I help Luca to the shower. He grumbles as I take his shirt off.
“I can do it myself,” he says.
“I know. But it causes you pain. Soon, it won’t. But for now, I’ll help.”
His eyes soften as he stares down at me. “I like this version of you. How you’ve stepped up when I needed you.”
“I bet you never thought you would be in this position.”
“Not at all. I am proud of you, Nina.”
His words mean everything to me. I have to blink back tears. “Thank you. But I think we both want you to heal. I don’t want you to be as cold and logical as you once were. But I do miss you being in charge.”
“I miss it too.”
“Luca…”
“Yes?”
I slip his shirt off his shoulders so I don’t have to look him in the eye as I say what I need to say next. “When you’re healed and we can have sex again…”
His eyes darken. “Yes?”
“I want you to look me in the eye. I don’t want you to take me from behind like you did. I want to feel like I’m in the moment with you. That’s what I need.”
He goes quiet for a moment, thinking it over, before he nods. “You’re right. I want to look you in the eye as well. I don’t want distance between us. Not anymore.” He takes my hand and places it above the scar on his chest. The bullet was so close to his heart but missed. It truly was a miracle that he survived.
I can’t hold back my tears and they finally spill down my face. “Thank you. That’s all I need.”
“Get in the shower with me.”
We haven’t been intimate since his injury and he’s still in too much pain for us to do anything but I take my clothes off anyway. My breath comes out faster.
Once me and Luca are both naked, we get in the shower and he pulls me into his arms, just holding me there. I can hear his heartbeat and I know that everything will be all right.
A few months pass and Luca completely heals. Gabriel is still in the wind despite Alek’s best efforts to find him. Things have been so calm that I’ve almost forgotten about the danger Gabriel posed.
Luca and I have grown stronger in that time.
He comes home from the hospital with an all-clear on his injury. He’s fully healed and can go back to his normal life.
The moment Luca steps through the front door, I run into his arms. He grips my chin and smiles down at me for a long moment before planting a soft kiss on my lips. I sink right into him. Now that my heart has opened up to him, I need Luca in a way I never thought possible. I need him.Allof him.
Without a word, we start to strip our clothes in the foyer as he walks me towards the stairs. We’re the only ones who live here. It gives us freedom to do whatever we like.
Once I’m only in my bra and panties and Luca is in his underwear, he scoops me into his arms and carries me to our bedroom. He still has strength in his body despite notbeing able to work out as much as he once did. Now that he’s better, things will return to normal.
Normal but improved.
He lays me down onto the bed and gives me a dark look as he rips my panties down. I cry out when he places his hand between my legs. I’m ready and willing for him. Achy and wet. I’ve been waiting months to be with Luca again and my feelings for him have only grown.
He rubs his fingers over my nub, harder and harder, getting me ready for him. “I’ve needed this,” he growls.
“So have I,” I admit.
“Good. You’re mine, Nina.”
“And you’re mine.”
