Luca’s head whipped toward me like that girl in that old demon movie. “No, you’re…umm…uh…” He was cute when he was flustered. But he didn’t outright deny it, so I took it as a win and pressed on.
“I apologize. This is what happens every time I kiss him. I leave him tongue-tied. Right, love?” I pulled him closer and spoke to Susanna. “If you’ll excuse us, we have someplace to be. It was nice to meet you.” There. I could be cordial when I had to.
Her face lit up with amusement. “Bye, Luca. Have fun,” she called as I pulled him away.
Luca didn’t respond until we got to my car. Pulling open the passenger door, I waited for him to get in. But he didn’t. “Axel, what was that all about?”
My brows knitted. “What do you mean?” I wasn’t sure he was buying my innocence.
“That back there. You acted like…” He looked over my shoulder, then back at me. “Were you jealous?”
I hated that he could read me so easily. “Why would I be jealous?”
His shoulders met his ears. “I don’t know, but you sweeping in with a toe-curling kiss in the parking lot and flowers felt a little possessive.”
“Toe-curling, huh?” I leaned in to nuzzle his neck, ignoring his other comment. We both knew I was. “I’m so glad I still havethat effect on you.” With a bite to his earlobe, his entire body shivered, making him reach for me.
“Jesus, you have to stop that,” he moaned, tucking his fingers in my waistband. I’d figured out he liked that after many make-out sessions on the sofa. It was both fantastic and frustrating. “You can’t just do that. And say that…”
I pulled back and kissed his cheek before locking eyes with him. “Yes, I can. You’re mine, Luca. I thought that was already established. If I was unclear before, let me say it again. You. Are. Mine.”
His face was filled with confusion when he noticed how I’d caged him in. “I don’t know what that means. I’m your friend. But we’ve never put an official label on anything.”
“I just did.”
He shook his head. “You don’t just get to decide for me, Axel. It’s my choice.”
That word rang in my head like a reminder of his choice not to have sex. “You’re right. Would it be easier if I asked you outright?”
He looked away over my shoulder, then down at the flowers in his hand. “I’ve never been given flowers before.”
Testing his comfort level, I curled my fingers around his neck and rubbed my thumb over his late-day stubble. He didn’t pull away, but leaned into my touch. “Then we both experienced a first. I’ve never stopped in the middle of the street and thought about buying them because I wanted to make someone smile.” I paused so as not to overwhelm him. It was difficult for me not to bulldoze my way into his heart. “Remember, I don’t know what I’m doing any more than you do, so I’m doing what feels right. But my gut says to lock you down hard before someone else does. And I don’t take losing well.”
Luca’s warm brown eyes found mine as we stood mere inches apart, gazing at one another in the afternoon sun whilethe world fell away. No wonder that photo made it to social media. But that’s what happened when we were together, and I never wanted it to end. With Luca, the constricting pressure and loneliness that had once threatened to define me eased off. For someone who didn’t do relationships, the thought was terrifying. But worth it.
“I’m not asking you for more than I can give. I want to do this slowly and make you fall for me over time. I want us to be each other’s first choice with all the assumed benefits. You’re mine. And I’m yours.”
Luca held my gaze bravely. I didn’t dare look away. “As intimidating as that sounds, I want to do that too.”
The band constricting my chest loosened a little more. “Perfect. Now, can we go celebrate?”
His smile reached his eyes. “We can. Where are we going?”
“Wherever you want.” I was getting used to letting someone else decide things.
We ended up stopping by his apartment for him to grab some shorts and a T-shirt, then headed over to the Silver Stream to pick up some food. When we got there, Edith wasn’t there, but Jason was.
“Where is she?” Luca asked.
“I don’t know. I think it was something with her apartment.”
Luca was obviously concerned. “What did she say?”
I put my arm around him. “Let’s go check on her. It won’t take long, then we can go to the house.”
“You don’t mind doing that?”
I kissed his cheek. “Of course not. She’s your family.” I turned to Jason. “Build us a bag of fresh food items. Fruits, salads, soups. Things a woman of her age would enjoy.”
