Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
I stared at the clock for the hundredth time as I listened for the lock on my front door to turn.
The apartment was dead silent, just the way I liked it on the nights that Luca told me he was coming over.
I wanted to hear him the very moment he approached so that I could pounce on him the moment he came in.
It didn’t matter how much time we spent together, it was the time apart that got to me the most. Some days we didn’t see each other at all and those were the hardest. Our time together was split between his home and mine, and it had been that way since I’d moved in almost two months ago.
In those two months, Luca had made me smile so much that I’d cracked the sides of my lips at least once a week.
I had finally gotten used to my new car, and the girls were enjoying their summer.
Sundays were reserved for quality time without the girls.
They were always with my mother from Saturday night until Sunday night.
During that time, we sexed in every position and in every corner of the house.
He fucked me and he fed me and sometimes, we took a day trip to a near city and enjoyed a new scenery.
There was always something up Luca’s sleeve on Saturday night or Sunday.
It was always thrilling to see what he had in store for us next.
Life for me was evolving so beautifully.
My space wasn’t quite finished yet, but my van was, and I received a new cake order every day.
Some days, I’d get two calls and those days always led me to celebrate.
Though the front of my space was still being prepared for customers, the kitchen was complete.
It’s where I’d made my last eight cakes, and I loved every moment of it.
I’d gotten my license to produce food from my bakery that others could consume and was waiting for Code Enforcers to come check out the place.
Once they approved everything, I’d be ready to hit the ground rolling.
Renovations would only take another two weeks.
He’s here, I thought as I heard his key enter the door and turn the lock. The top lock was always left unlocked for that particular reason. He was always welcomed. Not locking the top so that he could get in was my invitation.
My brows hiked and heart rate sped as I pulled myself from beneath the sheets and pressed my back against the wall. His footsteps grew louder with each second. My heart threatened to burst when I heard his keys hit the kitchen counter. I loved that sound so much. It had become my favorite.
The smile that I wore when he rounded the corner quickly faded when he entered my lowly lit bedroom. The city’s lights served as my bedroom’s backdrop, my floor-to-ceiling windows mimicking the ones at Luca’s place.
“Has it come yet?” Luca asked as soon as he walked in the door.
“What? Why is there a dog in my house?”
“Has it come yet?”
“No. But, why, Luca?”
“Because I thought the girls might like him. They’ve been saying they want a pet.”
“You’ve been saying they need a pet. They haven’t been saying anything.”
“You think they’ll like him?”
“Luca. Can you get that thing out of my house?”
“Why? You don’t like him?”
“I don’t like dogs, period. End of story.”
“He staying at my house, anyway. He goes to training camp Monday and won’t be back for three weeks.”
“Good.”
“But your shit hasn’t came?”
“No.”
He was referring to my cycle. He’d been on a mission to get a little Luca out of me since the first time he’d entered me.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t onboard.
I loved the idea of sharing a child with him.
He was so good with the girls that I knew he’d be great with a new addition.
I’d met his father, and he’d had a great role model coming up.
I understood why becoming the girls’ father figure was like second nature to him.
“What day is this?”
“Day two. I’m only two days late.”
“You think you’re pregnant yet? Or just late?” He was all nerves and it was the cutest thing ever.
“I was late last month so it could be another one of those or maybe I am. I wouldn’t doubt it, Luca. All of your cum goes right into my vagina.”
“You don’t be complaining when I’m letting off in you,” he sassed.
“And I’m not complaining now.”
“You want to make a doctor’s appointment?”
“No. I really don’t. If I am pregnant, I don’t want to see the inside of a doctor’s office. I want a doula, and I want a midwife. I want a home birth and all that jazz. If I’m pregnant, we will know after my period doesn’t come for a month or so. Then we can move accordingly.”
“I think you’re pregnant, baby. There’s just something different about you, and I know it’s because you’re carrying my seed. You even feel different when I slide up in you.”
“I’m not disagreeing, Luca. I think I am, too.”
“Can he stay the night? I bought him a little pin to stay in and some puppy pads. They’re out in the hallway. I knew you’d be tripping, and I thought you’d put our asses out.”
