I closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep, desperate to forget that I was lying next to Luca, who, by the way, was staring at me intensely, as if I was the only thing in the world that mattered.

A silent groan escaped my lips, and then I heard him speak softly, "You know you don’t have to pretend to sleep."

Without opening my eyes, I responded, "Who said I was pretending?"

"Well, if you weren’t pretending, how come you just answered me?" he said. I could practically feel that annoying ...