Chapter 11 #3
Under Luca’s gaze, I began playing twenty-one questions in my head.
Do I have on enough lip gloss? Wait, did I forget my lip gloss in the room?
Is my hair frizzing? Can he tell I’m nervous?
Where are we going? Does he like what I have on?
Am I overdressed? Why is he looking at me like that?
Is there something on my face? How do my curves look?
Is this too revealing? What are his plans for me tonight?
“Hi,” he greeted, handing me the massive, long-stemmed roses in his hand. He silenced my thoughts and saved me before I self-destructed.
There must’ve been one hundred of them. The big bundle that was wrapped in craft paper was massive, and they were as heavy as they looked. I wasn’t sure where I was supposed to put them or how I was supposed to keep them alive but I’d try my hardest.
“I know that’s right,” I heard Lyric cheering from behind. When I turned, she had her camera out, again.
As corny as it sounded, it was my very first official date. I’d never had a man ask me out or show up to my doorstep bearing gifts. I’d always been down to chill or hangout, but never properly courted. I was looking forward to our moments together starting with the night.
“Don’t worry. I have footage and flicks. I’ll save them for you. Luca, why you never got me a big bouquet like this?” she complained with a half-smile.
“Sounds jealous, but you could be getting the same treatment,” I teased. She knew exactly what and who I was referring to.
“Bye. Not jealous. I’m happy for you, mommas. See you. Enjoy yourself.”
“I plan to.”
“See you later, Lyric.”
“Later, Luca.”
I handed the flowers off to Lyric, sure that she knew exactly what to do with them. By the time I returned, they’d be exactly where they were supposed to be. I was clueless. No one had ever bought me flowers.
I closed the door behind me and stepped off the porch.
Luca was right there to hold my hand. As we walked toward his massive truck, he continued to hold my hand.
Though I was trying to keep my composure, I was losing my shit on the inside.
Because I was head over heels for everything about the night and the man who was making it possible.
When we made it to the truck and he opened the door, Luca spun me around to face him. He was so close that I could feel each exhale on the tip of my nose. He said nothing for the longest, simply staring back at me as I waited for him to say something – anything.
“Are you ready?” he finally asked.
“I’m ready,” I confirmed with a nod, pressing my palms flat against the fabric of my skirt.
He was so perfect and so poised, yet I was becoming undone right before his very eyes. I wondered if he noticed or if I was the only one who knew just how bad I was freaking out.
“You’re alright, Ever. You’re in good company.”
He did. He noticed, and his reassuring words were just what I needed.
“Aight?”
“Okay,” I responded, swallowing the lump in my throat.
In an instant, I felt his hand on my neck as he pinned me against the truck with his body.
His face was already so close to me, giving him a huge advantage.
My breath hiked and chest rose as I closed my eyes, waiting for the moment his lips touched mine.
After a few beats, I reopened my eyes slowly to see why they hadn’t.
He reappeared as my lids separated. As soon as my eyes were open fully, Luca smiled and leaned down. His lips finally touched mine, draining my pussy of the thick white creaminess that accompanied my arousal. I could feel the throbbing between my legs. It matched my heartbeat.
I opened my mouth, welcoming him inside.
As much as I’d talked myself into playing it safe, the truth was I didn’t want to.
I didn’t think I had to, either. Not with Luca and that was exactly why I pulled him in deeper by wrapping my hands around his waist. I wanted every last drop of him, and I didn’t want to have to wait for it.
“Ummmm,” I moaned into his warm, open mouth.
He tasted like the finest of wines from the best grapes to ever exist. There was nothing sweet about his mix, but I welcomed the new taste. My buds quickly adjusted and adapted to his flavor and its uniqueness. And when he began to pull away, I missed it already.
“What?” I murmured, wiping the smeared gloss from my lips.
Noticing that he had some on his lips as well, I used my thumb to clean it up. He grabbed my hand and guided it toward the buckle of his jeans and then a bit further. When I felt his stiffness beneath the denim, my mouth began to water.
“I can’t be out here kissing you like that, or we will never make it to my crib for dinner.”
Up and down, I massaged what had to be an uncomfortably hard dick. This time, it was his eyes that closed, but only briefly. As his lids met, he gripped my wrist to stop its movement.
“Come on, let me get you out of here so that I can feed you,” he finally said after composing himself.
Dick. Please feed me dick , I wanted to suggest, but remained quiet as he pecked my lips once more before lifting me into the truck. The way he handled my body so effortlessly let me know just how much of a rag doll he was capable of treating me like in the bedroom.
“Buckle up.”
He patted my leg with his large hands and closed the door behind him. I watched as his long frame rounded the truck and got in. He adjusted the stereo as he pulled out of Lyric’s yard and into the street. I melted in the leather seat as I rested my back against it and my arm on the armrest.
Luca’s hand was near the cupholder where he could easily access the white Styrofoam cup that he’d sipped from as I settled in.
Pushing my hand up slightly, I wrapped my fingers around his wrist gently.
I’d learned long ago that physical touch was a large part of my love language.
I’d been deprived for so long, far too long.
I used to crave Dewayne’s caresses, back rubs, gentle touches, hand holding, or just his closeness.
That was until I didn’t want him touching me at all the last year of our relationship.
It was to the point that I’d rather scratch my nails on a chalkboard than lay down with him or allow him to enter me.
Before deciding to leave, we hadn’t been intimate in over four months.
Prior to that, it was a very rare occasion that we got along for long enough to make it to bed together.
I could count on one hand how many times I’d sexed Dewayne in a calendar year.
With Luca or anyone for the matter, I didn’t want to ignore my personal desires. I wanted to embrace them so that they’d be accommodated immediately. Otherwise, I’d understand that the person simply isn’t for me and we could part ways sooner than later.
In my last relationship, I’d overlooked so much in the beginning, putting my personal desires on the back burner to fulfill all of my exes.
When I finally realized it, things had gotten out of hand and I was the only one unfulfilled in the relationship.
It was up to me to set the tone for how I wanted and deserved to be treated, and I wasn’t going to let anyone off easily.
It was either the best or nothing at all.
I’d suffered long enough. Those days were over.
When I felt Luca reposition his hand, my heart rate sped.
I could feel the breath drain from my lungs as I fought the disappointment creeping up my spine.
It wasn’t until I felt his fingers intertwined with mine that I settled and began to relax again.
The gentle squeeze of reassurance that followed put me at ease.
I sat back as he handled the wheel, feeling like I was in a scene from one of my favorite love stories. Except I wasn’t. This was my life, and Luca was as real as they came. The sense of comfort I felt in his presence proved it.
SiR’s “The Recipe” serenaded our journey as we shared longing, soul-satisfying glances every minute or more.
It wasn’t long before we were pulling up to the gate of the home we’d dropped him off at a day prior.
He stretched his right arm out of the window to enter the code, seemingly not wanting to break the connection between us, either.