I smooth my palm down his nape, stroke his back. I think I feel him tremble but it must just be my hand. He lifts his head, giving me a crooked smile; it’s tired but now more peaceful.
“Thank you,” he says. It’s a little raspy.
“Thank you.” I kiss his forehead…then his eyes. That’s how I know he must be shaken up—because his lashes are damp.
He wraps me against him…squeezes me against him. I can feel him inhale deeply. He kisses my temple and lets the breath out.
“Sorry. I’m still fucked up, I guess.”
“You’re still beautiful. And you’re fine. It’s okay.”
For the longest time, we look into each other’s eyes, and he looks so sad that it rips at my heart. Then he smiles again. His hand comes behind my head, the other one around my back. He’s holding me against him like this closeness is all he needs. I’m stroking his nape and he’s squeezing tighter. He wraps a leg over mine. He’s still taking long, deep breaths.
“Tell me what’s the matter, cuore…”
“Nothing.”
“Yeah?”
He nods. “I feel good.”
He looks down—I think he’s looking down—but then his mouth finds mine. He kisses me until we’re panting. We break away, looking into one another’s eyes. I feel dazed.
“Tell me something good,” he whispers. His forehead rests against my shoulder.
I stroke his hair, moving from the nape up. “Bees shake their butts to tell other bees where the good food is.”
I think I can feel him smile against me.
“Also, cows have best friends.”
His voice is muffled when he says, darkly, “That’s not good news.”
“Um, I guess that’s sort of true. Palate cleanser: Penguins propose to their lifelong mates with a little stone, like a little smooth pebble.”
He nods, his fist closing around a lock of my hair. “Better.”
“Seahorses. They mate for life, and when they travel, they hold onto one another’s tails.”
He nods, and I grin. “I heard in puppy litters, boys will let the girls win even if they’re bigger. Also, this: Did you know the actors who played Minnie and Mickey Mouse were married in real life?”
“Were they?” I get just a peek of his eyes.
“Sure were. Ooh, and here’s another one! The Pillsbury Doughboy—he has a name. Do you know what it is?”
I hear the smile in his voice. “No.”
“Poppin’ Fresh.”
“What?” I feel him laugh before he lifts his head to look at me. “How do you know this?”
I grin. “General Mills put out a history. Guess what his wife’s name is.”
He makes a funny face. “Frieda?”
“Poppie. And their kids are Popper and Bun-Bun.”
Luca frowns, narrowing his eyes. “I could have done better than that.”
That makes me laugh. “What would you have gone with?”
“Something more original for Popper. And Bun-Bun’s not even really a name.” He’s still frowning skeptically.
I kiss him lightly on the lips.
His face goes somber as he looks at me. “Why are you doing this?”
My throat tightens, so I have to swallow before I whisper, “Doing what?”* * *LucaShe looks startled by what I said, which makes me feel like hell. I lean in and brush a kiss over her temple, buying myself a second—so when I talk, my voice is steady.
“Why are you so…good to me?” Still, I can barely say the words without going hoarse.
“I’m here because I wanted to see you. And I don’t think I’m being so good.”
Her thumb traces over my cheekbone, and I inhale deeply. I swallow, and she traces my brow. Her fingertip trails down my jawline…over my chin…and then, so slowly, down my throat. She strokes my Adam’s apple and my collarbone. She traces the shoulder scar again.
“It’s a little bumpy there.” Her voice is a soft rasp.
“Metal.” I swallow, shutting my eyes.
“There’s some metal in there? Like a plate or pin?”
I nod, not wanting to move my head too much, lest she stop touching me.
“Can you feel it?” she murmurs.
“Sort of.”
“So you must have really jacked your shoulder up, huh? If you needed something done so long after it happened.” She kisses the spot.
She kisses there again, and I can feel my dick swell. Another kiss on my throat, then my chin…and now I’m hard. She kisses my cheek, right by my nose, and my eyelid.
I want to wrap an arm around her shoulders, but I can’t let myself keep…taking. So I just lie there as she kisses my mouth. As her tongue traces the seam of my lips, and I open for her, and she thrusts in. I’m grabbing deep breaths, trying to stay still and quiet.
Eventually, I can’t help myself. I hold her head and lock an arm around her. I try to kiss her but can’t get my mouth to mold to hers. I can’t do anything but moan—just like an animal. Once I start, I can’t stop. She’s kissing me, fucking my mouth, when I start shaking.