This story will have an epilogue!

Summary - Ruben is on a getaway in Sardinia. There he meets a girl named Fiorella. She starts to wonder why Ruben won't tell her what exactly he is getting away from, or even what his real name is.

Enjoy!

Fiorella stood at the altar, her eyes brimming with tears of joy as she watched, Chiara exchange vows with the love of her life. The sun bathed the farm wedding in a warm golden light, adding an ethereal glow to the already beautiful scenery. As Fiorella stood beside the radiant bride, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness in her heart. Ruben, was unable to attend the ceremony due to an important meeting with his lawyers. Fiorella understood the demands that was on him during this hectic time, but she couldn't shake off the disappointment of not having him there.

Despite her longing, Fiorella gracefully fulfilled her bridesmaid duties, managing to put on a smile every time the camera captured her. She laughed along with the other bridesmaids, enthusiastically arranging Chiara's dress and making sure every detail was perfect. But deep down, her heart ached for Ruben's absence.

"I need a bottle of wine." Sophia sighed. She had also cleaned up her act and done her best to fulfill her bridesmaids duties at Chiara's wedding.

"Sis, you joining me?"

"No you go ahead." Fiorella said. Although the offer was tempting they still had a whole reception to get through.

The ceremony concluded, and the newlyweds greeted their guests with cheerful smiles. Fiorella moved through the reception, mingling with relatives and friends, pretending everything was alright. But her eyes searched for Ruben, secretly hoping he would appear, even though he had promised to arrive only after his meeting.

As the night progressed, laughter and music filled the barn where the reception was held. Fiorella joined the guests on the dance floor, twirling and swaying to the rhythm, momentarily forgetting her sadness. The joyous atmosphere enveloped her, momentarily lifting her spirits. Suddenly, a familiar voice whispered in her ear, "Mind if I cut in?" Fiorella turned around, surprised to see Ruben standing there, a mischievous smile lighting up his face. Her heart leaped with joy as she found herself wrapped in his arms.

"I'm sorry I'm late. The meeting went on the whole day. " Ruben confessed, his voice filled with tenderness. "Hopefully my gift to your sister and her husband will make up for my absences."

Fiorella smiled, coming up and out from Ruben's embrace. "If it's not season tickets to your football games next season, I don't think their easily that forgiving."

Ruben's eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Ruben?" Fiorella gasped. "You didn't?"

He leaned in and whispered, "But I did."

Fiorella returned to hug him, wrapping her arms around his large stem. She was aware that their days together were counted, that Ruben would have to return to England, perhaps sooner than later.

"You look so beautiful." He spoke against her hair.

Fiorella clung to him, feeling a renewed surge of happiness. Forgotten were the moments of longing and sadness as they danced the night away, their bodies moving effortlessly in perfect unison. They laughed, whispered sweet nothings, and reveled in the simple joy of being together. There was alot of attention surrounding them, Nonna did not hesitate to fill in anyone who wished to know who her granddaughter's mystery man was.

"They're getting married next June." She said. "I am already planning the whole thing."

Time lost all meaning as Fiorella and Ruben laughed and danced the night away. It didn't matter that Ruben hadn't been there for the ceremony because now, in this moment, they were together, celebrating love and happiness. The night ended with Ruben having to help carry Dino to bed. He had clung onto Ruben's leg on the dancfloor, trying to get him away from his big sister so that the two of them could dance instead.

"There." Ruben said, dropping Dino of his shoulder and onto his bed.

Fiorella tucked him in. "He really likes you, I can tell. My whole family likes you."

Ruben smiled and offered Fiorella his hand. They returned downstairs where the wedding ceremony had officially ended. Nonna who had been clearing tables walked towards them. She was followed by Pluto, who eagerly ran ahead, jumping towards Fiorella.

"He's still got some spunk in him. Won't you and Ruben take him for a walk? Ware him out."

"Sure Nonna, we can do that."

They walked along the country road. The sun was down but it's heat still lingered in the air.

"Tell me somthing?" Fiorella said. She and Ruben were walking hand in hand, with Pluto waving his tale as he walked ahead of them.

"Tell you what?"

She shrugged. "Somthing you haven't told anyone before."

Ruben's eyebrows furrowed... "Like a secret?"

"Could be?"

Ruben looked to ponder the question, thoughts going through his mind. "I used to believed in the tooth fairy."

Fiorella chuckled at his lame confession. "Everyone used to believe in the tooth fairy Ruben."

He shook his head. "Not like me. I used to believe, believe. "

"Oh."

"I even wrote him a letter once."

"Him?" She frowned. "Ruben the tooth fairy is not a guy."

"I know that...now." He laughed. "But when I was young my parents told me that the tooth fairy was a guy that came from Brazil, donating childrens teeth to the mouths of famous football players."

"Um...what?"

"It gets worse. I even wrote him a letter once."

"The tooth fairy, man, guy?"

Ruben nodded. "I put a stamp on it and everything and told my parents to post it for me. Surely they didn't, they probably laughed at how faithful I was to my beliefs. The very next day after I'd lost a tooth, an envelope with money would be under my pillow, the attaching letter signed with a thank you note from the football player who had received my tooth."

Silence lingered as Fiorella tried to process everything that had been said. She had not expected Ruben to tell her something that absurd, but it was wonderful, imagining Ruben to have been such a sweet and naive child.

"What about you?" He squeezed her hand. "Tell me somthing not many people know about you."

"Well..." She looked ahead of them, to where Pluto was moving in the distance. "I once tried to sell my dog for a bag of chips."

