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

I followed-no, hid-behind Luca as we walked along the breezeway and through the side door."I look like four-day-old shit," I mumbled as we walked inside.My ratty hair was still down in tangles. I hadn't washed my face that morning and I was adorned by the all the charm and glamor of an old t-shirt and gym shorts."Very cute four-day-old shit," Luca whispered back to me.I followed him closely into the kitchen. As I peeked around Luca's shoulder, I made eye contact with awoman who looked to be in her late-forties. With bronzed skin, dark hair and green eyes just like her son, I knew immediately who she was.She smiled widely and ran over."Hi! I'm Ana, Luca's mom. It's so nice to finally meet you," she said, grabbing me.I picked up on the slight accent entwined withher voice. She pulled me into a tight hug, all of the awkward tension melting away as she did so. I returned the hug and smiled as she pulled away."I'm Carrie, it's nice to meet you too.""I'm sorry to come over unanno

I was laying on my back, staring at the ceiling, when the sun rose the next morning. My mind still reeling, I kept replaying those intimate moments over and over in my mind. I couldn't sleep until I understood how everything had happened so quickly...How did we go from agreeing we didn't need to be around each other to me giving Luca a hand job twenty-four hours later?I was mortified.It took everything within me to get out of the bed that morning and venture downstairs.Was it going to be awkward now?You thought it was awkward before, I reminded myself. To my great displeasure, Luca was sitting at the kitchen counter when I went downstairs. He sat shirtless, facing away from me with a cup of coffee in one hand and an iPad in the other, scrolling through the news.I wanted to turn and run back up the staircase as quickly as I could. He hasn't seen me yet. Maybe he doesn't know I'm standing here, I thought."Morning," he said, still staring at the iPad.I wondered briefly if I had s

The soft tracing of fingertips down my arm is what pulled me from sleep the next morning. I stirred for a moment, stopping when I realized where I was asmy eyes opened to the high ceilings of Luca's bedroom.Rolling over on my side, I felt Luca's hard body fill the space behind me, spooning me. His arm wrapped around my waist and tucked itself under me."Buongiorno, amore," he whispered, his breath fanning against the nook of my shoulder.I hummed in response, closing my eyes again.He kissed the spot just under my ear. My hand reached up to find his face, gently pushing his lips away from my neck."It's too early," I muttered, still half-asleep.I heard Luca chuckle as he pulled me into him closer."I don't mind laying here until it's not," he said.I jolted up, suddenly wide awake."Oh my God, what time is it?" I said, throwing the covers back. He groaned as he rolled over to look at his phone."Quarter till eight.""Shit, shit, shit," I muttered running across the room."Do you ha

As soon as the game was over, Bates was on his feet."I think I'm gunna head home, boys and girls," he said, stretching."I've endured a trauma tonight that has left me needing some rest."Luca just shook his head as he stood up, Blaine following suit with a wide yawn. We followed each other upstairs to the living room."It is way past my bedtime," I said looking at the clock and noticing it was nearly midnight."You're an old woman," Bates told me, walking towards the front door."I like to get up early," I defended.I flipped on the porch light.As soon as I stepped out onto the front porch with Bates, I froze. There was a mangy, ash-blond wolf in Luca's front yard, staring at us with eyes that glowed in the porch light.Before I could say a word, Luca ripped past me and leapt from the porch, skipping all three steps down as he shifted mid-air into a large wolf with thick, black fur. His clothes landed in strips of fabric next to me, but I hardly had time to notice before a growl th