Luca Says Quote by Lauren Henderson

““I pull lightly on its soft silky ears, smooth down its thick fur, and distract myself so thoroughly that it’s only after quite a while that I sense eyes on me and look around to see that everyone has fallen silent and is staring at me. “ Allora? ” Luca says, a mocking edge to his voice. “ Vieni con me, Violetta ?” That can’t mean what I think it means. My heart catches in my throat. The cat, realizing that I’ve been distracted, jumps down from the wall, landing with an audible thud, and pads off through the gate to chase food for its dinner. Poor field mice , I think ruefully. Between the owl and the cat, they’ll have a miserable night of it. Then I look at Luca, and have the horrible suspicion that I’m a mouse and he’s the cat, playing with me, letting me run away and then reeling me back in. His eyebrows are raised, his mouth quirked in an amused smile of inquiry. “Sorry,” I say, not to him but to Kelly and Kendra. “I missed all of that.” “Luca’s going to take you back to the villa,” Kendra says briskly. “’Cause we can’t all get in the jeep.” I panic. Stone-cold panic, bringing out sweat on my palms. I can’t be alone with him. This isn’t fair. “Kelly’s coming with us too, right?” I say overloudly. “It’ll be nicer than sitting under Paige’s feet.” Luca nods his head sideways, and for a moment I don’t get why. Then I do, and I can’t breathe. He’s indicating the line of Vespas parked by the gatepost. He didn’t come in his car. He came on a Vespa. I’m going to ride back home on his scooter. This is not happening. ””

— Lauren Henderson