"You what?" Ruben's eyes widened in suprise, however, after his confession, he had no right to judge her.

"I was a child and had just gotten Pluto who was a handful as a puppy. You can judge me all you want but I really wanted a bag of chips that day."

There was silence followed by laughter, heartwarming laughter from the two of them. They laughed all the way to the docks. It's where Pluto had led them, down to the water not too far from Ruben's boat.

"He wants to go for a swim." Fiorella stepped out of her shoes. She untied the ribbon around her waist, followed by draping her dress down her shoulders.

"Fiorella?" Ruben stopped, not approaching her any further. He watched Fiorella step out of her dress, wearing only her lingerie.

"Come." She offered him her hand. "I know it's late but the water is at best at this hour."

He looked skeptical, still he undid his tie with one hand, stretching for Fiorella with the other. She waited for him to undress. The two then waded into the lukewarm water, with Pluto swimming ahead of them.

"See, it's nice." Fiorella said, hearing Ruben let out a satisfied groan as he soaked his body in the shallow water. He pulled Fiorella towards her, hooking an arm around her waist. She ended up wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Ruben carried her further out into the water, where only he could stand.

"If you let go you'll drown." He joked.

Fiorella looked deep into his eyes. "Than I won't let go."

He leand in to brush his lips against hers, but only to brush. He was indicating that he wanted to kiss her, but what happened next was up to her.

Fiorella's lips parted. A very inviting gesture for Ruben to complete his desires. He kissed her softly, his tounge caressing her gently.

"Take it off." She moaned against his skin.

Ruben's fingers were getting tangled up in the straps of Fiorella's bra.

"You know, there's a better place to do this." He said, feeling how his growing erection put pressure against her stomach.

Fiorella pulled away from their kiss, her gaze conflicted.

"What?" Ruben worried.

She shook her head. "I'm not going back to your boat."

"Fiorella I wasn't..." His grip around her loosened as it dawned on him, what she was implying. "I wasn't gonna ask you to." His said, with a very cautious expression

"No?"

He shook his head. "Like I said, I don't live there. I have an apartment."

Ruben's apartments was bigger than Fiorella's, Sophia's and Dino's room combined. It must have cost him a fortune, she thought. A fortune he could afford of course.

"My room is this way." He said leading her through the dark apartment. Soft snores could be heard in the distance. It was probably Ruben's friend that he had staying with him. Ruben and Fiorella moved in silence, trying not to wake him.

"I can lend you a shirt if you need anything to wear." Ruben went through his closet.

"It's okay." Fiorella undid the ribbon to her dress again, draping the laces over her shoulder, letting the fabric drop to the floor.

Ruben stopped and stared as she stood before him, half naked. "Fiorella, we don't have to do anything, we could just sleep, we should just sleep." He went around the bed, undoing the covers.

"I know Ruben. I know that whatever I say goes. I trust you."

Ruben raised his head, his expression attentive. "Fiorella, are you sure?"

She nodded. "I've never been more sure."

He was skeptical but Fiorella was already inviting him to lay down with her on the bed. Ruben surrendered, joining her under the covers.

Wet kisses and groping hands, Fiorella was surley leading the way as far as she could. Ruben only took over when she began tugging at the hem of his boxers, wanting for them to come off.

"You sure?" Ruben had her pinned to the matress.

"I'm ready Ruben, I'm so wet for you."

"Fiorella I..."

"I'm sure Ruben, I want you inside me, now."

He shifted to lay between her legs, spreading her thighs between his hands. Although she claimed to be ready for him Ruben took his time with her, making sure she was tender and pliant for him.

"Fuck." She gasped as Ruben dipped his face between her thighs, licking across where it ached the most. He made sure to lick her clean, not stopping until her back arched with her orgasmic release.

"Oh, Ruben." She sighed . Stretching for him to lay on top of her. He did so, bringing his cock out of his boxers, adjusting to slide it in between her folds.

Fiorella gasped with the first thrusts, but quickly adjusted, the sensation becoming more soothing with every stroke of Ruben's size. Her arms cradled around his neck, clinging onto to Ruben, trapping him to stay inside of her.

"Fiorella I'm gonna..."

His final strokes were hard but sloppy. There was no need to pull out, he was protected, allowing his orgasm to rise and fall whilst his cock still resting inside of her. Once his erection dawned Ruben shifted to lay beside Fiorella, the two of them catching their breaths.

"Tell me somthing more." He said.

"More?" She turned to face him, pulling the covers to her chin.

"Tell me somthing else that no one knows about you....."

Fiorella and Ruben would go on all night, sharing things about themselves that nobody knew. There would kisses and groping hands in between, followed by more deep talks about themselves.

Eventually night became day and days became weeks. Fiorella had the right to believe that her and Ruben's days were counted, because it was sooner rather than later that he returned to England, leaving Fiorella behind.

Ruben would go on winning his case against his club, allowing him to participate in training again just ahead of the new season. As for Fiorella, she decided to give nursing school a second chance. Most of the tourist had left Sardinia so it was back to normal labor for the majority of the population. Chiara was right, nursing school was a perfect opportunity for Fiorella not to get stuck on the family farm with Nonna and all the sheep. It was also the only thing that could distract Fiorella from her loss. School took up so much of her time that she almost forgot that her heart belonged elsewhere.

Lost in Sardinia was the perfect way to describe it. For the first time in her young life Fiorella felt an ache in her heart, a painful unease. Home is where your heart is, she had never understood that expression until now, she had never understood that expression until her home left to play football in England, leaving her behind.

The End