LUCA

Iwoke up hot. Too hot.

Opening my eyes, I found myself wrapped around Veda, our legs entangled, her body flush against mine, and her face hidden against my chest. For a long time, I lay there as she slept so trustingly against me, listening to the birds sing and watching the sky as it began to lighten with the coming sunrise.

But I didn't loosen my hold on her. If anything, I pulled her closer.

Last night I freaked out, and that surprised even me. I haven't let a woman ride my cock like that since Maria. I’d tried once, and only once, and I’d had nightmares for a week. So when Veda pushed me onto my back and climbed over me like that, my gut had clenched, but it was good. It was okay.

Until it wasn't.

The weight of her on my hips. The feel of the ends of her hair brushing my thighs. My name on her lips...

I’d lost it. For just a few seconds. I’d lost it. Looking up at her, so fucking gorgeous, her breasts bouncing and her fingers on her pussy...it was like I was back there in that warehouse. Only this time, I knew someone was there. I knew the bullet was coming. I heard the gun. But this time, this time, I could do something.

I didn't even think about it before I flipped her underneath me, protecting her with my body. And it took me another few seconds to remember where I was and who I was with. Veda. Not Maria. I wasn't in a warehouse buying drugs. I was in my home. She was safe. I was safe.

All these years later, and I was still traumatized by that shit. If anyone else found out about my reaction, I'd be laughed right into my grave. I was a Morelli. I didn't cringe. I didn't have fucking PTSD. I was stronger than that. Colder than that.

I was my father's son.

Tracing lazy circles on Veda's back, I heard her sigh in her sleep. The sound so sweet, pushing away the things I’d rather forget. Rolling over onto my back, I brought her with me, spreading her across my body like a blanket as my hands roamed over her back and ass. She had a great fucking ass. I was half tempted to ban her from wearing pants in the house just so I could watch her walk around. However, then I'd miss out on watching that ass in those tight shorts she liked.

It was a dilemma I was happy to have.

She stirred in my arms, and my cock, already hard as fuck, nudged against her hip. Sliding my hands down her thighs, I spread her legs until her knees were on either side of my hips, then maneuvered her higher on my body until I felt the heat of her on the tip of my cock. Gritting my teeth, I slid partway inside of her. I just needed to feel her with nothing between us.

And, ah, god, she felt so fucking good.

Her pussy clenched around me, hot and wet and tight, and I almost lost my shit right then and there. She moaned in my ear as I gripped her hips, pulling them down to meet mine, sliding in a little further. Then I waited, letting her adjust to me, my heart pounding so hard I was sure she could feel it, before I slid out and pushed back in. Nearly all the way there.

Veda was awake now. I could tell by the way her breathing hitched and how her hands fisted in the pillow on either side of my head, even though she didn't pick her head up or say a word.

Bending my knees and gripping her hips, I slammed into her, smiling when she tried to muffle her cry in the pillow. She tried to sit up, but I wrapped my arms around her, holding her to me as I fucked her so fast and hard she was nearly weeping in my arms.

Fuck, I was gonna come.

I tangled her hair in my fist and dragged her lips to mine, kissing her hard, swallowing her moans. But I had to stop, or I was gonna spill inside of her with no condom. So I pulled out and moved her off of me, still on her stomach. "Stay there," I ordered. With one hand on her back to hold her still, I opened the drawer of the nightstand and grabbed another condom and rolled it on, then got on my knees behind her.

God, that ass. "Get on your hands and knees." I punctuated the order with a slap to one round cheek, loving the sound of her hiss of pain, then slid my fingers between her folds, spreading her moisture. Grabbing her hips, I helped her get into position. "I love the way you look like this, amore."

She moaned again as I pushed deep inside of her, and I squeezed her ass in encouragement. "Let me hear you," I told her as I slid slowly in and out.

"No." Glancing back over her shoulder, the smoldering look she gave me didn't match her cold tone.

I narrowed my eyes. This woman was going to drive me insane in the best fucking way. And as I rubbed my palms over her ass and thighs, I pulled out and pushed back in. Then again. And again. Slow and steady. "You're so fucking beautiful," I told her. Because it was the truth. I'd never been with a woman before who was so perfectly made for me. Her skin was a few shades lighter than mine, smooth and soft, especially on the parts I most liked to touch. Her tits. Her ass. The insides of her thighs. Hell, I even loved the way she smelled. Everywhere.

The base of my cock began to tingle, and I increased my pace, moaning as the muscles in her pussy squeezed me tight. "Touch yourself," I told her. "I want you to come with me." For a moment I didn't think she was going to do it, but then she slid her right hand under her body and widened her legs. "That's it, amore. Come with me."

At her moaned response, I let go of what little restraint I’d managed to hang onto and started pounding into her, my fingers digging into her hips, keeping her in place. "I'm coming, Veda. Ah, god! I'm coming!" I felt her buck against me right as my orgasm hit me so hard I fell forward, catching myself on one arm so I didn't crush her as my hips spasmed against her ass. And when it was over, I didn't pull out, but stayed inside of her as we fell to the bed and rolled to our sides.

And as I lay there, catching my breath with my face in her fragrant hair, I felt something flutter inside my chest. Something I hadn't felt in a long, long time. A flicker of affection for the woman in my arms.

This had to stop. What the fuck was wrong with me? I'd been with plenty of women since Maria, whores and innocents both, and not one had ever affected me any farther than the length of time it took me to get off. So what was it about this one? Was it because she challenged me? Played hard to get? Or was it because I was actually starting to think of her as mine?

Self-loathing rolled through me, followed by a grim determination. Like a puzzle clicking into place, I hardened my heart, piece by broken piece, forming a wall she'd never be able to breach, locking her out.

Working my arm out from underneath her head, I pulled out of her, still semi-hard, and got to my feet, leaving her lying naked on the bed. Carefully pulling off the condom, I dropped it into the trashcan and found my clothes. I got dressed, ignoring Veda when she sat up and stared at me in confusion.