Siren's Heart (Siren's Duet Book 1): Love at first sight

14. Chapter Fourteen - Millie

I look up at the skyscraper curiously through the tinted car window. It looks just as high as the one Kayla and my apartment are in, but not quite as fancy. They have a lobby and security, but it’s way more subdued compared to our building.

I”m wiped after two days filled with dance training and interviews, but I”m all the more glad that it”s finally Friday, and Luca and I finally get to spend some more time together. I might have been watching the clock the whole day again, willing the seconds to go by faster, anxious to finally head over to his place.

At the same time, I’m nervous as fuck. Did he think about the whole media circus? Will he have an answer for me today? What if he decides it’s too much?

The car turns into the entryway for the underground garage. The driver that Naroa sent to bring me here exchanges a few words with an answering machine before he rolls his window up again.

Without a hitch, the gate opens, and we drive under the building. Thank God they have an underground garage. It”s really one of the essentials when it comes to avoiding paparazzi.

The very nice driver comes to a stop right next to the elevators, and I thank him, handing him a generous tip for not trying to engage me in small talk, knowing Naroa has taken care of the fare.

As soon as my feet hit the concrete ground of the parking garage, though, nervousness makes my whole body tingle and my stomach jump anxiously. Fuck.

He said he wouldn’t walk away, but what if he”s changed his mind? I”ve only seen him from afar over the past two days, and I”m sure he”s talked to Asher, who”s experiencing everything I”ve warned him about first-hand. What if that”s all it took for him to decide it would be too much, and he just didn”t want to tell me via text?

I take a deep breath and force myself to calm down. Even if that”s his decision, I will survive. It would suck, sure. But it wouldn”t be the first time, and it probably won’t be the last. It”s not even the first time this cold dread grips my heart like a fist, but for some reason, this one feels more monumental. Like more is on the line. Like I have a lot more to lose.

Before I can change my mind and call the driver back to flee back home, tail tucked between my legs, I press the elevator button and jump in as soon as it opens, pushing the number Luca messaged me a few hours ago.

The higher the elevator climbs, the louder my heart beats in my chest, and the tighter the fist around my heart closes, a cold sweat covering my neck and my palms. In an attempt to distract myself, I eye myself in the mirror. I couldn”t help but dress up a bit, my hair in a half-updo, soft makeup, and a beige summer dress with red flowers.

The elevator”s ding echoes in my ears like an emergency siren, announcing my own personal demise.

My hands are cold and clammy when I wring them as I step out into a nice, clean hallway. It doesn’t look any more comfortable than the one in our building, but for some reason, it has a more ‘bachelor’ vibe. Maybe it’s the dark colors they use throughout. Suddenly, a door opens to my right.

”There you are!” I whirl around, and as soon as I set eyes on him, I sigh in relief. All my worries go up in smoke. The smile on his face doesn”t seem like he”s about to end and send me back home, or maybe it”s the heavenly smell of food coming from his flat that makes all my defenses break down.

”Hi,” I reply softly and walk right into his outstretched arms, sighing contentedly when they close around me, and he walks backward, kicking the door shut. ”It”s so good to see you,” I mumble against his shirt as I slide my arms around his middle. I sigh happily when his chest vibrates with a low, amused chuckle.

”Likewise.” He drops a kiss on top of my head, before he lets me go and brushes his lips against mine. “I’ve been waiting for this,” he mumbles against my lips before he steps away.

I shrug off my shoes, and he takes my hand, leading me right to his kitchen. I like his flat. It”s a lot darker than mine, with dark gray accent walls and furniture. It’s not perfect, but it definitely has more character than my apartment. When we walk into his kitchen, I notice that the color is very prominent there as well.

Aside from one lonely sunflower sitting in a way too little glass on the counter. Curiously, I step closer and look at him with a grin.

“Is this a beauty and the beast situation where it slowly loses petals and something happens once they’re all gone?”

He chuckles and shakes his head at me. “No, it’s so I know when to ring Jade.”

“Jade?” I tilt my head at him. He says it like the name should tell me something, but I have no idea who he’s talking about.

