Chapter 56: The Book, the Smirk, and the Innocent Witness

The soft light of the late afternoon filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow over the room. Isabella was curled up on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her, completely absorbed in the book she was reading. It was one of her favorite romance novels—one she often found herself lost in whenever she needed a break from the chaos of life. She had always been a fan of the passionate love stories that unfolded between the pages, the kind that made her heart race and her cheeks flush.

Today, however, her usual quiet enjoyment was accompanied by an occasional chuckle and the faintest blush that tinged her cheeks. She tried to brush it off as nothing, but the more she read, the harder it became to ignore the intense heat that spread through her. The scene she was reading was one of those rare moments in a romance novel where the tension between the characters reached its peak, and it made her heart pound in a way that was both thrilling and slightly embarrassing.

Antonio, however, had been watching her from across the room. He had always been intrigued by the way she completely lost herself in the stories she read, but today there was something different. The sight of her blushing, the way she bit her lip as she turned the pages, had piqued his curiosity. What was it about this particular scene that had caused such a reaction?

His lips curved into a mischievous smile. He had to find out.

Quietly, he walked over to the couch, his footsteps soft and deliberate. He could tell she hadn’t noticed his presence yet, completely engrossed in her book. Slowly, he leaned over her shoulder, his breath warm against her ear as he glanced at the page she was reading.

Isabella startled slightly, her body stiffening at the sudden presence behind her. She had been so absorbed in the book that she hadn’t heard him approach.

"Antonio!" she gasped, her heart skipping a beat as she looked up at him with wide eyes.

He smirked playfully, his gaze flicking down to the book in her hands. "What’s this?" he asked, his voice low and teasing. "I see you're reading something rather... interesting." He gently took the book from her hands, his fingers brushing hers in the process.

"No!" she protested, half-laughing, half-embarrassed. "It’s just a silly romance novel. It’s nothing."

But Antonio was already scanning the page, his eyes narrowing as he read the words. The scene that had caused her to blush was now in full view: a description of the male lead trapping the female lead against a wall with one hand and kissing her fiercely, his passion almost palpable through the words. Isabella’s cheeks were burning now, and she wished she could sink into the couch and disappear.

"Is this what’s got you so red?" Antonio teased, raising an eyebrow. "I see why you’re blushing." His voice dropped, becoming a little more playful, his usual confidence taking over. "I think I can make this scene a reality for you."

Before she could protest, Antonio suddenly bent down and scooped her up in his arms, lifting her effortlessly as though she weighed nothing. Isabella let out a surprised squeak, her heart racing at the sudden movement. She tried to push against his chest, but it was no use. His grip was firm, and before she knew it, she was standing in front of the wall, her back pressed against it, Antonio holding her in place.

"Antonio, what are you—" she started to say, but he cut her off.

"I think it's time to recreate the scene, amore mio," he said, his voice a deep murmur of intent, his smirk playing on his lips. He was teasing her, but there was something in his eyes that made it clear he wasn’t entirely joking.

Before Isabella could respond, he leaned down, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, "Just like in the book."

His hand moved to her waist, pulling her closer, and then, with a sudden, deliberate motion, he pressed his lips to hers. Isabella gasped, the shock of it momentarily stealing her breath away. It wasn’t just a playful kiss—Antonio kissed her deeply, with the same intensity and passion that the hero in the novel had, and in that moment, she could feel the heat between them rise.

Her heart pounded in her chest, her pulse racing with the force of the kiss. As his lips moved against hers, she could hardly think, her body responding to him in ways that left her breathless. She had never imagined a moment like this could feel so real, so intense.

Just as she thought she might lose herself in the kiss, she heard a small giggle from the side of the room. It was high-pitched and innocent, the kind of giggle only a child could make. Antonio immediately froze, his lips still hovering just inches from hers.

Isabella’s eyes flew open, and she looked over Antonio’s shoulder, only to find Luca standing in the doorway, his wide eyes fixed on them. The small boy was holding his stuffed bear, his face a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

"Daddy," Luca said innocently, his voice soft, "What are you doing to mommy?" He blinked, his chubby cheeks puffed out in a way that made him look both adorable and completely clueless about the situation.

Isabella’s face turned bright red. She looked at Antonio, who, though still holding her close, was now looking down at Luca with a look of complete shock.

"Uh... Luca..." Antonio began, his voice faltering slightly as he took in the sight of his son standing there with wide eyes. He quickly let go of Isabella, but not before casting a glance at her—half-shocked, half-amused at the situation.

"Mommy and I... we were just... um..." Antonio trailed off, clearly at a loss for words. He had never expected to be caught in a moment like this, especially not by Luca.

Isabella, who was still blushing from head to toe, quickly straightened her clothes, trying to recover from the sudden embarrassment. She smiled awkwardly at Luca, her voice gentle but a little strained.

"It’s nothing, Luca," she said, trying to sound calm. "Daddy and I were just... um... talking." She glanced at Antonio, who was now doing his best to suppress a smile, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Luca, however, wasn’t quite done with his observation. He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing with what seemed like deep thought. "You looked like the people in the movie!" he said, grinning proudly. "When they kiss like that!"

Antonio’s eyes widened as the realization hit him. They had watched a movie together not long ago, one where the couple had shared a passionate kiss in the same way that he and Isabella had just been caught doing. And now, his son had noticed.

Isabella couldn’t help but laugh, the sound light and genuine as she realized that Luca was completely unaware of the deeper implications of the situation. She looked at Antonio, who had an almost guilty smile on his face, as though trying to hold back laughter himself.

"You’re right, Luca," she said, still chuckling. "We were just practicing a scene from the movie."

Luca, satisfied with this explanation, nodded his head and then walked over to his parents, his bear clutched tightly in his small hands. "Can I have a snack now?" he asked innocently, as if the entire kiss-and-wall incident had never happened.

Antonio and Isabella exchanged a glance, and though they both still felt the remnants of the embarrassing moment, they couldn’t help but laugh.

"Yes, Luca," Antonio said, his voice now light and teasing. "Let’s get you a snack." He glanced at Isabella, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But maybe no more kisses for a while, huh?" he teased, his voice low.

Isabella rolled her eyes but smiled, feeling the warmth of their small family surrounding her. Even in the most awkward of moments, she felt more connected to Antonio than ever before. She had come to realize that their relationship—though unconventional in many ways—was full of passion, humor, and love. And that was all she needed.

As they all headed to the kitchen, Luca happily skipping ahead, Antonio turned to Isabella, his eyes filled with affection.

"Maybe next time, I’ll let you finish the scene," he murmured with a playful grin.

Isabella couldn’t help but laugh again, her heart full of love for this man who had truly swept her off her feet—both literally and figuratively. "We’ll see, Antonio," she replied, a mischievous glint in her eye.

And for the first time in a long while, she realized that her life with him was filled with more laughter and unexpected moments than she could have ever imagined.

Author note: when I say I was blushing while writing this scene, I mean it, I was totally red. I do hope all of you are enjoying the story and will be kind enough to vote for it and add it to your reading list. A little promotion can also go a long way.