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I stared at her blankly for a moment, not understanding the question. “What?”
She repeated herself, looking so earnest.
“Of course I don’t think you suck. We wouldn’t be hanging out if I did. Why do you ask?”
Luna huffed, dragging her hand over her ponytail. “Because I spite-fucked a client when I had a panic that I was decreasing my back room hours because of you.”
“I didn’t ask?—”
“I know you didn’t ask me to. I’m just struggling. You’re so good about everything. I don’t know what to do with that. If you could at least pick a fight with me about it, then we could have our clash, and I could settle again, but you’re so fucking reasonable.”
“But I don’t want to fight you. I have no issue with you taking clients. I know it’s part of your job and I want you to feel secure.”
She let out a frustrated growl. “See! What am I supposed to do with that?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” I had no idea what she wanted me to do. I wasn’t a fighter. “Why don’t we get some food, and then we can go back to your apartment and talk about this where you don’t have to worry about being overheard?”
“Reasonable,” she muttered, and yanked open her car door. “I’ll order something and meet you at the apartment.”
I nodded and watched her speed away, as I climbed into my own car. I wasn’t sure of the best course of action to help Luna with whatever she was going through. I wished I had someone to ask. I had known people who self-sabotaged when things were good, too used to things being tumultuous, where anything peaceful was uncomfortable. I didn’t know if that was what was up with Luna, but I certainly wasn’t going to let her outburst chase me away.
She was waiting for me in the front entrance when I arrived and slammed herself against me the moment I was through the glass doors, locking her arms around my chest so hard I wheezed.
“I’m sorry I’m being weird. You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”
“I told you you’re stuck with me as long as you want me. I’m totally down for dinner and rest. It sounds like you need it.”
She let out a series of adorable grumbles against my chest, including a tiny muffled scream before pulling away, giving herself a shake and nodding decisively. “I definitely need food. It’s exhausting freaking out on an empty stomach.”
After she’d scarfed down a container of pad Thai and a half dozen spring rolls, she sat back with a sigh.
“Feel better?” I asked.
“No.” She stabbed another spring roll with her fork, but didn’t pick it up to eat. “I feel ridiculous.”
“Do you want to talk about the spite-fucking?”
“No. I’m not going to do it again.” I sighed. “It got under my skin when someone asked if my reduced hours were because of you. Can you distract me for a bit?”
“Sure. I wanted to ask you about something anyway.”
I let her know about the Stella situation, that her sister had finally asked me out, and I had declined, the two of us opting for a tentative friendship instead. I also told her about the equally tentative plans for the renovation. When Luna dropped her face into her hands before lowering both to the counter, I set a hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong? Do you mind? I can tell her I can’t.”
“Luca fucking Antony Marino.”
Brisk panic shot through my veins at her full-naming me.
“How are you such a fucking angel?” She groaned, hoisted herself up, and climbed from her chair onto mine, her legs dangling as she straddled me. “I need you to listen to me very carefully. I need you to rail me and I need you to make it hurt so I can feel like I have some sort of penance for being such a fucking basket case.”
My body reacted to her words even as my mind rebelled against them. “But I’m not good at hurting you.”
“Luca, if you don’t smack my ass like a drum until I hit euphoria, I’m going to go squirrelly, and you are much too good of a boy to let that happen.”
I accepted her fierce kiss that set my blood on fire. “You know, I think you might be right.”
With a brief instruction on how and where to hit to avoid damage, Luca laid me over his lap on the couch.
“Go a couple smacks past when I start to cry unless I stop you beforehand. Omegas are sturdy, remember? So don’t be afraid of what we’re doing.”