“Asher’s mother,” he clarifies as he comes closer, stopping right behind me to look at it over my shoulder. “She owns a flower shop and has the most beautiful sunflowers. But I might be biased. I’m keeping one so I know when to get you new ones.”

I turn around and my heart melts. Oh my God, that’s so… I don’t even have the words for it. All I can do is look at him with my mouth agape, tears stinging in my eyes.

Then I notice where the lovely smell is coming from and shake my head as though I’m waking up from a dream.

”You cooked?” I tilt my head and eye the counter with a bunch of differently-sized containers on it, quickly changing topics before his sweet thoughtfulness brings me to tears.

”I ordered,” he admits sheepishly and heads to his fridge, but not before dropping another kiss on my temple, making the smile on my face widen. ”If I cooked, there”d be mac and cheese or maybe a grilled cheese.”

”Nothing wrong with cheese,” I say with a shrug and peek around the food. It looks like he”s ordered...”Ramen? I didn”t even know you could order that.”

”Well, now you know,” he chuckles and shoots me a wink. ”What would you like to drink?”

Both of us settle on wine, and he opens a bottle while I take two glasses out of the cupboard he points at.

”God, this looks amazing,” I tell him as I sit down. ”Way better than the instant ramen that I make when I”m too lazy to cook.”

While we eat, we talk about work the past few days. And he laughs at me when I struggle to eat with chopsticks. I deny his offer for a fork, though. It might take me a bit, or maybe a few hours, but I’m determined to eat this meal the right way.

He tells me about the Walker siblings and how they”re bashing in their heads during practice games and maneuvers. From what I’m hearing, they must really have it out for each other, but everyone always assures me it’s just a sibling thing. Then I tell him about the interviews.

”Poor Kayla, she got a lot of questions about Asher and their relationship,” I tell him with a sigh and his brows furrow. ”I swear she was seconds away from exploding. We were so excited to talk about the match and maybe our tour, but the reporters didn’t care at all. It sucks when all your hard work is minimized to who you”re going out with.”

”I don”t envy you two,” he admits empathetically and reaches for my hand, giving it a soft squeeze. ”That must suck.”

”It does,” I sigh deeply, trying to capture one of the last noodles in my bowl with the chopsticks. ”And I”ll never get used to it, but I guess I need to accept that”s just how it is. There’s no use getting angry about it.” I finally get the noodle and smile at him triumphantly when I put it in my mouth.

He stands up to put our empty bowls into the sink, then walks over to his fridge to retrieve something I can’t see. My eyes go wide, and a giddy feeling settles in my stomach when he returns with two plates and a bunch of cake on each of them.

”Well, that helps with not being angry,” I look at him with wide eyes.

He absolutely knows the way to a woman”s heart, and the way to mine is definitely through my stomach. I grin at him the whole time I”m eating; it”s like the corners of my mouth have a mind of their own. They just won”t drop. Which makes him smile wider in return. There are four different kinds of cakes, and we sample our way through all of them.

”My favorite is definitely the strawberry,” I say once I”ve had a taste of each. They’re all amazing, but only strawberry made me dance in my seat.

”Chocolate,” he says matter-of-factly, pointing his fork at the piece. ”Wonderful, that means we won”t have to fight over cake.”

”It”s got to be fate,” I giggle and reach over to the plate sitting in front of him for another piece of the strawberry cake.

”Yeah,” he says, an unreadable expression dancing in his eyes. “It really has to be fate,” he repeats, sounding profound. Not like he”s talking about cake.

I want to ask him if he”s thought about us. Where he sees this going? If he”s willing to commit despite the chaos that comes with dating me.

But I”m too scared.

I want to know his answer, my fingers itching with the need to know, and at the same time, I feel like running. As long as I don”t know his answer, there”s a possibility. There’s hope. As long as I don”t have his reply, I can dream about our future, picture us together with a white picket fence house. And I”ll take every minute of hope and dreams that I can get.

Before I know it, all the cake is gone–he ate the rest of the chocolate cake. I annihilated the strawberry cake, and we shared the red velvet and lemon.

”Now, would you like to pretend to watch a movie again?” he asks me, his eyebrow raised amusedly, and I shake my head at him. Time for some good old streaming service and chill, I guess. I’m so full I fear I wouldn’t be up for much of anything else either, so it’s a good choice.

