“We could play with bigger balls,” I suggest.
Luca points his finger at us. “No drunk bowling. I can’t get you back upstairs for a while.”
“One time, Luca. One time.” Lil rolls her eyes and throws her hands up.
“Once was enough.”
“Let’s get out of here. Becca’s making pesto shrimp with fettuccine and breadsticks, and she promised a dessert but wouldn’t tell us what it is,” Dad says.
“Five bucks says it’s cheesecake,” I tell him.
“Ten says it’s chocolate mousse,” Lil says.
“Fifty says cannoli.” Luca stands and wraps his arms around me.
I can’t stop myself from worrying I’ll hurt him every damn time I touch him, so I don’t burrow into his chest the way I normally do. The way I want to. His arms tighten, though, and I release a contented sigh.
“Let’s go home, baby.”
My smile is wide when I look up into his blue eyes. “Finally.”
We walk outside hand in hand. Anthony drove my car here, so he hands me my keys. My ‘DeVilles do it better’ keychain grins up at me from my palm. Anthony follows Dad to his car, and Luca, Lil, and I get into ours.
“It’s good to start getting back to normal,” Luca says as he fastens his seatbelt behind me and settles in. He grins at me in the rearview mirror, and we head home. Sure, we’ve got about ten of Dad’s most trusted men in cars around us, but whatever.
As soon as we step inside the house, Mom and Becca hug us all.
“My sweet boy, I hope you’re hungry,” Becca says to Luca, cupping his cheeks in her hands.
“Always, Becks. Do we have a few minutes before dinner? I want to wash the hospital smell off.”
“Of course, you have about twenty of them.”
“Good, I think it’ll take half that time to get there and back,” he winks at her.
“A shower in my own bathroom sounds like heaven,” Lil says before racing up the stairs to her room. Luca and I walk to ours at a slower pace. He starts the water while I get fresh clothes ready for him.
“Baby, can I get your help with something?”
“I swear Luca, we’ve only been home for like five minutes and you want a handy already?”
He snorts. “Not that, though you know it’s crossed my mind.” I step into the bathroom, where he’s standing in just his shirt. “It’s harder to get this damn thing off than I thought it would be,” he says almost shyly. I help him with it, pursing my lips when I see his wounds again.
“Come in with me. No funny business. I just want another piece of our normal.”
I go up as high as I can on my tiptoes so he doesn’t have to lean much, and he meets my lips with his. I pull back before we get carried away and strip off my clothes.
His eyes darken as they rake over my body.
“No funny business, Beefcake,” I remind him.
“I hate that rule,” he groans, following me into the shower.
“Me, too.”
I gently wash Luca the way he washes me so often. After I rinse the soap from my own body, I turn around, and Luca grabs my hips, pressing my back against the shower wall.
“Just a little funny business, baby. Please?” he says against my ear. “I haven’t tasted my favorite flavor in too many days.”
