“But maybe that whole love thing is real.” His eyes bore into mine, clear and infinite like tiny crystal balls. I worried that if I stared too long, I’d start to see my future within their depths. “I’ve seen all my friends find it.”
“Or maybe they’re just delusional.”
“Maybe,” Luca said. “But they’re happy.”
“Isn’t that kind of the same thing?” I joked.
He grinned. “But it sounds nice sometimes, you know?”
I did know. But there was no delusion, no love worth the weight I’d carry if I lost it.
“Sounds like you’re the one watching too many Meg Ryan movies,” I said, chomping into my slice.
“I’ve never seen one,” he admitted.
I reached for the remote. “Guess we know what we’re watching then.”
“Let’s watch the one you were talking about earlier,” he said. “The one with Nicholas Cage.”
“You’re out of your mind,” I said, flipping through the movie options. “That one is not beginner friendly.”
He blew a puff of air through his luscious lips. “I can handle it.”
“The hell you can.”
“I can,” he insisted. “Movies don’t make me emotional.”
“Probably because you’re watching fuckingDie Hard.”
“What’s wrong withDie Hard?”
“Nothing,” I said. “But it’s not exactly the tug on your heartstrings kind of film.”
“I can handle it,” he said again. The corner of his mouth drew up into a playful half smile, and I couldn’t help but wonder what those lips tasted like.
“Fine,” I said, returning my attention to the television and scrolled until I foundCity of Angels.“Guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
The credits rolled,and I snuck a glance at Luca who stared straight ahead, a pained expression on his face. His cheeks shined, and his hands rested on his knees, gripping them so hard his knuckles had turned translucent. Binx and Earl Grey, who had nestled themselves between us, were unbothered.
“So,” I said, discreetly swiping my fingers beneath my lashes to collect my tears before they could spill over. “What did you think?”
He blinked in silence, unmoving. Just when I thought that maybe he hadn’t heard me, he finally spoke.
“Thatwasan act of violence,” he said, facing me.
I choked on a laugh. “One thatyouasked for.”
“For fuck’s sake.” He tugged at the collar of his shirt, using it to soak up the moisture on his skin. “You could have warned me.”
“I did,” I said, scratching Binx behind one ear. “Yousaid you could handle it. Amateur.”
He scoffed. “Don’t think I didn’t hear your cute little sniffles over there.”
Cute?Warmth spread up my neck and over my cheeks. I bit back a grin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Like hell you don’t,” he teased before turning his shimmering blue eyes into the most adorable puppy dog face I’d ever seen. He drew his lips together in a quivering pout and sniffed. “That was you for the last third of the movie, even though you knew what trauma awaited us.”
“Was not,” I argued.