”Sure.”

”We could also do a puzzle,” he mentions offhandedly, like he”s only just thought about it. But the way he eyes me from the corner of his eye, gauging my reaction, makes me wonder if that wasn”t his plan all along. That”s fine though, because I really like that plan.

”Uhh,” I hum excitedly and perk up. ”It”s been forever since I puzzled, just so you”re warned. I suck at it,” I add jokingly, and the look in his eyes softens.

”My moment to shine,” he chuckles and brings the plates to the sink, motioning for me to follow him to the living room, where, coincidentally, a puzzle already sits on the table. Oh, he definitely planned for this, and it”s adorable.

Before that, though, I walk past his shelves, and I can’t help but snoop. There are a few fantasy books, some figurines, and a small tool suitcase tucked into one of the shelves.

“What’s that?”

“Erm,” he stutters, appearing next to me and taking it out of the shelf. “It’s my tool kit. I like to make clay figures.”

I step back and look at him with wide eyes. “That’s how you were so good at pottery?”

He shoots me a sheepish smile.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” I exclaim and give his upper arm a playful slap. “That’s so cool! Show me something you made.”

He sets down the suitcase and looks at one of the little figures I’d just adored.

“Shut up,” I step closer and inspect it again. It’s so tiny, and the color application is so perfect. I was convinced it’d been a bought one. “You’re really good at this.”

“Thank you,” he mumbles, and I see a hint of red creeping up his cheeks. It’s adorable. “I’ll have to show you the others sometime. They’re way better. That one was rushed.” He points at the figurine in front of me.

“Yes to the pictures, but don’t put yourself down. It’s amazing,” I point out and follow him to the table. The puzzle sits on it, looking all innocent, but I just know it’s going to kick my butt.

We sit opposite each other and start.

”Damn, you even got a hard one, only color gradient?” My leg inches forward, until I can rest the arch of my foot against his calf. It’s calming to touch him, reassuring me of his gentle presence. “You’re crazy.”

”Yeah, I like a challenge,” he says with a cheeky wink. And again, I have the feeling that he”s talking about something else. He doesn’t add anything, though. Instead, he dumps all the puzzle pieces on the table and begins sorting them by color.

I start by searching for all the edge pieces, arranging them according to where I think they might go. Before I even find the first match, he already has a piece from somewhere in the middle locked together.

I whistle, impressed. ”You”re really damn good at this.”

Another wink as he pops a different group of pieces together. ”I know.”

I shake my head at him, laughing, and flick one of the pieces at him, before I go back to trying to find my first match. My eyes scan the whole table, intent on finding two pieces that belong together but I start to think I’m turning blind.

It was a good idea. At last, my mind is off the elephant in the room–until he brings the topic right up, just as I finally find two pieces that fit.

”So, I talked to my family,” he says, but at first, his words don’t even register in my head. Then they settle, and I tense when I realize that we’re having the conversation now. God, I don’t feel ready.

I don’t dare move, not even to lift my head, instead looking at him through my lashes. ”They demand a vacation if the ruckus turns out to be too much, but aside from that, they”re okay with us going public. They weren”t too thrilled, but for some reason, they love me.” He grins and leans forward, lifting my chin with his finger, but I still avoid his eyes. ”And even though Summer would never admit it, they like seeing me happy.”

My eyes lock with his hesitantly, my heart beating like a horse in a gallop, and emotion clogs my throat. Is he saying what I think he”s saying?

”I”ve also talked to Asher–“ he continues, and I tense again, not trusting that this is real. Asher told him not to do it, for sure. Right? “– and I”m in this, Sunshine. He”s annoyed, but from what he”s telling me and what I”ve seen online from skimming those two’s appearances in the news, it seems manageable, I think. Van won’t be thrilled, but when has he ever been?” He rolls his eyes, and I can”t contain the giggle that suddenly bursts out of me, like a bird breaking free from its cage, the bubble filled with anxiety in my stomach bursting at once.

”So, we”re doing this?” I ask him, blinking away the sting in my eyes, unable to hide the excitement in my voice. “Security is going to be crazy, you know?” The butterflies are going crazy in my stomach and my hands are shaking with emotion.

