Every move of his body served one purpose.
To brand me.
My body shook with the oncoming climax when Luca withdrew from me. I flopped down on the bed, panting,sweating, and confused. Before I could askwhathe was doing, he flipped me onto my back in the middle of the bed.
Moving over me, he entered measfiercely as before, only this time, his thrusts were slow, inching out only to slam back in. I met him stroke for stroke, tipping my hips to take him deeper, trying to close the impossible distance between us.
I dugmyfingernails into his assand heldhim to me.Lucagroaned, gathering my hands in his and pressing them above my head.
The bed squeaked from our movements—the room filled with the sounds of our broken love.
Latching his mouth to my nipple, he sucked and nibbled until I was arching into him.
When his free hand found my clit, I came harder than I ever had. My limbsquaked,tears streamed down my cheeks from the sheer intensity. Sweat covered every inch of my body as I slid against Luca.
Moments later, Luca came groaning my name as he laid a sweet kiss on my lips. He stayed buried in me as he kissed me, whispering words of love and adoration that only broke me further.
“Get out.”
Pressing up on his hands, he gazed down at me, his eyes full of tears. I couldn’t take it, so I focused on his neck and the now bruising spot where I’d bit him.
“Sasha.”
I shook my head, so he grabbed my chin.
It wasn’t until a tear fell on my nose that I looked at him.
“I love you, Sasha.”
“I know.”
FIFTEEN
“You should’ve told Axel to pick a different place,” Ashley said for the hundredth time.
I couldn’t tell if it was the chilly spring air or the glowing lights coming from Moretti’s, but a shiver traveled down my spine.
“I’ll be fine,Ash. We’ll have dinner, finalize this partnership, and I’ll be home with Ryan before anyone realizes the dreaded ex was at Moretti’s.”
Her small hand grabbed mine, and she squeezed. “Okay. I won’t say it again.”
Pausing at the door, Ashley spoke with the hostess.
As I showed us to a table at the back of the restaurant, all I could think about were rose petals on the floor and Luca’s promises. Swallowing hard, I pushed back the tears that threatened to come. One year later and I was still having Luca flashbacks.
My vision tunneled as we passed the kitchen door. I thought about how special I felt that first night. Course after course, Luca shared parts of himself with me. My hand pressed against my chest, trying to ease the ache that thinking about him caused. It was nowhere close to the life-altering dread that turned my stomach the minute he left my apartment, but it still sucked.
When a waiter camebarrelingthrough the door, I snapped back to reality.Ashgave me a pitiful smile, and I shook my head, letting out a heavy breath. I could do this. I could fightmymemories.
Watching the door, I wondered how late the guys would be. Fifteen minutes later, Ashley was ordering wine as Axel and Scott arrived. The tardy assholes certainly knew how to make an entrance. Every head turned as the two men walked gracefully through the restaurant.
Scott was ridiculously handsome in a navy suit with a patterned shirt and pocket square. I loved a man that knew how to accessorize. The cheeky bastard had a wink and smile for every woman he passed, spending an extra beat on a little brunette sitting a table over from us. After getting the blush he was looking for, he happily pulled me from my chair and gave me a smooch on the lips.
I laughed and pushed him away. “What would the cutie over there think?”
Wrapping his arm around my waist, he peered over his shoulder at the blushing beauty. “Oh, she’s still in.”
Snorting, I glanced across the table at my best friend and her sometimes bedwarmer.Axel looked every bit the lumberjack in a red flannel shirt and dark denim. Only Axel could walk into a Michelin star restaurant ready to finalize a multi-million dollardeal while looking like he just chopped wood for the winter.I didn’t miss the hunger in Ashley’s eyes as they traveled over Axel’s body. His full lips pulled into a smile, and he placed a kiss on her cheek, taking the seat next to her.