“You okay?” he asked quietly.
She nodded, even though her chest felt too tight. “I am now.”
He crossed the room in three long strides and stopped in front of her, hands hovering like he was afraid to touch her without permission. The restraint in him undid her more than anything else ever could. She didn’t want his restraint. She wanted all of him, even the rough edges that she had come to love so much when they were just kids living in the same foster home.
Sophia stood, closing the last inches between the two of them herself. When his hands finally settled on her waist, she inhaled sharply. It felt like coming home every time he touched her. Being in his arms felt like safety wrapped in heat and strength. She pressed her forehead to his chest, breathing him in, letting the steady beat of his heart calm the storm inside her.
“Tell me what’s going on, honey,” he ordered. Bossy Luca used to piss her off when she was younger, but now, she craved his bossiness.
“I don’t want to lose you,” she whispered, deciding to give him her complete honesty.
“You won’t,” Luca said immediately, his voice rough. “Not now, not ever. I promise that I’m not going anywhere, honey.” He tipped her chin up, giving her time to pull away, but she didn’t. Instead, she rose onto her toes and kissed him first. It was soft and tentative, as if she were testing the truth of what this was. Luca groaned low in his throat, his restraint finally snapping. He kissed her back with everything he’d been holding in, hands sliding into her hair, pulling her closer until there was no space left for doubt.
Sophia melted into him, and the world narrowed to heat and longing. She loved the way that his touch made her feel wanted—chosen. When he guided her back toward the bed, she went willingly, her heart racing but unafraid. Every movement was slow, deliberate, and filled with care that made her chest ache.
Luca hovered over her, brushing his thumb across her cheek, his gaze searching her face one last time. “Tell me if you want me to stop.” The last thing that she wanted was for him to stop. She was hoping that they were past him asking permission, but she knew that was just Luca’s way. He’d always make sure that she was with him, one hundred percent.
She reached for him, pulling him down, making her answer clear without words. Luca quickly closed the door softly behind them, shutting out the world—and for the first time in a long time, Sophia let herself believe she was exactly where she belonged.
Sophia felt the shift in the air the second Luca touched her. His hands were warm and steady at her waist, but there was nothing gentle about the way his thumbs flexed into her flesh, like he was fighting the instinct to pull her closer—harder. Her breath caught, a quiet sound she didn’t mean to make, and his eyes darkened at the proof that she felt this as deeply as he did.
“You’re shaking,” he murmured.
“Then stop looking at me like that,” she whispered back, even as she leaned into him. He didn’t stop. If anything, his gaze grew heavier, hotter, like he was memorizing her. When he kissed her again, it wasn’t tentative this time. It was slow, deep, and unhurried. It was the kind of kiss that made her toes curl and her knees weaken. His mouth moved against her lips with intention, like he was telling her exactly what he wanted without saying a word.
Sophia’s hands slid up his chest, feeling muscle and heat beneath her palms. She tugged at his shirt, impatient now, and the low sound he made against her mouth sent a rush straight through her.
His mouth traced along her jaw, her throat, lingering just long enough to make her arch beneath him. Every touch was deliberate—claiming without rushing, building instead of taking. Sophia’s pulse raced, her body responding to him in ways she hadn’t let herself feel in far too long.
“Luca,” she breathed, not even sure what she was asking for.
His lips paused against her skin. His forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling. “I’ve got you,” he said softly. “I won’t hurt you.” That was all it took for her to find the strength that she needed to take everything that he wanted to give to her. She was finally going to be brave, and she knew that Luca wouldn’t let her fail.
Sophia wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer, and the sound he made then was pure need. His control finally cracked—not in a way that scared her, but in a way that made her feel chosen, wanted, and safe.
The world faded to heat and whispered words and the slow, delicious loss of time. And for once, Sophia didn’t think about what came next. She only knew that whatever this was—was real, and she wasn’t running from it anymore.
LUCA
Luca found Sophia sitting in the kitchen by the window, having coffee, and he was sure that he’d never seen such a beautiful sight. She had become a permanent fixture in his life, and that was something that he didn’t expect in such a short amount of time. Maybe it was because their lives were so intertwined before, but falling in love with her was easy to do. Now, he just had to figure out how to tell her that he wanted to spend forever with her and not scare her off.
But first, he needed to get his ass into the gym before Jonesy sent out the National Guard to find him. He had left over a dozen voicemails in the past twenty-four hours, and his trainer wasn’t a patient man. In his last message, Jonesy threatened to send Tony and Rocco over to fetch him, and that was the last thing he wanted. They’d both give him shit for not being responsible and neglecting his boxing career over a woman, but he’d give up just about everything for Sophia if he needed to.
“Um, I need to go into the gym to train this morning, and I’d like for you to come with me,” Luca almost whispered.
“Are you asking me to come with you or are you telling me that I have to come with you?” she asked.
“Asking,” he said, “but if that doesn’t work, then we’ll move on to me telling you that you have to come with me. Jonesy has been blowing up my phone to get my ass into the gym, or he’ll send the guys after me. I’d rather walk in there on my own accord, and I need you with me. I don’t want to worry about you while I’m in the ring. I won’t be able to focus if you’re not with me, Sophia,” he admitted.
“Well, my schedule is wide open, so I’d love to go to the gym with you. Plus, it will give me some time to watch you in action. I’ve never seen you box before,” she said.
“I’m afraid that I’m a little rusty, but I’ll give it my best shot,” he teased. “Can you be ready in ten minutes?” he asked. “Any longer than that, and I’m afraid that Tony and Rocco will be standing on my doorstep.”
“Absolutely,” she agreed, “I’ll meet you back here in ten minutes. Do you think that I’ll be able to use some of the gym’s equipment to get a workout in while you’re doing your thing?” she asked. He wanted to tell her that he’d gladly give her a workout as soon as he was finished with his own, but he had a feeling that she’d just roll her eyes at him.
“Sure,” he said. “Just as long as you promise not to wear any sexy gym clothes to work out in, then you can use whatever you’d like.”
She squinched up her nose and smiled back at him. “Well, that’s all I have to workout in. So, you’ll just have to keep a close eye on me to make sure that no one tries to hit on me or anything.” Luca groaned out loud, causing Sophia to giggle as she ran upthe stairs to get changed. He liked that Sophia was always going to keep him on his toes, but she was right about one thing—he was going to have to keep a very close eye on her at the gym.