”I know. But hell yes, we”re doing this,” he grins at me widely, and I just know what he means when he calls me Sunshine. His face lights up in a way that makes me always want to face him, and without any conscious decision. I”m suddenly on the other side of the table, flinging my arms around his neck, jumping into his lap, and burying my face where his shoulder meets his throat to breathe him in. And for the first time this evening, I actually relax.

Holy shit, I never even realized how tense the muscles in my neck were until now.

”Seriously?” I need to ask again, wriggling in his grasp. I know the answer, but I want to hear it again. I will never get tired of hearing it.

”One hundred percent.” His hands come to rest on my ass, and he gives it a playful squeeze that makes me squirm in his lap. I cup his face with both of my hands. One day I will take my time and admire it for hours, but for now, I press my lips against his, kissing him like there”s no fucking tomorrow.

The grin I feel against my lips makes my heart warm like he’s tugged it into a heated blanket, put a mug of hot chocolate in its hands and cuddles it. I’m sure he can also feel the smile it brings to my face.

His arms snake around my hip, hugging me against him tightly, like he’s terrified of me disappearing in his grasp. But I could never leave, could never stop this kiss that makes my knees weak and my heart beat this loudly in my chest.

Fuck. Happiness bubbles inside me like baking soda and vinegar mixed, and I’m scared it will make me burst with bliss.

Luca ends the kiss, but holds me close, his forehead tipping against mine and our panting breaths the only sound in the room.

”On a scale of one to ten,” I murmur against his lips, already getting lost in his emerald eyes. ”How badly do you want to finish this puzzle tonight?”

Instead of answering, he scoots back his chair with me still in his lap, then stands up with his hands firm under my thighs and me clinging to him like a koala. I squeal happily and then giggle, burying my face against his throat as he walks me over to his couch, where he sits down with me still in his lap. It’s hot, the way he can carry me around like I weigh nothing.

He”s already hard. I can feel his length pressing against my pussy, each movement as I squirm, creating delicious friction through the fabric of our clothes.

”You know,” I whisper seductively, my tongue tracing a light path along his jaw until my lips are right next to his ear. ”How about you let me taste you now?” Just to drive it home, I pull his earlobe between my lips and lift myself off him to palm him through his jeans.

”Fuck,” he groans, his fingers digging into the flesh of my butt. His voice is lower when he answers, husky with desire. ”Yes.”

”Yay,” I say playfully, shooting him a wink as I climb off his lap, only to sink on my knees right in front of him, his legs framing my body.

His eyes burn into my skin as he watches me pop his button open, slowly pulling down his zipper, the heat in his eyes hotter than anything I’ve seen before when my tongue darts out to wet my lips. When I pull his jeans down, I realize he’s not wearing any underwear.

“I was hopeful,” he admits when I look at him with an amused, lifted eyebrow. He lifts his butt so I can pull his pants all the way down and throw them aside, and quickly takes off his shirt, chucking it somewhere behind him.

I take a moment to look at him. I like this. Luca sitting in front of me completely naked, while I kneel at his feet, fully clothed, almost salivating at the sight. To an outsider, it might look like he”s the one in charge here, but goddamn, I”ve never felt more powerful than right here, at his feet.

My eyes wander from his red face and hooded eyes to his cock. Even when he’s only half hard, he”s an impressive size. Wetting my lips again, I wrap my hand around his shaft, my eyes finding his heated gaze as I lean forward, keeping his eyes locked with mine as my breath feathers against his member.

Slowly, I start moving my hand up and down his shaft, reveling in the velvety feeling of his cock and the way he grows harder right beneath my palm, his head glistening with precum. It’s driving him crazy, the way I don’t increase my pace, taking my sweet time as I watch him, the way he can’t take his eyes off me, a thin layer of sweat spreads over his body, and his throat moves as he swallows all sounds.

Finally, I show mercy and let his glistening head slide between my lips, my tongue darting around it, making a delicious groan escape him from deep in his throat.

”Fuck,” he sighs, his hand running over my scalp, until he entangles both of them with my curls. ”I couldn”t stop thinking about this since you said it, but this is so much better than any fantasy.”

