The sound of utensils clanking and laughter woke me up from my nap with a jolt. I frowned for a few seconds, not being able to register my surroundings. Then the events of the day, came to my mind and I immediately felt like shit once again. So much had happened in 2 days, it was insane.
I looked around Julia's room, taking in the rustic wooden furniture and the dark green walls. There were photographs everywhere and the tiny artificial plants made the room seem cute and cozy. I walked to my suitcase to grab my toiletries and proceeded to the adjoined bathroom to do my duties.
In another fifteen minutes, I was done. I had somehow managed to add some life into my dull, pale face. Coming here was a bad idea. I should've known better. I should've known that Diane could never have a normal, civil conversation with me. She always had to do or say something that struck a nerve and made me explode. Today, I was done. The only reason I had tolerated that woman in my life was because of monetary reasons. That's out. Julia had told me she was going there tomorrow to get her final paycheck. I'm going to give Diane's debit card to her, asking her to return it. Or burn it I don't care. I had saved up some money for myself and when my father and she divorced, he had made it a point to deposit a ton of money in my account but I had refused to touch it for some reason till now. I'm going to start working. I couldn't depend on anyone anymore. I was done with this shit.
I opened the bedroom door to be immediately gifted by the pleasent aroma of Lasagna.
I made my way to kitchen, a slight smile on my face as I heard Luca's laugh followed by Allie's which was then followed by Julia's scolding.
I reached the kitchen to see Luca wearing a Pink apron. There was red sauce all over it and some smeared across his cheeks. I watched as he laughed, dimple and all as Allie continued to annoy Julia by dipping her finger in the pan again and again. Alexandra was wearing a pair of white jeans that fit her curvy bottom perfectly and a blue cashmire sweater. Her red hair was up in a high ponytail and her lips were once again matching her hair. She was absolutely stunning.
Julia was the first to see me standing there and beamed immediately, her anger dissipating, "El, honey! You look like you had a nice nap. "
Allie let out a squeal and raced to me, giving me a big hug. I laughed and fell a few steps back, trying to take on her weight. "I'm so glad you're here. I'm so sorry about what happened, though. No offense but your moma's a hoe."
I laughed and shook my head, " None taken. She definitely a hoe and not the good kind." I winked at her, my mood easing up by the company around me. It felt so homely and joyful.
Allie laughed and placed her hand at the small of my back, guiding me towards the kitchen to join the others.
My eyes drifted to Luca and a chuckle escaped my lips as I saw him. A huge, muscular guy, in this small kitchen, covered in sauce and wearing a pink apron.
Luca blushed, looking down at his attire.
"Im guessing, you made the lasagna?" I asked, sarcastically, at which his blush darkened.
He replied, "Wait till you taste my lasagna."
My mind was a dirty, filthy, place.
My cheeks tinted pink as I internally laughed at the innuendo.
"I'm sure she already has." Allie joked, leaning against the counter next to me, throwing a wink Luca's way.
Thank god I wasn't the only one with the dirty mind here.
Luca frowned slightly, his eyes going back and forth between us as he tried to grasp onto what we were hinting at. I guess he understood in a few seconds as he blushed once again, pushing his glasses higher.
"I'm sure she has tasted his lasagna. " Julia suddenly stated, making all our heads snap towards her in one fluid motion. She stopped layering the lasagna and met our gaze, a frown on her small face.
"What? I'm sure he cooks a lot in New York. "
All three of us, collectively released a sigh and laughed slightly.
"You've got quite the man here, Eleoner. He cooks too. He gave me his mother's secret recipe today. " Julia giggled, looking happy as ever as she kept on layering the lasagna.
"Oh his mom does create delicious things, I'm sure, right El? " Allie teased again and I immediately caught onto her joke. My eyes trailed to Luca, taking a once over of his body.
"Oh she does."
Alexandra laughed under her breath and just then her phone rang, she immediately pulled it out of her pocket and grinned.
"I'll be right back. It's Royce." She smiled at her mom and speed walked to her room.
"I'm surrounded by youngsters in love. " Julia sighed as I understood that Royce must be Allie's boyfriend. Just then, my mind registered what she said and I turned a dark shade of crimson.
Luca refused to meet my gaze as he tried to help Ju with the dish.
