“ Ciao, Bruno! ” someone calls from a boat puttering slowly into the marina. A hard line sets Bruno’s jaw for a… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Overwhelmed with the need to touch him, I reach out and trace along his sharp jawline, stopping just before his lips. I… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I think I may cool off in the water for a few minutes. Do you want to come?” He stands and brushes… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Another coin! Another coin!” He grips the bar behind him and leans forward, butting his blond head against his mom’s stomach as… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I look around to find Darren since I assumed he was walking along with us. He’s not. He’s still at the bottom… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“When I went to meet you, Bruno told me what was going on.” “Bruno did?” I ask, shocked. Morgan’s eyes widen as… — Kristin Rae Conversation Copy Share Image
“A few carts down, we find the most luscious scarves I’ve ever seen. Darren helps me pick one that manages to make… — Kristin Rae Fashion Copy Share Image
“My phone blares on the little table between us and we both jump. I hastily mute the ringer, then nearly drop it… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“The weekend arrives and I’m on edge, especially working at the trattoria. I’m hyper-aware of everyone around me, twitching at the sight… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I didn’t even know you looked at him like that.” “Well, things feel more forbidden when you keep them secret, don’t they,… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I wouldn’t go through high school again if someone paid me a million dollars.” He snorts. It’s a joke, but his tone… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I should probably head back for Luca’s birthday dinner. They want me to lead the ‘Happy Birthday’ song to him in English… — Kristin Rae Birthday party Copy Share Image
“I actually brought a guy home from Italy. This is crazy.” He relaxes a little. “What do you mean?” “Remember when I… — Kristin Rae Fall in love Copy Share Image
“Well, I just wanted to say hi.” Darren blows out his candle and tosses it behind us into the box with the… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Chiara points to the ceiling and my eyes follow the lead. There it is. Right. Up. There. The most famous painting I’ve… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I stop in my tracks to look up, completely disrupting the flow of tourist traffic. It’s directly in front of me, in… — Kristin Rae Thousand years Copy Share Image
“Before the train even leaves the station, the three of them pull out their iPods and press the earbuds into their ears.… — Kristin Rae Conversation Copy Share Image
“Are you writing in your diary?” Even through the whisper I can tell he’s laughing. “No.” I feel in the dark for… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Too bad it was buried before Shakespeare,” Darren continues. “This stage never saw the likes of Romeo or Macbeth.” I whirl around… — Kristin Rae Bad luck Copy Share Image
“I want to make this work, Pippa. I knew we met for a reason.” His breath is warm on my face as… — Kristin Rae Fall in love Copy Share Image
“We stop at the gate to the apartment, but Bruno’s still hanging on to me. “The key,” he says, swaying his hips.… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Would you two just kiss and be done with it already?” Darren and I gape at her. Fire creeps up my neck,… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Seriously, should I lose it?” I shrug. “It’s practical. I get it.” He yanks it off and shoves it into the pocket… — Kristin Rae Candle Copy Share Image
“Darren,” I begin, swallowing the lump in my throat and forcing myself to keep eye contact. I need answers. I can’t go… — Kristin Rae Eye contact Copy Share Image
“You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?” He smirks, resting his hands on my waist. “Hoped.” My cheeks ache from… — Kristin Rae Kissing Copy Share Image
“Darren’s face comes to mind again, and I imagine his jaw dropping in reaction to my transformation. I shake my head to… — Kristin Rae Change Copy Share Image
“Chiara! Pippas! Where you go?” “To sleep! You can handle it on your own.” Chiara shouts something else to him in Italian… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I am sorry!” he says, a deep line between his eyebrows. “It’s fine.” I force a laugh. “This”--I motion to my foot--“is… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“You really didn’t see me trying to push him away?” “You did?” Darren scratches along his jawline. “I guess I was too… — Kristin Rae Angry Copy Share Image
“I was serious when I said I was paying,” I say, stealing the ticket from Darren. He opens his mouth to respond,… — Kristin Rae Flirting Copy Share Image
“And you’re spending the whole summer in Rome?” I ask. “Digging things up?” He absentmindedly plays with a loose string at the… — Kristin Rae Partner in crime Copy Share Image
“I have a few things I need to talk to you about today, honey,” she says. “First, I want an update on… — Kristin Rae Coming home Copy Share Image
“When I called and heard your voice mail greeting this morning, something inside me just clicked. I had to see you. Today.”… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Oh, well…they’ve been a little relaxed because of Gram’s passing, but I’ve been assured once school starts my life will be all… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Pistachio?” Sure, this place doesn’t have as many options as Della Palma, but there are at least twenty, the rest of them… — Kristin Rae New things Copy Share Image
“I stop at the image of me between Darren and Nina, the Colosseum stretching up behind us. It’s such an iconic structure,… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“So tell me about you. Who is Pippa, in the broad scheme of things?” He winks. I return the smile. “Well, I’m… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Wait,” I say, digging into my camera bag. “I want a picture with all of you. Us. Together.” Dad takes the camera… — Kristin Rae Best friend Copy Share Image
“You could belong here,” he says, his tone surprisingly serious. I turn from him and look back at the cluster of buildings,… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Darren’s been quiet since we stripped down to our bathing suits and waded into the water, like his mind is somewhere else.… — Kristin Rae Bathing suit Copy Share Image
