Page 26 of Tower of Temptations

I felt myself swaying slightly, exhaustion finally catching up to me.

"Bed's all yours," he said, catching my arm to steady me. "I'll crash on the couch."

"Are you sure? I don't want to?—"

"Trust me, that couch and I go way back," he said with a grin. "Many quality naps have happened there."

His hand stayed on my back as he guided me to his bedroom, fingers splaying slightly against my spine. The warmth of his touch through the thin silk of my pajamas made it hard to focus on walking straight.

He moved around the room quickly, shoving a few things into drawers before turning to the bed. I couldn't help but smile, watching him fuss with the dark blue comforter, attempting to make it presentable. When he reached across the bed, his shirtrode up, and I found myself distracted by the flash of bare skin beneath.

"You should get some sleep," he said, turning back to me. His voice had gone low and rough, the usual playfulness replaced with something that made my pulse race. We stood there for a moment, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. His fingers brushed against my arm, barely there but enough to make my breath catch. His eyes dropped to my lips, and I found myself leaning in slightly, drawn to him without meaning to be.

But then his phone buzzed. He stepped back, running a hand through his hair, and I had to stop myself from reaching for him.

"Sweet dreams." He turned to leave.

"Luca?" His name slipped out before I could stop it. Part of me wanted to ask him to stay; the thought of being alone after everything that had happened today, after sharing so much... But what would I even say? That I was scared? That I didn't want to be alone? That I wanted...

He paused at the door, turning back slightly. His hand lingered on the doorframe, and I could see the tension in his shoulders, like he was fighting the same battle I was. He took half a step toward me before catching himself.

"Try to get some rest," he said finally. Then he was gone.

I sank into his bed, surrounded by his scent. Despite my exhaustion, my mind wandered to him in the next room, imagining him pulling off that t-shirt before settling on the couch. The thought of his bare skin, the way his muscles had moved when he'd reached across the bed, how his fingers had felt against my spine...

My eyes grew heavy, and the last thing I remembered was wondering if he always slept shirtless. Finally, sleep pulled me under.

14

LUCA

I've never been a morning person. Hell, I barely qualify as human before my third energy drink. But that morning, I woke up before dawn, her voice echoing in my head. That soft way she'd said my name right before I'd walked out of my bedroom.

My bedroom.

Where she was currently sleeping inmybed, probably wrapped inmysheets that would now smell like her. That thought wasn't helping my attempts at being a gentleman.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her—the way she'd reached for me during that moment of raw honesty, how perfectly she'd fit in my arms. Wasn't just about her looks, though God knows that was messing with my head enough. It was how she'd looked at my place, like it meant something. How she understood what mattered without me having to explain. The way she could carry her own darkness and still reach out to touch mine.

A soft sound from my bedroom made my pulse jump. I'd spent years perfecting the art of deflecting anything real with a smart-ass comment, keeping people laughing so they never looked too close. Yet here I was, completely disarmed by a woman who saw through my bullshit over a bowl of midnight cereal and didn't look away.

"You're screwed, Barone," I muttered, crushing the empty can.

A gorgeous woman, I could've handled. But Pearl? She was something else entirely—razor-sharp mind behind those killer eyes, strength that had nothing to do with muscle, and a heart that made me want things I'd sworn off years ago.

The memory of her body pressed against mine sent heat through my veins. The trust in her eyes when she'd looked up at me, the way her breath had caught...

A soft thud from my bedroom broke through my spiraling thoughts. I hesitated, listening. Another muffled sound, followed by what might have been cursing.

I found myself at the doorway before I could think better of it. Pearl was perched on the edge of my bed, her silk pajamas wrinkled from sleep, trying to untangle her hair with her fingers. She'd knocked over a book from the nightstand, probably what I'd heard.

"Sorry," she said, not looking particularly sorry. "I was trying not to wake you."

"Bold of you to assume I slept." The words came out harder than intended. She was still wearing my jacket from last night, the leather too big on her frame. Something primal stirred in my chest at the sight.

She stilled, fingers caught in her hair, and met my eyes. The morning light caught the gold in them, making them almost glow. "Did you get any rest at all?"

"Kind of hard to sleep when..." I moved closer, drawn in despite myself. "When all I could think about was..."

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