and poised, can’t help looking smug at this flattery;… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“I draw in a long breath, and then it catches in my throat as his hand closes over mine, still wrapped around his waist.… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“Luca’s tongue slides into my mouth, slow, drowsy, intoxicating. I hear myself make a little involuntary moaning noise, and I’d be embarrassed to my… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
“Luigi, the art teacher, holds up his brush, and we all do the same. I’m not quite sure why we’re mirroring his action, but… — Lauren Henderson Copy Share
