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I decide across from him is better. I’m afraid of what being next to him might do. His scent fills my nose, one I’ve craved these past weeks. I avoid making eye contact, but I feel his eyes burning a hole through me.
My cheeks flush, and I cross and uncross my legs, needing some type of distraction. I feel as if I’m not getting any air. The pressure builds in my chest as the silence builds between us. My palms are sweaty, and my hands shake.Fuck, this is killing me.I shove my hands under my legs in hopes of hiding whatever’s happening to me, knowing he reads me like a book. We’ve spent enough time together that he knows how to read me.
When I can no longer stand it, I look at him, like really look at him since the first time I got here. He’s leaning back in his chair, his cast stretched out in front of him. Gone is the cocky Luca I know, and in turn it’s a man who looks just as nervous as me. What is he thinking? Does he feel the same? Or is he over it? Do we make pretend conversation and never actually get to the point?
It’s like my head and my heart want to explode at the same time. Splatter themselves in front of us, on full display, revealing everything. It’s beating so loud I’m afraid it’ll split my ribs in two, or that’ll Luca will hear its desperate message.
Just say the words, Nev. The words you came to say. I love you, and I want to be with you.
“Luca, I—”
“Neveah, I—”
We both speakat the same time,saying the same words to each other.I love you.
“You do?” he asks, looking as surprised as I feel.
I nod and laugh as tears fall at the same time. The relief, the release of anxiety, all of it makes me giddy. I can’t wait any longer. I need to touch him, to feel him against my skin. “Oh my God, listen to us. I missed you so much.” I run over to him and climb into his lap, careful around his cast.
“I missed you too, baby, so much.”
We still have so much to say, so much to talk about, but all I really want right now is to kiss the lips I’ve been dying for.As soon as our mouths touch, it’s instant electricity, my body coming to lifein a wayonly he can do. It’s frantic, messy, and amazing. So fucking amazing.
When we break apart, we’re both breathless. “I’ve been in love with you for months, Luca. I was just stupid and didn’t realize it. I pretended to ignore it all. When you broke things off, it hurt so bad. I wanted to hate you. But I knew I never could. I was desperately in love with you, and I still am.”
Luca blinks back his own tears, andmy heart melts all over. “I’ve been in love with you for months too. I didn’t want to accept it, didn’t want to feel anything. Women…women can’t usually handle this career. But you’re different, Neveah. You know how this world works, and you’re an amazing fucking woman. I love everything about you, from yourcurvy sexybody to your smart brain and sassy fierce attitude. Not to mention your work ethic and how you put others before yourself.” He pauses for a moment as a tear slips down his face. He cups my jaw, his thumb trailing down my cheek. “My grandmother always told me when you find good people, you hold on to them. No matter how afraid you are of losing them, the pain is worth the love and light they bring to your life. And I’m so afraid. So fucking afraid, Neveah. But I’d rather have you and risk heartbreakthannot have you at all.”
I’m sobbing now, his words reaching deep inside me and wrapping themselves around my insides.
He traces my lips with his thumb, the small gesture sending chills down my spine. “Axel told me how you spent the night of my accident in the hospital, how you waited to make sure I was okay before you left, how you cried by my bedside. Fuck, Nev, I knew then you loved me too, and I’ve sat here like a jackass afraid to go to you. Afraid you’d reject me, afraid of fuck…everything.”
“I know, I’m afraid too. But I want to be afraidwithyou. Nobody else.” I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face in his neck, breathing his scentin,finally filling the craving for it.
“I’m sorry for hurtful words and forabruptly endingthings. I’m sorry for it all, Neveah.”
“I’m sorry, too. AJ told me you defended me to the shit talkers and the kind things you said. That’s what brought me here.”
“He did? I wasn’t sure how much he heard.” Luca rubs a hand along the back of his neck. “So that’s why he was outside when I left.”
“What?”
“After I told those dumbasses off, I left, not wanting to spend one more second there. I didn’t want to even be there in the firstplace, but the big guns insisted. As I was getting in the Uber, AJ was watching me, and he smiled when we made eye contact. I thought it was weird at thetime, but now it makes sense.” Luca smiles, warmth filling his eyes.
“Thank you, Luca. You didn’t have to defend me. I don’t give a shit what they had to say, but it means a lot.” I squeeze Luca’s hand before interlocking his fingers with mine. I knew deep down Luca had some good in him. His bad-boy reputation is just that—a reputation. The real Luca, the one he keeps locked away inside, is kind and loving.
He kisses me, his lips brushing against mine gently. “Iwasn’t going tosit there and let them talk bad about you. Everything I said was true. You’re amazing, Neveah Walker. And I love you. With every part of me.”
“I love you too,” I gush before kissing his lips again.
“Go out on a proper date with me. Let’s start over and do this the right way.”
“Any way with you is the right way. But yes, take me to dinner. Wine and dine me.” I grin as I run my hands through his hair.
“Oh,I’ll wine and dine you alright. You’ll be my delicious dessert too.”
Goose bumps scatter along my arms, the ache in my core letting itself be known. “On just one condition.”
Luca groans. “No, no more deals or propositions or conditions.”
