Page 36 of Hothead

Making out seemed to help though. No sooner had those walls gone up, than they toppled back down. And all it took was a kiss. Now that she knew that, it was going to be her secret weapon.

She’d need it. Especially when she ventured into the topic of his childhood. But they were a long way from that. He did continue to surprise her though. As soon as they’d settled onto the couch after dinner, he’d pulled her into his arms. And kept pulling until she was nestled into his side, her head resting on his chest.

It was where her head still lay. And she had to admit, she liked it. She’d never been much of a cuddler, not really. She was even starting to wonder if Luke Cappelli had managed to break her snuggling record in only a week.

No. Surely not? That would just be sad.

Sad or not, it was likely true. She wasn’t exactly the poster child for healthy relationships. She also might have been slightly overexaggerating when she told Luke earlier that she had “relationships.” Dating, sure, she did that. Relationships, not so much. Unless you counted dating and sex for a few months at a time, then Bella dumping their asses as soon as they started to want more.

“You okay, angel?” Luke’s hand began gliding up and down her arm.

Damn, that feels good.

“Yeah, why?”

“You went all stiff in my arms, that’s all. What were you thinking about?”

Uh, my shitshow of a love life.

Obviously, she didn’t say that. “Nothing, it doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, I see. Is that how it’s gonna be?”

She lifted her head to find him peering down at her, a smug smirk on his shadowed face. “How what’s going to be?”

“You expecting me to open up ... but when it comes to you, it’s optional.”

He deserved an eye roll and a scoff for that, and that’s what she gave him as she righted herself. Pushing against the leather next, she swiveled until she was facing him.

“That’s not how it is and not really how it works either,” she corrected. “For a start, you can’t expect me to share every private thought. The same way, I don’t expect you to share all of yours. And believe it or not, I am opening up to you, more than you realize. You’re not the only one who’s new to this, okay.”

“Hold up”—Luke tilted his head—“what do you mean you’re new to this? Is this the ‘blind leading the blind’ type of situation here? ’Cause if so, I’m confused. Weren’t you the one who told me you needed this in order to have good sex?”

“Let me ask you something, Luke.” She made sure her eyes were pinning him in place. “Have you ever gone to bed with someone you’ve actually spent time with? Someone you like, as a person ... not just someone you wanted to fuck?”

She could have sworn she saw his jaw clench.

“I think you know I haven’t,” he ground out.

She did know that. But saying it out loud had the desired effect. “Okay, well, would it be so bad to find out what that’s like? To know the person you’re about to fuck. Tolikethem. To care about how they feel. And to learn how they like to be touched. You don’t think just those things would make sex better?”

Her heart was racing as she looked into a stare that was getting darker by the second. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she began doubting them. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe they should have done things Luke’s way. One night. Get whatever this was out of their system, and move on.

It’s too late.

It was. She knew it was. And so did he. That was made even clearer as Luke propelled himself forward, his big hands engulfing her face as he took her lips. She could taste the cocoa she’d made them on his tongue as she opened for him. But that wasn’t all she could taste. No. He tasted like home. Felt like it.

You’ve finally lost it.

Maybe. Or maybe he just had her under some kind of lust-fuelled spell. It would explain the noises coming out of her as he lowered her back into the couch cushions. His big body fitting perfectly between her legs. It would definitely explain the brain fog too as he pressed into her.

He pulled back too soon; she needed more fog.

“You’re right, angel.” She kept her eyes shut as his lips brushed against hers. “I want to find out.”

His heavy breaths mingled with hers. Then, all of a sudden, his hands were no longer on her face, they’d found their way down to her bare thighs. Pushing up his fire department shirt even higher than it had already ridden.

“Are we doing this ... now?” she asked, her voice shaky. Nerves were beginning to kick in.

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