Even now, after months of this, seeing his pupils dilated as he watched me come made me shudder. I chewed my lip, welcoming the orgasm as it took me hard. He continued fucking me, his eyes never leaving mine as his legs shook. I gasped for air, the pleasure blinding me as Luca stroked me in all the right places. “Yes, Luca.” I gripped him hard, never wanting this to end.
He quickened his pace, his breath coming out in pants as he went even faster. His grip tightened, his face twisted and then he was coming. “Fuck,” he moaned, his head dropping onto my shoulder. “Never gets old with you.”
I rubbed his back, kissing the side of his neck and breathing him in. “Never.”
“You’re perfect for me, Lo. In every way.” He kissed my ear, then pulled out, staring down at me with the same tender expression he wore the last few months. The depth of his dark eyes made me feel special, loved, alive.
“Remember how we thought we could keep this to one night?” I whispered.
“Idiots.” He chuckled, pushing up and tossing the condom into the trash. His back muscles rippled with the movement, and I traced along his spine. He shivered and quickly rolled back to face me.
“I love you.” He kissed the center of my chest, right above my heart. “I’ll cook you breakfast while you shower.”
“Mm, you’re sexy when you fret over me.” I pushed up onto my elbows, my pulse still racing from the orgasms. “You don’t have to make me anything, Monroe. I can eat a protein bar on my way to work.”
“My girl needs a full breakfast before her fancy job.” He pushed my hair behind my ear, his smile gooey and soft. He held me there for a beat before getting up and slipping on a pair of gray sweats.
Those sweats made me do stupid, silly little things like demand he model for me or flex his ass or promise me he’ll never leave me. He wiggled his ass at me, making me laugh as I slid my legs onto the floor. “Get over here, let me feel you.”
He backed up, and I dug my fingers into his glutes. I even bent down and bit one. “I might be obsessed with your ass.”
“As long as it’s just mine, Lorelei.”
I snorted. “You can’t be mad I said Chris Evans was hot.”
“I can and will be.”
I rolled my eyes, heading into my bathroom and showering. It wasn’t a hair wash day, so I was out and ready for work in twenty minutes. Earning the internship with Mrs. Gravestone was my proudest moment. The work I did for Luca’s grandma and the living center had only increased. They raised thousands of dollars and had a continual stream of donations now. They had social media and partnerships with schools, churches, and rotary clubs. Seeing his grandma become a local star still made me cry. She’d reconnected with an old flame after ending things with Sebastian, much to Luca’s dismay. I interviewed three rounds for the marketing specialist position for a nonprofit that helped underprivileged youth, and while it was only the first week, I fucking loved it. It made me dream big, like what I wanted to do after graduation.
“Damn girl.” Mack whistled at me as I walked out of my room and toward our kitchen. We finally got our place together, just two blocks away from the boys’ house. Luca spent almost every night here, but two nights a week were for me and Mack. “You’re wearing the hell out of that skirt.”
“Thanks.” I beamed. For a girl who spent most of my life in workout clothes, it felt fun to dress in skirts and professional shirts. I loved this new version of myself, and it was cool to have everyone’s support. Mack, Luca, my brother… “Oh, I saw Dean last night, and he mentioned he was coming to get you today. What are you doing?”
“Oh, uh, this volunteer thing.” She avoided my gaze and walked into her room. “Have a great day at work, hun.”
I narrowed my eyes, almost ready to confront her. Was she seeing my brother on the side? Probably. Did I care? Not at all except for the lies. But… I couldn’t really talk. Not after what Luca and I did. If they were together, they’d tell me when they were ready.
“Fuck, Lo.” Luca stared at me as I entered the kitchen, his brows furrowed. “I want to eat you in that skirt.”
“Monroe.” I blushed. “You just got some, settle down.”
“You are a goddess.” He stalked toward me, picked me up, and set me on the counter. He kissed me right on the mouth. “Mine.”
Laughing, I placed a hand on his chest. “You’re wearing my lipstick.”
“Don’t care.” He kissed me again, softer. “I can’t get enough of you. It’s been months, and I needmore.Can I move in with you? Propose? Demand you live with me?”
When he joked about moving in or eloping, it always made me smile. I knew how Luca felt about me. He was a protector, a caregiver. He was an all-in, give one thousand percent to something no matter what. He was like that with football, the team, his grandma, and now me. To be on the end of his focus was special. I never took it for granted. I ran my hands down his large chest, loving the strength of him. He was working his ass off to have the best senior year ever, hoping his stats would help propel him in the NFL draft next year. And after all the worry he had about him and Dean? If anything, they played even better together on the field.
“I’ll follow you wherever you sign, but senior year is for me. I love you, want to marry you and have babies and live with you even though you’re really messy. But this is my final year. I have a plan, you know. Things I gotta do.”
“Like what?”
“Adventures with Mack. Find the hidden tunnels I’ve heard about. Stay up way too late and regret it the next day.” I traced his bicep.
Lines formed around his eyes, a flash of worry sparking behind them. “You’d tell me if you were unhappy, right, like I was holding you back?”
“Luca.” I swiped my lipstick of his lips. “You make me the happiest. I’m telling you I want the rest of my life with you, but I don’t want to rush this year. That’s all.”