“Oh, I definitely want to, but I missed you today, and I know the girls will be so happy to see whatever he is when they wake up.”
“He’s a tri-color French Bulldog.”
“I’d be lying if I said I cared or if I said I know what you mean. Just go get his stuff set up and come lay down with me. I want to touch your skin.”
Cuddling with Luca was everything. His large frame always felt so good against my petite one. His protective nature made it even more enjoyable because I felt like while in his arms I could conquer the world.
“Give me five minutes, and I’ll be back. Don’t fall asleep on me.”
“Have you showered?”
“Yeah. At the house before I came.”
“OK.”
Getting in my bed before showering was off limits. I didn’t care if it was Luca’s money that purchased it. I hated the stench of outside and hated clothing that had caught every particle the wind had blown to be near my sheets.
I waited impatiently and silently for Luca to return. I listened to every move he made as he got the pup settled into his home for the night. As much as I wanted to turn the little fella around and send him away, I couldn’t deny the fact that he was so stinking cute.
“What if I am pregnant, Luca? You just bought a dog. That just feels overwhelming already, and we don’t even know if we are yet.”
“If so, he’ll be damn near a year when the baby comes. He will be well-behaved. That’s why he’s going to school. If it ends up being too much for you to handle, I’ll keep him at my parents’ house. That’s where my last dog lived most of his life.”
“What happened to him?” I remembered it being the only picture on his Instagram profile. Now there were only pictures of the girls and me he shared with his eighty-three followers.
“Cancer.”
“Wow. That’s insane. I’ve heard it could happen, but never knew an owner with a pet that actually died from cancer.”
“Yeah. He lived a good life though so I wasn’t tripping. I just hate it happened while I was away.”
“Is this why you’ve decided to get another dog?”
“Yeah. I’m a dog lover, Ever. You won’t ever see me go too long without one.”
“Well, you’d better train this one really good, or he will be packing his things and moving to your parents’ home. I can live my entire life without an animal and I’d be just fine. Now come on. Let me touch you.”
He was too far away. I wanted him close so that I could finally close my eyes and drift into a deep sleep. As he made his way to the bed, he undressed in stride. I watched as he unclothed himself, stripping down to his briefs before climbing in bed and on top of me.
“I’m tired, Ever,” he admitted, leaning down and kissing my lips.
“Then let’s get some rest,” I advised, pulling him in for another kiss.
I turned on my side as he got comfortable behind me.
When his hand went around my waist and he pulled me even closer, I knew he was at peace.
Bringing peace to Luca’s world was one of my top priorities because he brought so much to mine.
I closed my eyes and waited for the lovely sounds that came from his mouth once he drifted off.
“Is that too hot?” I asked as I watched Luca lower his feet into the tub of water that sat in front of him.
“Na. It’s good,” he assured me.
“Me first!” Emorey screamed.
“We can both just do one foot at a time, Emorey. Mommy will help you with yours.”
“No. I want do it,” Emorey sassed, snatching the toenail clippers away from me.
Her little attitude seemed to get a bit fiercer by the day and the fact that Luca had her back every time was making things even worse.
“Hand me the clippers, Emorey. You’ll cut yourself if you do it alone.”
“Emorey, I don’t think you can handle those alone. Let your mom do this part and then you can do everything else by yourself. I’ll make sure. Aight?”
“OK.” Even with sad eyes, you could still see the fight in Em. She wanted to protest, but whatever Luca said she listened to. Hell, he was the only one she’d been listening to for almost three months.
The girls and I had decided to give Luca a pedicure.
We all thought he could use one. His toenails had grown much too long, and the bottom of his feet could use a good scrubbing.
When he rubbed them against me some nights, I cringed.
My baby’s heels were so rough and flakey that they left crumbs on my sheets sometimes.
The most hilarious thing about it all was that he remembered to lotion his feet more than I did for the most part. I got regular pedicures and thought to invite him but then the personal pedicure idea surfaced. He was excited about it, too. We’d been reminding him all week and it was finally time.
“How far down would you like me to cut them?” I asked, wanting to be sure I didn’t cut them too low.
“Cut them motherfuckers off. All the way off. They got me going up a size in my shoes so that my feet are comfortable.”