“You know that isn’t the issue.”
“I know, I just don’t know what to do about it,” I admit, defeated.
“Me either.” After a pause, he stands and joins me on the couch.
We face each other.
He grabs my hands. “Enzo, I want this with you. You know I do. I love you. I will never stop loving you.”
I take a deep breath. I needed to hear those words.
“I don’t want Pippa to come between us. I don’t want the work that they’re doing to come between us, but I do care about them. Luna has been my friend for years. I care deeply about Pippa. Even if nothing comes of the three of us, I don’t want to lose them, either.”
“I know Eva feels the same way. I just… I don’t trust them.”
Hudson starts to interrupt me.
“Let me finish. I believe what they’ve told us, but can’t you agree they are hiding more than they are sharing?”
“Yeah, I can.” He scoots closer.
Our legs graze. My body begins to warm all over. How many times over the years have our bodies brushed in this way? Did Hudson’s body ever feel this way?
“I’m not upset with you. Thank you for your apology, though. You get a gold star for coming over here and trying to make things right,” he says with a smile. “Now I need you to tell me you’re not closing the door on Pippa. That you’re willing to talk with her if she’s willing to talk to us.”
I shake my head yes. With that, his lips are on mine, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time in days.
Our hands roam. Our lips and tongues crash together. Our bodies shift closer.
“How are you feeling?” I ask him between kisses.
“Good. Really good.”
“Your chest?”
“Enzo, I swear to Christ if you stop touching me, I’ll fucking kill you.”
I laugh and remove his shirt. His wound is bandaged, right below his nipple. I move my lips down his chest, across his collarbone. I kiss around his wound. I lick the nipple above it. I take my hand and caress the other.
“Enz— Fuck, that feels good.” His hands are around my head, as I explore his chest, his shoulders, back up to his neck, and under his ear.
“Lay back. I’ve been fantasizing about exploring you, pretty boy.”
“Oh fuck, really?” he stutters out on an exhale.
“Mhm.” I continue kissing his neck.
He reclines into the couch. “I’ve had a lot of fucking fantasies about that mouth of yours, Luciano. That pretty goddamned mouth.”
I stare into his hazel-blue eyes and run one hand in his hair. I wrap the other around his throat. I love the feel of his stubble under my hand—rough. “I hope I live up to your fantasies,” I whisper.
“Hey, look at me”—he uses his hand to lift my chin and brings his nose to mine—“I’m going to love everything you do. Because it’syou.”
“But I haven’t been?—”
“I know,” he says as he kisses me tenderly. “I’m so glad I’m your first. I’m honored, Enz.Fuck, so damned honored. I love you, okay?”
I nod. I’m nervous. Excited. My body is humming. I want to make him feel good. I want him to make me feel good.
