But the moment I think all my Christmas wishes are coming true, a loud knock on the door shatters the moment.

What the actual fuck?

Another interruption. This time, the delivery driver with the takeout we ordered earlier.

Audrey shakes her head. “Terrible timing.”

Planting a tender kiss on her nose, I rise from my seat. “Stay where you are. I’ll be right back.”

With a playful glint in her eyes, Audrey lifts her right hand. Her thumb presses down her little finger while the other three stand tall and rigid as if at attention.

“Promise I’ll be a good girl.”

I wipe sweat from my brow, hoping there’s enough blood circulating away from my groin to make my legs move.

Where do I need to go to be alone with her?

Mars?

Chapter7

Audrey

Luca leaves to collect takeout, giving me a quick breather to pull myself together. Being here with him is fantastic. There’s no awkwardness. Everything feels so right. After a lifetime of feeling stifled and boxed into a scripted life, I’m free to breathe.

Luca walks in, arms laden with boxes of food. The aroma—spicy, rich, and mouthwatering—fills the air. A mischievous grin tugs his lips when he spots me perched where he left me, still wearing my red bra.

“Good girl.”

The deep rumble shoots straight to my core.

My eyes dip, then flick to him through a veil of lashes. “Santa’s favorite girl.”

“Yes, you are.”

The way he looks at me stirs raw, exhilarating emotions I’ve never experienced. Dinner can wait. I’m hungry for something more intoxicating.

Luca sinks beside me on the couch and scoops me onto his lap. He wraps his arms around me, cuddling me while his fingers trace delicate patterns on my scalp, pleasure surging through my body as he tenderly massages my head.

I brush my hands across his well-defined muscles, feeling the roughness of chest hair beneath his shirt. He gently lifts my chin. My lips part in anticipation.

“So beautiful. Need to kiss you.”

When our lips meet, fireworks erupt in the dark sky behind my eyelids. I feel him everywhere—firing through my nerves, flowing through my cells, throbbing with every beat of my aching heart.

After what feels like an eternity, we pause to catch our breath. He reaches for the hat he discarded earlier and puts it on his head.

Luca strokes his jaw, giving me a narrow-eyed look. “You didn’t tell Santa your wish.”

“Santa interrupted.” I run my hands along his thighs, loving how his muscles flex and tighten. “Are you listening now?”

He picks me up off his lap, twirls me around, and sets me on the couch. Luca drops to his knees. He settles in front of me, resting his hands on my legs, his touch grounding me.

“Tell me your wish, and I’ll make it come true.”

His intense, erotic stare, combined with heat from the fire, causes me to break out in a sweat. “You already are,” I tell him.

He smirks before kissing a trail down my body. When he reaches my breast, he rips my bra aside and flicks my nipple.