He pecks my lips. “You deserve nothing but the best.”
“There’s one thing you got wrong, however.” I slide my fingertip underneath his stubbled chin to make him look me in the eyes. “It’s not accurate to say I’d ‘never’ get with Moriarty, actually, considering I’ve now fucked that man at least twenty times to punish you for what you said to me.”
Luca’s jaw drops and his face instantly drains of color. “What?” he chokes out.
“That was a joke,” I say calmly. “Consider that your final punishment.”
Exhaling loudly, Luca closes his eyes and tilts his head back.
“You look like a man who just cheated death by an inch.”
“That’s how I feel. Jesus, Chelsea.”
“FYI, if you ever hurt me again, whether it’s supposedly for my own good or not, I might very well go fuck that asshole, even though I hate him, just to prove a point.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Luca winces. “If I’ve learned anythingabout you through this, it’s that you’d rather die than lose. Seriously, Chelsea, you’re the female version of Roman.”
I grimace. “What did I just say about saying something hurtful to me again?”
Luca chuckles. “Sorry, but it’s true.”
I run my hand through his hair again. “I’ll have mercy on you this one time, but only because I’m so excited about your amazing news. Raul told me. Congratulations. I knew you’d do it.” I kiss him tenderly, and we hold each other for a long moment.
When I pull back from our embrace and happy whispers, I smooth a lock of hair out of Luca’s eyes and ask, “Have you been with anyone else since you heartlessly broke up with me?”
Luca scowls like that’s a ridiculous question. “Of course not. And I didn’t break up with you. Not really. I merely set you free. Tried to, anyway.”
Well, there it is. An implied admission that Luca loves me. Otherwise, he’d never use those specific words:I merely set you free. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.
“Yeah, well, don’t do that again. I’m always going to be in charge of my own life choices, the same as you.”
“Lesson learned.”
I touch his cheek. “Aren’t you going to ask me if I’ve been with anyone else?”
Luca goes pale again. “H-have you?”
“Nope. I just don’t want you to assume I haven’t, since you’re the one who savagely broke up with me and I was therefore free to do whatever and whomever I pleased.”
He frowns. “Please, have mercy on me and never say anything like that to me again.”
“If you don’t like it, then don’t break up with me again.”
“I didn’t break up with you! I truly thought I was freeing the birdie to fly high.” With a sigh, he pulls me close and kisses me. “I fucked up, okay? But I swear my heart was in the rightplace. I knew you were staying here because of me, and also that I had to make the roster to be worthy of you.”
“That’s insulting. I’d want you if you were a hydration assistant.”
“Bullshit.”
“Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. I admit my willpower shattered the second I found out you made the roster. That’s my kryptonite, it turns out.” Laughing, I press my forehead into Luca’s. “Promise me, when a decision needs to be made, we’ll talk about whatever it is, like adults.”
“Deal.”
“And then, I’ll do whatever the hell I want anyway.”
Luca laughs. “Are you ever going to call the guy at the Knights? I don’t think it’s too late.”
“This season? Definitely not. But never say never.”
