But that promise was over. He turned the lock, and the click echoed louder than it should have through the room. Isabella felt it. He saw it in the way her shoulders went still. But she didn’t turn around. She didn’t run or tell him to stop, and he took that as a good sign.
Luca stepped forward slowly, eyes locked on her back as she stood near the center of the room, still in that dress, still lookinglike something he shouldn’t touch—which only made him want to touch her more.
“You’re staring,” she said quietly.
His mouth curved slightly. “Yeah.”
She turned, and that was it for him. There was no hesitation or fear—just heat. He could tell that she was as turned on as he was, but he needed to hear her say those words to him. Luca wanted to hear her say that she wanted him, but she beat him to it as though reading his damn mind.
“Say it,” she said.
His brow lifted slightly. “Say what?”
“What you’ve been thinking for the past two weeks,” she said.
Luca didn’t answer right away. “I’m done waiting,” he growled.
Her breath hitched, just a little, but she didn’t back up from him as he crossed the room. And she didn’t look away as he stared her down. “Good,” she breathed. That one little word gave him the permission he needed to finally take what he wanted from her.
Luca closed the distance between them, slow enough to give her time to change her mind, if that was what she wanted. He was giving her time to stop him or to walk away, but she didn’t move. His hand came up, fingers brushing along her jaw, sliding to her throat—not tight, not controlling—just there. He was testing her to see how far she’d let him push her.
Feeling her felt like coming home for him. He almost hated to say what he did next, but he needed to make sure that she was completely with him. “You still get a choice,” he said, his voice low. It wasn’t a lie—not tonight.
Her eyes searched his—steady and focused. “I know,” she breathed, “and I’m not saying no.” That was all he needed. Luca kissed her like a man who was starving, and she was his last meal. It wasn’t careful or restrained. This wasn’t the controlledversion of himself that he’d been giving her. This was everything he’d been holding back—every ounce of his pent-up desire for Isabella.
Her hands came up instantly, gripping his shirt like she’d been waiting for him, too. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty—just heat meeting heat. That almost made him lose control right there—almost.
He pulled back just enough to look at her, breathing heavier now, watching her every reaction and every shift. And that’s when he caught it. Something was off. It was subtle, but he had noticed it. The way that she held herself, and the way that her breath stuttered, not from nerves, not exactly, but from unfamiliarity. Luca stilled as soon as the realization that she was inexperienced hit him.
“You’ve never done this before.” It wasn’t a question. It had been a damn long time since he had been with a virgin, but all the signs were there.
Her eyes flickered, and for a split second, he thought that she might not tell him the truth. “No.” The word was quiet, and Luca’s jaw tightened. He didn’t step back from her, but everything around him seemed to move in slow motion because this wasn’t just about taking what he wanted anymore. This mattered, and he knew that he needed to make it special for his new wife.
“You sure that you want to do this?” he asked. “We can wait if you’re not ready, honey.”
Her hand tightened on his shirt. “Yes,” she said. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for you, Luca. I never wanted to be with anyone else before, but you’ve changed something in me. I want things with you that I’ve never wanted with any other man.
Luca nodded and then kissed her again—but slower this time—more deliberate. He took his time, letting her feel him, and trying to move at her pace. His hands moved with purpose—not rough, not rushed—just enough to guide Isabella without overwhelming her. And she responded perfectly. She stayed with him and didn’t seem to be afraid of what was going to happen next, and that told him everything.
He moved her back a step, and then another, until the bed hit the back of her legs. She didn’t break eye contact as she sat on the mattress, and Luca followed her down, hands steady, gaze locked on hers the entire time.
“Look at me,” he said quietly. She didn’t even blink at his command. He didn’t want to rush her or lose control with her, even when every part of him wanted to do just that. When her hands started pulling him closer, and her breathing changed, he stayed steady, because this wasn’t just about what he wanted. This was about her trusting him, and he wasn’t going to break her trust. Not tonight—not ever.
He stood from the bed, quickly unbuttoning his dress shirt, as her eyes seemed to burn a hole right through him. She licked her lips, and he couldn’t help the moan that escaped his chest as he imagined how her sexy mouth would feel around his cock.
“You keep looking at me like that, and this is going to be over before we even get started,” he growled.
“How am I looking at you?” she asked.
“Like you want to eat me alive,” he said.
She gave him her shy, sexy smile and nodded. “Well, maybe that’s exactly what I want to do to you, Luca. I just need you to tell me what to do.” He wanted to tell her that she was doing exactly what he wanted her to do, just by being here with him, but that wasn’t what she meant.
“You can do whatever you want to with me, honey,” he said. He slid his pants down his legs, letting his cock spring free, and she gasped. He hated that she suddenly looked unsure about everything.
“Um,” she squeaked, “will we fit?”
Luca stroked himself, giving her a show. “Oh, we’ll fit, honey,” he promised.
