I could see the sky behind the mountains in the distance as it transitioned to darker shades, reminding me of how long I'd been sitting there. I think it's time to stop wallowing in self-pity, I told myself.Deciding I would make dinner, I stood from the couch, catching a glimpse of the pool in the backyard as I did so.A swim would feel so nice right now...Forgoing dinner, I went to retrieve my bikini from my suitcase. I changed and wandered downstairs where Luca had mentioned the pool access was.On the lower level were two empty bedrooms, two accompanying bathrooms, and a large bonus room in between the two bedrooms that boasted a TV the size of a small vehicle. Surrounding the TV was a large sectional sofa and several pieces of sports memorabilia. Hockey sticks, shadow boxes full of jerseys and pucks, and shelves lined with trophies were hung on the wall.Along the far wall was a large window that had a sliding door to get outside into the backyard. I slid the door open to be met
He came to walk alongside me as I hugged myself, shivering."Your tits look great in that bikini top, by the way."My jaw dropped in shock of his blunt statement.Watching him laugh, I reached out and shoved him as hard as I could, clearly taking him off guard as he toppled over into the pool.Luca was glaring at me as he surfaced and swam back to the edge.Now it was my turn to laugh.I didn't have enough time to run before Luca's cold, wet arm was wrapped around my torso and lifted me into the air. He chucked me into pool, but I had enough of a grip on his arm that he followed in behind me.The difference in the water temperature between the pool and hot tub had me gasping for air when I swam back up to the surface."Jackass," I quipped, despite trying not to laugh.Luca laughed and ran a hand through his hair, shaking the water from it."All jokes aside," he said."I was serious about your tits.""Stop talking about my tits.""Why? They're nice tits."I swam up to him, put one hand
Luca never came back to bed that night.I laid there, staring at the ceiling, until the glow of the early morning began to fill the bedroom. When I went into the kitchen to make my tea, I was shocked to see Luca sitting at the counter with a coffee cup to his lips.I never heard him come back inside."Is everything okay?" I asked.Luca's eyebrows knit together."Yes?" He answered, even though it sounded like more of a question."You left in the middle of the night," I told him, feeling the need to explain my concern."Oh, I went for a run," he said casually, taking another sip of coffee."You left the door open.."Did I?" Luca asked."I may not have shut it well.""You left your clothes strewn all over the floor," I reminded him."I guess I'm not used to living with someone who sees my mess. You didn't have to clean up behind me."Luca's attention returned to his coffee cup."Are you sure everything's okay?" I asked him.He looked up from his mug and smiled slightly."I'm fine."Despi
I could be one stubborn bitch--but, apparently, so could Luca. After packing all my things back into my suitcase and duffle bag, moved myself back upstairs to the spare bedroom next to the loft. I had decided that it was probably best to sleep separately since we now had to wait four weeks to have sex.During the four days after our argument, I didn't see Luca once. He was gone when I woke and when I went to sleep.The only evidence he'd been in the house were the dishes he'd leave in the sink after he drank his morning coffee or ate a late dinner. I begrudgingly washed them along with mine.Otherwise, my routine stayed consistent.I met with Fallon in the mornings, made myself lunch after showering, and painted or read during the afternoons. I was miserable and completely bored out of my mind. All I could do was think, think, and then think some more.The only thing on my mind for those four days was Luca; how much his stubbornness annoyed me, how much I couldn't stand him for causin
And yet there I was: jogging through a similar neighborhood, all the while knowing I would return to the biggest house of them all.Before I knew it, I had become lost in my daydreams and also in reality. I stopped running when I realized that I no longer recognized where I was. Feeling a little uneasy, I turned and began to run back the way I had come from.It wasn't long before I came to an intersection that I didn't remember.Did I turn the corner down this road or did I cross the street?As I stood there deliberating on which direction to take, I felt a raindrop fall against my cheek. I wiped it away and sighed, feeling more begin to fall on my shoulders and face. Hearing a car approach, I looked up to see an old, green pickup truck driving along the road intersecting the one I was on.I waved at the driver and the truck began to slow. I smiled as he rolled down his window."Hi," I said awkwardly."I'm a little lost. Could you tell me how to get back to the other side of the pack,
I felt like a child being buckled into a car seat the way Luca manhandled me into the passenger seat of his truck.Wordlessly, he reached across me and buckled me up before slamming the car door shut to walk around to the driver's side. I sat quietly as he started the truck and drove off, gently cradling my right hand against my stomach and covering it with my left.The back of my hand was throbbing, especially around my last two knuckles. My fingers were numb and I could barely move them.I knew it was likely broken.I held back tears as the adrenaline levels in my body began to lower and allowed me to fully experience the shooting pain in my hand.An awkward few minutes passed by before we pulled up to the gate in front of his house and drove down his driveway. As soon as the truck was parked in Luca's garage, I reached down and unbuckled my seatbelt, getting out of the car as soon as I haddone so.I could hear Luca calling after me as I walked quickly across the breezeway, through
When I went to bed that night, I tossed and turned for hours. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the face of the man who had kidnapped those girls. My mind had captured the image of him standing over me, preparing to strike.It was all I could see.I tried my hardest to glue my eyes closed, to think happy thoughts-but I couldn't. I finally sat up in the bed, feeling defeated.Throwing back the covers, I got out of the bed and opened the bedroom door. I slowly walked downstairs, trying to stay quiet. I stood outside Luca's bedroom for a few moments, hesitating.Taking a deep breath, I put my hand on the door knob and turned it. Once in the bedroom, I could see the outline of Luca's body sleeping in his bed.I closed the door behind me and walked towards the bed quietly. Gingerly, I pulled back the covers and slid into the bed next to Luca.I fought against getting closer to him.With my head against the pillow, I took a few moments to breathe in his scent and immediately felt the anxie
I slept through the night peacefully. When I woke up, I realized why.Luca's arms were wrapped tightly around my body, one around my waist and the other around my shoulders. His chin was resting on my head, my face nuzzled into his neck.I was still for a few minutes, feeling his chest rise and fall steadily. His skin was warm under my touch as I traced the curvature of his bicep with my left hand, slowly dragging my fingertips to his chest."That tickles."His deep voice startled me and I pulled my hand away immediately. I whispered a quick apology, glad he couldn't see the blush that burned in my cheeks.We were silent for a few moments before I tried to roll over in a bid to escape Luca's embrace. He hesitated for a moment before releasing me."Couldn't sleep upstairs last night?" He asked, his voice deep.I shook my head as I stared at the ceiling, refusing to look at him."I couldn't get him out of my head," I admitted."Your dad?"I shook my head again, surprised that I hadn't t