“Down the hallway to the right,” she gasped between kisses. Rocco kissed her again while walking her backward toward the bedroom, both of them laughing softly when she nearly tripped over her own shoes halfway there.
“You okay?” he asked immediately.
Luna burst out laughing harder. “I’m fine, just embarrassed. That was incredibly smooth of me.”
His grin hit her straight in the chest. “You’re still the hottest thing I’ve seen all night.” God. She was in trouble—real trouble, because somewhere between the boxing ring and this moment, Luna had stopped thinking of Rocco as temporary.
Luna should have been nervous, and maybe she was, but it was buried under something hotter. Something stronger—her need for Rocco. By the time they reached her bedroom, her pulse was racing so hard she could feel it everywhere. In her throat, her chest, and even between her ribs, every time Rocco touched her. And he kept touching her like he couldn’t stop. Like maybe he didn’t want to, and honestly, neither did she.
The second they crossed into her room, Rocco slowed down again, his hands settling on her hips while he looked at her like he was trying to memorize every detail about her. The intensity of it made her breath catch. “What?” she whispered.
His thumb brushed lightly against her waist. “Just making sure this is real.”
Luna stepped closer until there wasn’t any space left between them. “Feels pretty real to me.” A rough laugh left him before he kissed her again. She noticed that now, there was nowhere else for the tension to go. This was happening, and there would be no more running for either of them.
Her fingers slid under the hem of his shirt, finally touching warm skin and hard muscle beneath it. Rocco inhaled sharply against her mouth, his hands tightening on her hips. She found that interesting. The big, intimidating boxer liked being touched.
Luna smiled faintly against his lips. “You’re very responsive,” she teased softly.
Rocco groaned quietly. “You talk too much.”
“You don’t let me get a word in edgewise, because you keep kissing me,” she pointed out.
“That’s because shutting you up is becoming one of my favorite hobbies,” he teased. She laughed, and the sound melted into another kiss as he backed her slowly toward the bed. Rocco never rushed her, and that was what got to Luna the most. Even now—when the heat between them was practically unbearable—he still handled her carefully. Like he was making sure she stayed with him every step of the way. It made her feel wanted, chosen, and even safe. It made something in her chest ache unexpectedly.
When the back of her knees hit the mattress, Luna sat down slowly without breaking the kiss. Rocco followed immediately, standing between her legs while her hands moved up his chest underneath his T-shirt. The man was solid everywhere. He was strong in a way that should have been intimidating, but with her, he acted like restraint was stitched into his bones.
“You’re thinking again,” he murmured against her mouth.
Luna blinked up at him. “How do you know that?”
“You get quieter,” he said. Damn him for noticing things. She stood, letting her fingers slide into the back of his hair gently, holding him there. “I’m trying to figure you out.”
“That sounds dangerous,” he warned.
“It probably is,” she agreed. Rocco kissed her forehead unexpectedly, and the tenderness of it nearly undid hercompletely. No one would look at this man and assume he could be gentle, but Luna knew better now. She had seen the careful way he touched her. The way he always gave her space to choose what she wanted next from him, and the way he checked her reactions without making it obvious. Maybe that was why she trusted him so easily, because under all that strength, Rocco was careful with people’s hearts—including hers. That realization scared her enough that she kissed him harder to stop herself from thinking about it too much.
Rocco made a low sound in his throat before his hands slid slowly up her sides, pushing her tank top higher inch by inch. He paused afterward, his eyes lifting to hers, as though silently asking permission. Luna nodded, and that was all he needed. The shirt disappeared moments later, tossed somewhere onto the floor while his gaze dragged slowly over her like he was trying not to stare too hard.
“You’re beautiful,” he said quietly. He wasn’t giving her a smooth line, and somehow that affected her more than any practiced line ever could.
Luna reached for the hem of his shirt immediately. “Fair’s fair.” His mouth twitched slightly before he pulled it off, and yeah, her brain stopped functioning for a second. Boxing had definitely been good to him and his body.
“You’re staring now,” he teased quietly.
“Shut up,” she drawled, running her hands over his torso. Rocco laughed softly before kissing her again, easing her backward onto the mattress, and this time, he followed her down. The weight of him above her should have felt overwhelming. Instead, it felt right, like being held together instead of pinned down.
Luna’s fingers traced over the tattoo on his shoulder while his mouth moved along her jaw and neck slowly enough to make her shiver. Every touch felt deliberate, every kiss felt like he meant it, and maybe that was what finally broke through the last of her defenses. It wasn’t the physical attraction or the chemistry; it was the way he looked at her like she mattered.
Her hands slid over his back as she pulled him closer, needing more of him everywhere. Rocco lifted his head immediately, eyes dark and focused entirely on her. “You okay?” he asked softly.
The concern in his voice nearly shattered her. Luna smiled faintly, brushing her fingers along his jaw. “Yeah.”
His forehead rested against hers for a second. “Tell me if anything changes.” God. How was this man real? Instead of answering, Luna kissed him again and pulled him back down with her because she was done talking. She was done thinking and done pretending she wasn’t already falling for him harder than she should. Judging by the way Rocco held her like he never wanted to let go of her, she had a feeling he was falling too.
“I have condoms in my gym bag,” he offered.
“I’m on the pill,” she whispered, “and I’m clean.” She had never really had a conversation like this with a man during sex. Usually, she didn’t jump into bed with a man after only two dates, and things like birth control were usually discussed beforehand.