I try to grin around him, letting him slide a bit deeper into my mouth. I can”t take him too far, having never mastered the art of deep-throating, but what I lack in depth, I make up for in enthusiasm.

”Such a talented mouth,” he whispers, tracing his finger along my cheek and tucking a curl behind my ear. ”So pretty on your knees.” There is such tenderness in that movement, such an admiration in his voice that it makes me shudder with emotion, and my core coils as I feel myself growing wet.

Just what is that man doing to me? I love giving blowjobs; seriously, I’m a big fan, but none has ever made me this aroused. The way he looks at me, him naked in front of me and his damn mouth, makes me squirm between his legs, longing for friction.

But this is about his pleasure, not mine. I want to see him squirm with pleasure, make him lose his mind and forget his own name, the same way he brought me close to heaven after our last date.

I form my mouth into a vacuum and begin to suck on him. The low growl he lets out sends a wave of goosebumps down my spine, and I’m giddy, knowing that I’m the cause of it. He lay his hand at the side of my face, his thumb gently caressing my cheek as I bob my head up and down his shaft with my tongue pressed to his underside, taking him as deep as I can without gagging before letting him slide out.

”Fuck, you”re so perfect at this,” he presses out, laying his head back to reveal the strained muscles in his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing with each moan. I love hearing the soft sounds coming from his lips, as though he can’t keep them from spilling from his lips, even if he wanted to.

Then, suddenly, both of his hands are in my hair again, and he pulls me off him, and I let him fall from my mouth with an obscene ‘pop,’ strands of saliva stretching from my mouth to his cock, until they collapse.

With heavy breaths, I take him in. He’s a damn sight to behold. His flushed face framing his burning gaze laced with adoration, and his chest heaving with heavy breaths are the sexiest sight I”ve seen in my goddamned life.

”There”s a condom in my pocket,” he says quietly, yet his voice cuts through the silent apartment like a knife.

Even though it seems like a mood killer, it”s the sexiest thing I”ve heard him say today. Without hesitation, I reach for his pants and rummage through the pockets before my fingers grasp the foil package, and I hand it to him.

While he puts it on, I get up from the ground and take off my panties, keeping my dress on for now. The deepening flush on his face as he puts on the condom tells me he”s not mad at it.

His hands find my hips, squeezing them gently as he pulls me onto his lap. Our faces are only inches away, our breaths mixing in the sliver of air between us.

”I”m into this,” he says with a grin, flicking the fabric of my skirt, before leaning forward and pulling the flexible cleavage of my strapless dress down, a grin sliding onto his face when it exposes my breasts. ”So fucking beautiful.”

His palms trace heavy paths over my thighs, slowly working their way up towards my aching pussy. But I”m too impatient, the need for him crawling over my skin like electricity.

”I want you, Luca,” I mumble, leaning forward to capture his lips. ”Need you inside me.”

He reaches between us and guides himself toward my entrance.

“You’re so wet for me, Millie,” he groans when he reaches between my folds. “You’re going to take me so well.”

His head feels big and solid against me, and I sink down slowly. Wincing when his head breeches me, and I dig my fingers into Luca”s shoulders.

“Oh my God,” I groan, clenching as I stretch around his thick length, trying to take him. Slowly, I let him glide deeper, stopping to let myself adjust before I take more.

”Millie,” he whispers, his lips right beside my ear. ”Fuck.”

If I weren’t busy feeling like I’m being torn apart, I’d chuckle at the disbelief in his voice.

One of his arms is around my hips, helping me hold my weight and balance as I sink down on him; the other now slides between our bodies, and I whimper when his fingers find my nub, sparks of electricity making me want to take the rest of him all at once, chasing the point where discomfort will make place for undisturbed pleasure.

“You”re doing so well, Sunshine.” His voice is like a calming hot shower, coaxing me to let him deeper. “Only a bit more, baby.”

I roll my hips, trying to get used to the overwhelming feeling of him inside me. He groans breathlessly, his fingers flexing against my hips, and the muscles in his forearm tense as he forces himself to remain still.

