ENZO DE-LUCA.Without thinking, I lifted her onto the wide wooden rail and when I did, her dress slid up, bunching around her hips as if giving me access. Permission. Consent.I stepped between her legs, hands trailing up her thighs, slow and gentle and her skin…. God, her skin was warm under my palms and her breath hitched when I hooked a finger beneath the thin strap of her panties and tugged at it.Leaning even closer to her, I kissed her ear and licked the lobe as I breathed and her body shook, her back arched as she tried to press herself into me.This was dangerous. Very. But maybe it’s the danger that makes it even more exciting.“Off.” I said, my voice low, guttural and husky and Maeve, she didn’t hesitate even for a second as she lifted her hips and let me peel her panties down.The scrap of lace dropped to the deck and I wanted to pick it up and smell it, not just that, I wanted to suck her juice off the gusset but I didn’t as I sucked the skin of her neck into my mouth and
ENZO DE-LUCA.“Right.” She murmured, rolling her lower lip over her teeth and for the longest moment, I held her there, my arms grabbing onto her like she was the one tethering me.This moment. This memory. I’d never forget it and I hope she never does too. I’d carefully planned everything out and it feels nice, seeing her enjoy herself even though we weren’t doing much made me feel a sense of accomplishment.“I love you.” I breathed against her ear and I felt her shiver a little as she grounded her body against me before turning around to face me.There was a glint in her eyes, the kind that made me feel warm from the inside out as my stomach and heart danced in joy.She does things to me. Things I never thought I’d ever experience and now, I’m ready to admit it not just to the world but to myself too.Happiness. For the longest time, I’ve believed I deserved nothing of the sort, even when she was always going out of her way to make me see that she was ready to love me for me.She ha
MAEVE HAWTHORN.We settled in nicely and by the time we were— I was— done unpacking, it was already evening and Enzo insisted that he was going to do the cooking.I watched as he stood in the kitchen shirtless, chopping vegetables with terrifying precision, muscles flexing as he moved while I sat on the table that was right in the middle of the kitchen and just helped myself to the free meal in front of me, smiling stupidly as I stared.When he was done chopping, Enzo walked towards the stove and stood there, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the soft glow of the early evening slipping in through the wide windows and brushing over his shoulders, giving me more to look at.“He’s so fucking hot.” I said to myself, in my head, as my breath grew shallow, my heart thrumming really hard against my chest.“Ahh. I have a number of things for us to do tomorrow,” Enzo said, his voice jolting me out of my thoughts but I immediately slipped back into it.His voice sounded like music to my ears an
MAEVE HAWTHORN.“Do you have your sunscreen? Oh, and that lingerie we bought when we went shopping…. Okay, I’m done packing this bag and then….” Scarlett’s voice jolted me out of my thoughts.I could hear the excitement in her voice, I could even feel it and the happiness shone so brightly in her eyes that I almost blinded myself looking right at her.“Okay, everything is set now.” She said proudly even though she had done everything by herself without giving me the time to pack anything.I didn’t want to anger the beast and ask her what she had packed but I knew really well that she had stuffed my bags with things that are both necessary and unnecessary.My mind was racing, it's sort of the first time that I would be going out with Enzo and not just out, we would be together— alone— for a few days and as exciting as it was, it was also nerve racking.Drawing in a deep breath, I placed a hand on my chest and went to my happy place which of course included Enzo and Scarlett because it
ENZO DE-LUCA.Levi’s lips twitched and he looked like he wanted to smile but it didn’t quite make it as he finally looked away from me and from his side profile, I could tell that he was proud.I recognized that look, it was the same look he gave me when I’d first taken out someone way bigger, way powerful than me although that and a little bit of shock.Sighing, he glanced down at his glass again, turning it slowly between his fingers as he examined the liquid in it, “ goddamn, Enzo.” He said finally.“You really did fall and not just that, you’re openly admitting to it too. I mean, that can only mean one thing, you’ve fully accepted that you’re in love with her?” He added and I nodded.“Well. Yeah,” I responded, it’s about time I did realize and instead of throttling my feelings, accepting it like I’d finally did. I hated that I waited this long.I hated that it took her leaving the house and requesting space from me to fully realize it myself, I mean, when we’d both realized she wa
ENZO DE-LUCA.All through the drive, I couldn’t stop thinking about Maeve and how life had just been nothing short of great right from the very moment I decided to confront my feelings.It’s been here and there for a while and I hated it but now, things are going to be different. That’s what I wanted. I didn’t think I would ever want something like that until her— until now.Her birthday is next week, so I have to do something special for her. I have to give her a memory far better than the kind she currently has of her birthday and then I can finally ask her….…. I can finally ask her the question I never thought I could ever ask anyone else again.I need her to know on her birthday that she’s everything to me and I really don’t want to live another minute without her, I don’t want to take a breath if she wouldn’t be by my side.Smiling, I stepped on the gas, accelerating and turning a sharp corner to the bar that Levi had sent to me and soon, I was at the parking lot.“I thought you