I grabbed the plates and went to the dining table to set it up. In ten minutes, everything was set. Julia was cutting vegetables to prepare a salad while Luca just waited till the oven binged. I offered to help Julia cut the veggies, even though I had no clue how to do it whatsoever. I was a pro at making Ramen but like... That's it.
Julia accepted my offer and I found myself trying my best to cut a nice juicy tomato. Key word: trying. The little bastard was way too juicy and I was making a mess on the cutting board, embarrassing myself. Julia laughed at my skills and asked Luca to help me. I turned sideways with the knife, offering it to Luca, but he surprised me by grasping my hand with the knife and leaning over me, with his left hand covering mine.
He leaned into me from behind and a small gasp almost escaped me when I felt his cock through his jeans. Luca looked down at the board over my shoulder, guiding my hands into cutting the tomato. He didn't realise what he was doing to me as his eyes were solely focused on the tomato.
He spoke, his voice a deep lilt in my ear, "You've got to be gentle, tesoro. You can't just stab the poor thing." He chuckled.
I couldn't fucking concentrate on the "poor thing".
Luca's cock was pressed up against me and I felt it right there, a gun on my back. I wanted to push back and tease him but I realised it was not the right time. Not after what had happened between us today. I broke his heart, I wasn't going to play with his emotions just because I was horny.
I shut my eyes and tried to hear what he was saying and I watched as he cut the tomato with my hands perfectly.
Allie soon joined us and we were all sitting around the table, eating THE BEST FUCKING LASAGNA I'VE EVER HAD.
"This is soooooo good. I think I'm pregnant." Allie moaned, receiving a twack on the head from her mother. Luca and I laughed at her antics. I couldn't blame her, this lasagna was really good.
We chatted throughout the dinner, mainly about Diane. Julia told me how happy she was that she left and how the conditions used to be in the house on a regular basis. Apparently, Diane was cheating on Kyle. Julia had caught her "performing oral pleasure" On a man in the kitchen one day. Diane had tried to bribe Julia into keeping her mouth shut but Julia didn't accept the money. She was going to keep her mouth shut anyways, not really giving a shit and not wanting to get involved in any drama.
After a scrumptious meal, Allie and I volunteered to clean up as Luca and Julia retired earlier.
"So, Royce huh? " I asked, teasingly.
Allie laughed and nodded. "We have a few classes together.I think I love him. " She squealed at me and I squealed back at her.
"So what about you and Mr. Risotto? "
Her question caught me off guard but I answered anyways, "Oh nothing. We're just... Fooling around."
She frowned at my reply, as she passed me a plate after washing it. "Doesn't seem like it to me. "
"Why do you say that?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's the way he looks at you. I sensed some tension today between y'all but I didn't miss his eyes looking at you time and again when you weren't noticing. "
My stomach fluttered but I stopped the feeling from going on any further. I wasn't ready to settle down. I wasn't ready to have a proper relationship yet. I wanted to be a proper girlfriend to Luca but I just wasn't ready yet. I know for a fact that if we do date, I will end up hurting him in some way.
"Eleoner?" Allie's call pulled me out of my reverie. I looked at her, she was handing out a plate.
"You okay?"
"Yeah I'm good. "
In the next few minutes, I tried to dodge every question related to Luca and I because frankly, I didn't know how to answer them. I was so confused myself.
After Allie and I were done cleaning up, she hugged me goodnight and made her way to her room.
Luca was in the room. We were going to share a bed.
I mean, what's the big deal? You have shared a bed with him before.
That was after hot sex.
I slowly made my way to Julia's room and entered the dimly lit space.
I heard the shower running and heaved a sigh of relief. I quickly pulled out a pair of white cotton shorts and a long sleeved tee from my suitcase and changed. The room was chilly and I couldn't wait to snuggle in the thick blanket. Cuddling with Luca was out of the question today, I guess.
I got into the bed and leaned against the headboard, going through my phone. I mindlessly scrolled through Instagram as I was getting flashbacks to our nights together and the sex. The best sex I've ever had and probably will ever have. Luca had ruined men for me. I'd reached to the point where it was either him or nobody. Yes, that bad.
The washroom door opened and Luca stepped out, wearing nothing but a towel. My mouth watered at the sight in front of me. A hard, chiseled chest, carved to perfection. The tattoed sleeve and his broad shoulders. He stood at his towering height looking rather out of place in the tiny and feminine room. I stared at the deep V that led to you-know-what.
Luca coughed slightly and I flushed a deep crimson , realizing that I'd been caught.
