Page 52 of Between the Lines

“The car’s coming tomorrow morning. Early.”

“Okay.” And that was that, Theo was leaving.

After a long pause, Theo said, “What will you do once Jude’s back on her feet? Head west?”

“Sure.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, tried to tamp down the rising sense of panic. Theo was leaving. Of course he was leaving; he was always going to leave. What else had he expected? That had been the whole point of their agreement. “I mean, it’s not like I’m gonna stay here or...or anything.”

“No,” Theo said quietly. “Once Jude’s settled, why would you?”

Luca swallowed, feelings churning hard. “I don’t want to go,” he blurted, turning back to face him. “I wish I didn’t have to. I wish the Majestic was still going to be mine, and the last five years had never happened. I wish—”

I wish I had the guts to tell you how I feel.

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride,” Theo said quietly.

Luca smiled; it felt sickly. “That your way of telling me to get over myself? Let Mom sell up and put it all behind me?”

Theo didn’t answer right away, thinking it through, perhaps, and when Luca glanced over he found Theo’s watchful eyes fixed on him. “Professionally speaking,” he said, “I should say yes to that. But, personally, I think you should do whatever makes you happy.”

“Even if...?” Breath stilling, he lifted his hand to Theo’s face, the evening shadow on his jaw rough against his palm. “Even if I’m afraid of what makes me happy?” His pulse quickened at his daring, at this near confession of the truth:you make me happy.

Theo looked up at him, shadowed eyes unreadable. “Well,” he said, “you can’t beatcarpe diemfor an inspirational quote.”

Luca laughed, but it was more misery than humor. With a frustrated groan, he pulled Theo into his arms and crushed their mouths together, breathing in his sharp exhalation and nipping at his bottom lip. Theo surged forward into the kiss, his eager, reckless passion making everything twice as hot, as if he couldn’t get enough, couldn’t stop or control himself until he was sated. Luca staggered, breathless beneath Theo’s enthusiasm, goose bumps racing along his arms, across the back of his neck, flashing over the top of his skull. Desire, yes, red and full-blooded, but so much more than that. So very much more.

“Come to bed with me.” Theo pulled Luca’s head down, pressing their foreheads together, his fingers biting into Luca’s skin. “I want everything with you tonight, Luca. I want itall.”

And, God, so did Luca. Even if the morning was going to kill him.

Chapter Twenty

It’s our last night.

The thought circled, but it was far away and Theo could ignore it if he closed his eyes and focused on the sensation of Luca’s mouth pressing kisses into the sensitive crease of his thigh.

“Are you sure?” Luca’s voice rumbled, thick with desire, the words hot against Theo’s skin.

All Theo managed to say in response was “Mmm-hmm” as he groped for Luca’s head, knotting his fingers into his hair. But he did want it, he wanted Luca inside him—he wanted everything on this last night because they would never have it again. And that all but broke him, heightened every emotion until he felt stripped and raw. But he couldn’t stop. Hoarding it against the coming dawn, he wanted every last moment of his time with Luca—every kiss, every caress, every cry. “Give me something to remember,” he said, squeezing his eyes shut against the terrible ache in his chest and the intense sensation of Luca’s openmouthed kisses along his hipbone, sucking small bruises into his skin.

Luca huffed, somewhere between a laugh and a hiss. Had Theo’s fingers clenched too tightly into his hair? He let go, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Luca looked up, his eyes dark save the corona of silver around his lust-blown pupils. “I like it. I love how responsive you are.” He shifted on the bed, kneeling up between Theo’s thighs and staring down at him.

In the lamplight, Luca was all bronze and gold, once more the demigod Theo had first met. Unruly hair fell over his forehead, shadowing his face, the muscled plains of his chest hard and gleaming but his smile soft and all for Theo. Heart filling fit to burst, Theo lifted a hand and trailed his fingers over Luca’s taut stomach, up to his pecs. “You’re so beautiful,” he breathed. “Like a Greek sculpture.”

Luca swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and spread his hands over Theo’s body, sliding them slowly from ribs to hips, making Theo arch up off the bed with an involuntary gasp. “I love touching you,” Luca said, his broad hands wide as he palmed them back along Theo’s ribs, up over his chest to his shoulders, then sweeping back down across his belly, so lightly—like feathers—that Theo squirmed and barked a ticklish laugh. “Yeah.” Luca smiled, smoothing his hands down Theo’s thighs. “I love it. I love—” He bent down, touching his forehead to Theo’s chest, pressing his lips over Theo’s pounding heart. Theo wondered whether he could hear its racing beat, whether Luca would know it was beating only for him. “I love it.”

“I love it, too,” Theo said, letting his own hands range across Luca’s broad back. “I love you touching me.”I love you, full stop. God help me, but I do.He swallowed hard, struggling to get a grip, trying not to betray his unruly feelings. “I’ll, uh—I’ll love it even more when you’re fucking me.”

Luca’s laugh rumbled through Theo’s palms, still pressed against his back, and it made Theo laugh, too. Laugh or cry. He could hardly tell the difference, it was all an emotional cacophony.

Luca was a skillful lover, he took his time, and although it had been a while since Theo had done this with anyone—not even Grant—Luca soon had him relaxed and open, yearning for more. But at the last moment, Theo twisted onto his stomach. “From behind,” he said, burying his face into the pillows. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hide his feelings if they fucked face-to-face. Luca would see everything.

After a long pause, Luca said, “Sure.” Theo’s stomach dropped and he closed his eyes. Shit, was that disappointment in Luca’s voice? But then Luca ran his palm along Theo’s spine, curling fingers over his waist and hipbone. “Your back’s so fucking sexy,” he said, gripping Theo’s hips, tugging him up onto his knees, pushing his legs wider apart. “Fuck,” Luca breathed, the blunt pressure of his cock nudging against Theo’s entrance. With a groan, Theo pressed back against him, grunting as anticipation skittered along his nerves. “You want this?” Luca whispered, both hands skimming over Theo’s back now, his voice uneven. “Tell me you want it, Theo.”

He nodded, braced on his forearms, head dropping forward. “Yes. I want it. I want everything.”

Luca’s fingers twitched, tightening on Theo’s hips, and he carefully pressed forward. The first breach made Theo grunt with effort, a flash of heat across his skin as he breathed through the discomfort. But Luca wasn’t huge and the sensation of being filled, of being overwhelmed by another person, soon overtook any transient pain. Theo processed all sensations atypically—sand between his toes, weird food textures in his mouth—and this was no exception. Only, this feltincredible. It always did. The world whited out as soon as Luca started moving, Theo’s body dissolving into a kaleidoscope of sensations.

---