Still, she was here now. They carried the dishes into the kitchen together. Vee took charge, opening containers, reheating sauces, and smacking Luca's hand when he tried to steal a piece of chicken.
"I am starving," he protested.
Vee laughed, and Luca caught her around the waist, stealing a kiss before she could move away. She smiled against his mouth.
The night may not have started as early as Luca had hoped, but somehow, it became beautiful anyway.
They ended up having dinner in the kitchen instead of the dining room. Vee sat barefoot on one of the breakfast stools, Luca across from her, both of them eating from reheated plates. The candles in the dining room burned forgotten, the rose petals still scattered outside.
Just for the fun of it, they did the dishes together. Vee washed. Luca dried. Then Luca got bored and started flicking little drops of water at her.