His face though, was void of any expression. He then went through his clothes and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and pulled them on, followed by a loose tank top. Eh. He walked around the room and dried his hair as my eyes feasted on his arms. Fuck me. My control was wearing thin. I had no idea how we were going to get through the night without fucking.
Luca refused to look at me and I was sure he could sense it too. The thick, sexual tension hovering in the air.
"The lasagna was really good. " I uselessly started a conversation, trying to distract both of us from the situation.
Luca then cast me a look and his eyes trailed over my long legs on the bed. He inhaled sharply and smiled a little.
"Grazie. I'll cook more when we go back home." I don't think I've said this before but damn Luca's accent was actually really thick. He pronounced words so erotically, it was a wonder girls haven't gotten pregnant just by hearing him talk. He could literally tell me 'Eleoner, take out the trash. ' and I would fall to my knees and worship him.
I'll coook morre when we go baackk home. Oops on my second trimester.
"You okay, no? " He asked, dropping his towel on the chair.
I snapped out of it. "Yes yes, I'm fine."
"Good good."
This. Was. So. Awkward.
I missed the days we would have endless meaningless conversations and just laugh about how stupid the topics were.
I stared at his form. Gooodddd, I want to fuck him.
My thighs rubbed against each other and I realised how wet I already was, just by looking at him shirtless and hearing him talk. I could get wet by his existence at this point. But no, I cannot and will not play with his feelings. I've done that enough. I've led him on enough.
"Let's sleep? " He asked, walking towards the bed.
You got anything else on mind?
I bit my lip as the words almost slipped past my lips. Control.
"Uh yeah, sure. Sleep. That we should. Let's sleep. Here. Bedtime. " I babbled, on the verge of losing it. Luca frowned at me, his eyes went from my face to my chest and I looked down to see that my tee had somehow slipped lower and he could see a LOT of my cleavage.
I cleared my throat and pulled the tee up.
Luca sat on the bed, his body facing mine. "Can we talk about what happened today morning? "
I looked down. I wanted to avoid this topic because I, myself didn't know what to say.
"I feel like we should stop." He said.
My heart fell to the lowest pit of my tummy. My gaze shifted from my lap to his face and I saw the internal battle he was fighting. I tried to keep a neutral face.
"As much as I love having sex with you, I can't let this go on. I think it's pretty obvious I want something more and apparently, it's one sided. I can't continue the friends with benefits thing because it will only end up in me digging myself deeper in this hole. "
He was right. I couldn't be selfish here. I couldn't use him for my needs. I nodded, not knowing what to say. My heart was beating erratically and for the first time ever, I felt helpless.
"Tesoro?" He whispered, placing a hand on my thigh. My eyes shifted between his hand to his face.
Say something, you nitwit.
"What does that mean?" I asked, looking up at him with a tiny smile and trying my level best to not hug him and just cry. Cry for what I was loosing. No. It was not the sex. It was the closeness. The intimacy. The comfort. The kisses. The flirting. The teasing. And of course, yes, the sex.
Why do you have to be such a fucking coward?
"What does what mean?" He asked, puzzled.
"That word you used."
He smiled, "It means treasure."
Treasure. The weight of the word settled down on me. Do Italians just call anyone such meaningful nicknames? Am I special? Am I overthinking this? Yes
I smiled, trying to hide how I was truly feeling.
"That's sweet. "
Luca's smile faded for a moment and it was replaced with a sheepish one "I should stop with the nicknames, no?"
NO. Not the nicknames, please.
"I don't mind 'em." I shrugged, casting a look at his hand on my thigh.
He didn't reply to me and I shifted my eyes to his face to find him staring at me deeply, pulling me into the golden abyss.
His eyes then fluttered to my lips and his gaze got hooded. Butterflies erupted in my tummy and excitement bubbled everywhere. I couldn't help it.
Luca unintentionally licked his lower lip, eyes unmoving. I stayed in my places, not daring to make the first move.
After what felt like an eternity, Luca pulled his hand off my thigh and looked away from me. Disappointment flooded my insides and I tried my best to not jump his bones. I yearned for his touch.
He then laid back on the pillows, pulling the blanket over his huge body. He turned the other way.
"Goodnight, Eleoner."
__________________________________________
A/N
Hey there, guys! Hope everyone is doing well. Hope you guys liked the chapter.
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