She yawns, glancing at the clock on the microwave. “Fuck, I need to go to bed. You’d think I wouldn’t be this damn tired after sleeping so much for two days, but that’s never how it works out.”
Standing, she puts her glass and the plate in the dishwasher while I finish off my cookie. “These are damn good.”
She smirks. “I know. I made them.”
“You made these?” Shit, I think I just fell in love with her a little bit more.
“Yeah. Becca taught me how to bake when I was a kid, and I’ve loved it ever since.”
We turn off the lights and go upstairs. She gently touches my arm in the hallway. “Thanks, Luca.”
“For what?”
“For talking to me tonight. And the hug. And for holding my hand earlier.” She takes a step closer, looking up at me shyly, a slight blush on her cheeks again. “It helped.”
After holding back for days, my control snaps. “Fuck it.” I lean down and crush my lips to hers, and she kisses me back instantly. Like she’s been wanting to do this just as much as I have. Her arms go up around my neck as I pull her close, my hands on her hips. She’s so much shorter than I am, so I wrap my arms around her waist, lifting and holding her up against me. When my tongue meets hers, I let loose a deep moan when I realize Ariana’s is pierced.Fuuuuccckkkk.
Our tongues clash as we devour each other. Nothing, and I mean nothing, has ever felt as right or as good as having this girl in my arms.
When we finally break away, hearts racing in our chests, lungs aching as they take in the air we denied them, she whimpers, “Luca.” My already hard cock throbs at the sound of my name on her lips. Her eyes are hazy with arousal, and there’s no way she doesn’t feel my hard dick pressing against her.
I groan, forcing myself to set her back on her feet and pull away. Her lips are swollen and fuck, she looks so gorgeous.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” I mutter as I take a step back.
“Yes, you should have.” She scrunches up her face. “I wanted you to kiss me, Luca.”
Reaching out, I lightly run my thumb over her still-healing lip. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
I don’t know how to tell her that I want her more than anything in the world but that I don’t deserve her. So instead, I say, “We should both go get some sleep. Goodnight, Ariana.” It takes everything in me to turn and walk away without begging her to come with me.
Chapter 22
Sure, ignore it—that'll help
Ariana
Iwoke up this morning feeling a mix of confused, horny, and pissed off. It’s one of the weirder combinations I’ve ever experienced.
I’ve been kissed before, but never like Luca kissed me last night. It left my lips slightly swollen and sore as fuck, but it was so worth the pain. Luca made me feel sexy, safe, and fucking owned all at once. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever felt. And I know he felt it, too.
I don’t know why he left me high and the complete opposite of dry, though. Or why he’s ignoring it today. He’s acting like nothing’s changed.
But everything’s changed.
Lil was surprised to find me hoodie-less in bed this morning. It doesn’t usually happen that way. Something about Luca sitting with me, holding my hand for hours, snapped me back faster.
He’s like a missing piece, fitting into a part of my soul I didn’t realize was empty. I’m as sure about him being mine as I was about Lil the first day we met.
After everything that’s happened in my life, it’s hard to let people in. I like our friends, but I could live without them. Mom, Dad, Lil, Becca, Uncle Ford, Sully, maybe even Parker, they’re my people, my family. I didn’t expect anyone else to ever break into it, but Luca is, and fast.
He’s also confusing the fuck out of me. By lunchtime, I’m annoyed with him. He’s talking less again, and I’m pretty sure he’s actively trying not to look at me as much. So maybe I go out of my way to lick my fingers and lips as often as possible. I get a shake, even though they aren’t nearly as good as Gordie’s, just to suck on the straw. He watches me out of the corner of his eye and swallows hard a few times. But I make sure not to look directly at him and talk with the girls around the table.
When we get home, Luca disappears. Lil and I go to the gun range in the basement because I’ve been trying to help her with her aim. It’s pretty terrible.
Not able to sit still, I start picking up stuff in our room. Lil joins in after a few minutes, sighing loudly. By the time we need to get ready for dance, it’s completely clean.
Luca shows up at the car right as we’re leaving.
