Page 6 of Can't Always Get What You Want

Me: I did NOT say that…

Luca: You implied it.

Me: No. You do NOT look domestic. Happy now?

The pause is longer this time, and I start to wonder if I’ve actually annoyed him. But then his message pops up:

Luca: I’ll let it slide. For now. But only because you’re cute.

Me: CUTE?

Luca: Sorry. I meant smoking hot. You’re a real smoke show, Nova Montagalo.

My stomach does the stupid little flip again, and I glance over at Gio the dog, who’s now awake and staring at me like he can sense my internal chaos.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I mutter, setting the phone down on the couch for a second. “Stop judging me, Gio is not going to find out about this.”

This…

Is dangerous.

Luca is way too easy to talk to. And way toogoodfor my peace of mind.

I pick the phone back up, staring at the chat. Should I keep going? Let this conversation turn into something, though it’ll probably end in disaster? Or should I delete the chat right now and save myself the headache?

Gio yawns as if to say,You’re overthinking this, idiot.

I glance at Luca’s profile again, lingering on the easy smile inone of his photos. This doesn’t have to mean anything, right? It’s harmless flirting.

But now I know he thinks I’m smoking hot.

I bite back a grin, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. Flirting with Luca Babineaux feels like walking into a trap I can totally see coming—and yet, here I am, taking another step forward.

Me: You think I’m a smoke show? Sounds like you’re starting to have a thing for me, Babineaux.

I tease.

Okay FINE.

I’ll admit it, I’m fishing for compliments. Are you happy now?!

Luca: Starting to? You’re funny. I’ve had a thing for you for years…

My jaw drops.

“WHAT?” I blurt out, scaring the shit out of the dog, settling back onto his blanket with a huff. He hates me.

The dog, not Luca.

Apparently.

I stare at the screen, reading and rereading the message at least three times to make sure I didn’t hallucinate it.

Years?

Since when!?

My thumbs hover over the keyboard, but for the first time all night, I have no idea what to say. My brain is too busy replaying every interaction I’ve ever had with Luca, searching for clues I may not have picked up on in the past. I wrack my brain going through the memories I have of him.

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