Leaning forward, his lips savor my nipple, the touch sending waves of electric pleasure through me, distracting me from the sting in my core. Before I realize it, my muscles relax, and he slides in more easily, until I”m finally fully seated in his lap. And he trails a path of open-mouthed kisses up my body until he reaches my lips, capturing them in a scorching kiss.

”You”re doing so well, baby,” he mumbles against my lips breathlessly, threading his hand through my hair. ”So beautiful with my cock inside you.”

His hands wander all over my body, trying to touch every single inch of me and leaving scorching paths in their wake, pulling traces over my back, my breasts, my thighs, until he reaches between the two of us, right where we”re both connected, a goofy grin tugging at his lips as he feels it.

When his thumb finds my clit again, I slowly start moving, raising my hips tentatively, before I lower myself on him just as slowly again.

The sting is still there, but it’s not as intense. A few more thrusts and rolls of my hips, and pleasure takes over. My winces are replaced by involuntary whines and moans as I impale myself on his length.

”Luca-hh,” I whimper and dig my nails into his shoulders. It”s not enough. Not enough friction, not enough stimulation; just not enough. ”More.”

One swift turn and my back hit the cold leather fabric of the couch, my legs locked around his hips as he kneels between them, still inside me, still throbbing with the urge to find his release. He covers my body with his, a warm presence sending shivers over my skin, his heated gaze capturing my hooded eyes before he begins to move.

”Luca–” My whine is desperate, my hands on his back trying to pull him closer. I need him so close that not even a sheet fits between us. He braces himself on his forearms, framing my head on both sides, and bridges the millimeters between our faces, capturing my lips in a fiery kiss.

It”s open-mouthed and sloppy, and it makes me dizzy, but it allows me to breathe when he starts thrusting into me in earnest.

Each thrust almost manages to push the air out of my lungs, and only our messy kiss and his breath against my cheek remind me to breathe myself. Slowly, I start to feel a tingling in my core, a tiny wave that quickly builds up like a tsunami.

”That”s it, baby,” he breathes against my lips, one of his hands reaching between us and starting to circle my clit with jerky movements. ”So gorgeous when you”re about to come. Give it to me, Sunshine; give me your pleasure.”

I don”t know if it”s his words, his dick, or his touch–but as soon as he says it with his raspy voice, the wave crashes over me. My whole body shakes with ecstasy, my moans turning into screams as he fucks me through my climax, not letting me catch my breath for even a second. If anything, he doubles his efforts, drawing out my pleasure.

”So fucking amazing,” he says, his voice full of awe, as he lifts himself up for better leverage, pumping inside me harder and faster, still circling my clit, his other hand kneading my breast and pinching my nipple.

I don’t know what feeling to focus on, all the stimulation short-circuiting my brain.

“You feel so perfect for me.” Fuck. I feel him everywhere. All I hear are his soft moans and growls; all I see is his flushed face…all I taste the remnants of his cock on my tongue and his lips on mine. All I feel is his touch, and all I smell is the scent of us.

”Gonna come,” he grits out, and I nod eagerly, all ability to form thoughts gone with the wind. I”m almost there again. His movements turn rigid, faster, like he”s losing the last sliver of control he had been holding onto. The tide rolls back, and I just know that I’m about to drown. Almost fucking there.

Then suddenly, I am. Sobbing his name, I gasp for air and hold onto him while he continues to fuck me. Then he bucks inside me with a barking growl and a shudder that shakes his whole body as I feel warmth fill the condom.

Fuck. I can”t take my eyes off him–his flushed face, the crease between his eyebrows, a small mark where I dug my fingernail into his shoulder. I want a picture of him like this, and hang it right above my bed.

Once the shuddering stops and he catches his breath, his arms lock around my middle, and he shuffles the two of us around until his back is on the couch and I”m laying on top of him, still connected.

Feeling him soften in me is weird, but standing up just isn’t an option.

”You”re amazing,” I whisper against his throat and unsuccessfully try hiding my yawn against his skin, making his whole body tremble with laughter.

”You”re amazing.” He presses his lips against my forehead. ”So fucking incredible.”

In lieu of an answer, I press my lips against his skin. God, suddenly, I”m so fucking tired. And then I fall asleep, right on him, with him and the condom still inside me.