Chapter 27
Luca
When I left the office, I stopped by my apartment to change clothes before heading to class. It was stupid hot, which made peeling off my work clothes for something cooler a no-brainer. After a quick shower, I redressed in shorts and a T-shirt, made a quick sandwich, then padded off to class.
I was tired as hell from not getting adequate sleep after spending most of the night fanning the sheets to cool down.
The ten-dollar floor fan wasn’t moving enough air around to cool things down.
Axel had spoiled me, and I was a fool for not staying with him until the late summer heat wave passed.
I could resume my distance training later when I had no choice.
One more night, Luca. Then you can go back to him. You can do it.
With my resolve intact, I walked into my Clinical Issues with the Aging class to discover I had my choice of seats since no one had arrived.
Checking the time, I took my usual spot in the back of the room where I could slip into class when I was late.
My professors knew where I worked, and sometimes it couldn’t be avoided.
Now that my car was no longer a problem, thanks to Axel, maybe I could sit closer.
Moving up, I sat at the middle table. Bold move, Vaughn.
My phone vibrated on the table, the volume so high it danced around. Thankful no one was here to witness it, I grabbed it to find another of his texts.
Axel: What time is class over?
My heart picked up a beat every time I thought about him.
Me: Eight-thirty. Why?
Axel: I’ll be outside. I need a fix.
I bit my lip.
Me: Me too.
Two days had been torture, and I wanted class to be over. He’d made good on his promise to ruin me, and now that included school. This was going to be the longest class ever.
The deranged smile I was sure to be wearing got the attention of the person who had taken the seat at my table. “That must be really good news.”
I looked up into the eyes of a guy my age. Unable to wipe the smile away, I was high on life. “Yeah, it is. My boyfriend,” I said, sending one more text.
Me: Can’t wait. Time for class.
Heat bloomed on my face as I realized I’d called him my boyfriend out loud.
Had I ever referred to him as that out loud?
He’d told Susanna he was my boyfriend, but had I ever said it?
Turning off the screen before I lost all sense, I held out my hand to the man with auburn hair and green eyes. “I’m Luca Vaughn.”
He smiled warmly and returned the gesture. “Caden O’Reilly. Nice to meet you, Luca.”
We talked while our other classmates entered the room and took their seats.
I found out Caden was getting his MSW in Health and Mental Health, while my focus was Gerontology.
This was a required class for both of us, and when our professor walked in, we settled in for the typical dissection of the syllabus.
By the time eight-thirty rolled around, I was cooked.
My body vibrated all over with the need to see Axel.
After packing up, I tried to control myself and refrain from speedwalking out the door.
But all bets were off the moment my eyes were drawn to the gorgeous man seated on the bench, reading something on his phone.
With one arm stretched across the back of the bench, his ink protruding from his sleeve, he replied using one thumb to type, then looked up.
The moment was cinematic as he exhaled as if he was relieved to see me, stood, then shoved his phone in his pocket.
“Oh wow,” Caden mused. “That’s, um…Yeah. I want a guy to look at me like that.”
I made a weird noise. “He’s pretty great,” I murmured, but kept my eyes on Axel. “See ya next week.”
He said something, but I didn’t hear him. All I wanted was to get as close to him as quickly as possible.
“Hey,” I breathed.
“Hey, love,” he said, pulling me into his arms. Dropping my bookbag, I slid my tongue into his mouth, electricity flashing through my body, igniting a wildfire of need. I felt his need as he shifted his hips to press himself into me. Pulling back, I sighed and rested my forehead against his.
“Who was that?” he asked.
I grinned. “Who?”
“Good answer,” he said, then proceeded to steal all the breath from my lungs. “Late dinner?” He picked up my bag and slung it over his shoulder. It wasn’t heavy, but I let him take it and my hand.
“Sure. Pizza?”
He groaned. Brooklyn-style pizza was his weakness. It was all about the water. “Yes. I’m sure that’s not going to be on my meal plan.”
“Then let’s go. I’m buying.” Axel didn’t argue, but gave up holding my hand to drape his arm over my shoulders. When I circled his waist with my left arm, he pulled me in to kiss my head as we walked down the street to the nearest Brooklyn pizza joint.
We ordered a large pepperoni and two bottles of water. I gave the guy my card, and when he handed it back, I noticed Axel stood scowling. “That was difficult for you, wasn’t it? Letting me pay.”
“Yes. Painfully so. I’m used to taking care of everything.”
I chuckled. “Not when we eat pizza. That’s my turn to treat you.”
“Yes, sir.”
We headed toward a table outside on the sidewalk, sitting as close as possible. The closer I sat to him, the more the ache from missing him began to ease. “I didn’t think it would be this hard to stay away from you.”
Axel turned and wrapped his arm around my chair. Leaning in, he placed kisses on my neck, making me shudder. “Then why did you?”
He sat back enough to sift his fingers in my hair at the base of my skull. My eyes closed when he massaged my head.
“We have to get used to being apart. Hockey season is here.”
He grunted. “Stupid reason.” He was right.
“I know things have changed since last weekend. But don’t you think we’re moving a little fast?”
“I don’t know. Faster than your last relationship?”
I tried to look irritated by his remark, but failed. “Yes, actually. I don’t want to ruin it. You might get tired of me.”
Axel’s eyes melted into mine as he toyed with a strand of hair. “I love you, and that means I’ll never get tired of you.”
He could tear down my walls without even trying. “I love you, too. Just be patient with me, okay? I’m getting there.”
“I know, love. At least give me the weekends that I’m home.”
I got lost in his eyes. “Yeah, we can start there.”
When we finished eating, we started the walk to my apartment. My bag was back on his shoulder as he draped his arm around me. My skin tingled at every point of contact. “Are you sure you don’t want to come home with me?”
I did. I really did. But I was exhausted. “I’ll be there tomorrow after work.”
Axel accepted my answer, and when we got to my building, or I guess it was his building, I turned to take my bag.
“Can I come up?”
“You want to?”
“Yes,” he chuckled. “I’ve never been in your apartment. Maybe I’ll want to stay over with you sometime.”
I laughed nervously. “You’re too big for my bed. It’s a twin.”
His amused grin did things to me. “Hmm. Okay. I still want to see it.”
“Okay. Come on. I’ll give you the ten-second tour.”
As we climbed the four flights, his hand rested on my waist as he walked behind me. As we passed my elderly neighbor’s apartments, a thought came to mind. “Do you think it’s possible to put in an elevator? Mrs. Martinelli, in 3-B, has trouble getting up the stairs.”
Axel looked around. “I’ll get the architect to take a look and see what we can do.”
I stopped and turned to face him. “You’d really do that? I’m sure it’s expensive.”
He gave me one of those looks that said I was being silly. “If it’s what the building needs to make it comfortable, then we’ll do it. What else does it need?”
I said what came to mind. “I love you. And if I wasn’t already there, what you just said would have done it.”
I saw the real man Axel tried to hide. But he couldn’t do it with me. “I love you, too.”