Page 56 of Keeping My Bride

Chapter 37

Verona

WHEN LUCA TURNED on the fairy lights, I could see the hurt in his eyes before he stormed off towards the house. I sit there for a long time, thinking over every single detail of what happened tonight. Luca has always been like a snake curled up in the corner of the room, just waiting to strike. I was waiting for the strike. But I guess this time it was never actually coming.

He did this…all of this…for me. Like maybe he truly wanted to make amends. I don’t know why now, all of a sudden, but does that really matter? He was trying. And that’s better than I can say for myself.

I grab the photo album from the table and my heels I discarded in the grass and rush into the house. I drop my things down near the door and make my way upstairs. I see light under his bedroom door on the way to mine, so I stop and knock gently.

The door opens, and my breath catches in the back of my throat. My eyes slowly peruse him. Luca changed out of his suit, and now he’s only wearing a pair of light gray sweatpants, which are hanging dangerously low on his hips, showcasing a perfect V. His broad, muscled chest and abs look like they were carved out of stone, belonging to some Greek god, and his arms are covered in sleeve tattoos going clear down to his fingers. The ink is black and white and violently beautiful, just like him.

My brain stutters for a few seconds before I finally blurt out, “I’m sorry!”

He takes a step towards me, leans down and whispers into my ear, “Like I told you before, Verona, if you come to my room in the middle of the night, it better be because you either want to sit on my face or get on your knees.” When he pulls back, I see a glint of amusement in his gray eyes. “So which is it?”

I take a step back from him.

He cocks a brow before taking a step towards me. “If you run, I’ll just chase you, Verona.”

My heartbeat picks up speed at his words. And suddenly, I want him to chase me. I want to feel like the prey to this predator. Turning, I run down the hall to my bedroom and burst through the door with Luca right on my heels.

I squeal in surprise when he tackles me onto the bed. I twist in his hold until I’m on my back looking up at him and he’s straddling my hips. One of his large hands has my wrists pinned to the bed above my head. I struggle, but it’s no use.

Leaning down, he licks the side of my neck. When he stops at my ear, he whispers, “I like when you fight me, honey.”

I practically melt when he uses the term of endearment with me. He’s never called me anything like that before.

“Honey?” I question.

“Mmhmm. Honey, like the color of your eyes. Sweet, like your scent that drives me fucking crazy.”

His lips trail kisses from my ear to my mouth, and then he’s devouring me. His tongue presses against my lips, demanding entry, and I let him. His tongue sweeps inside, tangling with mine. And by the time he pulls away, I’m a quivering mess.

“Take off your dress, honey,” he tells me, sitting back on his heels.

I climb off the bed and pull the dress up and over my head, throwing it to the floor. Shyly, I try to cover my matching navy-blue bra and thong with my hands, but Luca shakes his head.

“I want to see you. All of you.”

I swallow hard, my nerves getting the best of me. Slowly, I unhook my bra, and soon it joins my dress on the floor. My hands are shaking as I remove my thong. I’ve never been naked in front of a man before, and I never knew how nervous it would make me.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” Luca whispers. He pulls down the waistband of his sweatpants, and his cock bobs free. My eyes widen at the sight of it as he begins to stroke it. “See how hard you make me, honey?”

I can’t look away as he fists his cock, stroking the length over and over again with his large hand.

“Get on the bed. I want to taste every inch of you,” he says before tucking his cock back into his sweats.

I lie down on the mattress. And when I try to cover myself again, Luca frowns. “Keep your hands above you. Hold on to the headboard,” he instructs.

My breathing is unsteady as I do as he says. I grip onto the metal frame, holding on for dear life. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. I never knew who my first would be, but I never in a million years thought it would be Luca Vitale. And I can’t help the fact that I’m scared out of my mind. What if he isn’t gentle? What if he hurts me?

Squeezing my eyes shut, effectively blocking out the world, I give in to the rest of my senses to guide me through this.

Luca leans over me, trailing his lips, mouth and tongue from my neck, down my jawline, to my chest and then my breasts. The heat radiating from his body is only fueling the fire stirring deep inside of me.

He kisses the side of my right breast gently, trailing his lips over my heated skin. Then, I feel his mouth on my nipple before he bites. Hard.

I cry out in surprise, and then I hear his soft chuckle.

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