Chapter 21 #3
Bastian wondered if De Luca had only projected what he felt inside, that he was holding himself up to an impossible standard, not the other way around. But he didn’t know De Luca well enough to make that call.
“That sounds incredibly lonely,” he said.
De Luca swallowed. “This town, it’s a beautiful place to grow up, but once I’d joined the police, I felt stuck. I’d gone down a path I never intended to, chasing some kind of ghost, I guess, and I had to stay on that path or let people down.”
The pain in De Luca’s expression spurred Bastian across the kitchen. He stood before the inspector, seeing the way he hunched, as if suddenly aware of a weight he’d been carrying. He brought a hand to cup the side of De Luca’s face, stroking his cheek, the light stubble that had grown in.
“The people of Vernazza are lucky to have you, darling. Don’t ever forget that.”
De Luca’s eyes widened, and fire glinted in them. “If the council blames you, they’ll kill you…”
“No point worrying about that now,” Bastian said.
De Luca’s jaw released, but his mouth turned down at the corners.
Bastian saw that same look of hesitance and restraint that Bastian now knew so well flickering in the man’s gaze, threaded with something new.
Worry. He really was worried about Bastian.
“Promise me something, Inspector,” Bastian said. “When the council come, you must not do anything stupid. You must think about yourself and the people of Vernazza.”
“I can’t promise that.”
“You must,” Bastian said.
The fire in De Luca’s eyes flashed brighter, and he nuzzled his face into Bastian’s hand and kissed his open palm.
“Thank you for telling me the truth,” De Luca said.
He’s hiding the truth from you.
Salvador’s voice intruded again, and Bastian was finding it increasingly difficult to ignore it.
“De Luca—” he began, intending to ask him about his own truths, but De Luca chose that moment to move forward and kiss him.
The kiss was softer this time, less urgent than when they were in the boat, but the heat was just as intense.
Bastian closed his eyes, losing himself in De Luca.
Savoring the feel of his lips, his tongue, his fingers stroking Bastian’s neck.
He loved that De Luca was taking what he wanted.
Despite his previous misgivings, despite everything Bastian had told him about his past, De Luca wanted Bastian.
Bastian could feel it in the way De Luca touched him.
His fingertips slipped inside Bastian’s shirt collar to graze his collarbone, and his caresses were every bit as electric as Bastian had imagined.
The kiss deepened. De Luca breathed warmth and want into Bastian’s mouth. Their hips pressed together, and a deep need stirred in Bastian. He wanted more. He wanted all of De Luca.
“You will promise me you won’t do anything stupid,” Bastian whispered. “Or I’ll be forced to use your handcuffs on you.”
De Luca’s cheeks filled with color. Bastian stared into his eyes, desire flushing through him, and it was all he could do not to throw De Luca onto the kitchen table and tear off his clothes.
His hand moved down to the front of De Luca’s trousers, discovering a hardness that thrilled him.
De Luca felt solid and eager, his crotch throbbing with heat.
“Is this okay?” Bastian asked.
“Don’t stop,” De Luca breathed.
Bastian pressed more firmly, feeling dizzy with need.
The dizziness increased.
Suddenly it was overwhelming.
A wave of lethargy drained the energy from his limbs and Bastian put a hand to his forehead, cursing the sun sickness, which still hadn’t worn off.
Perfect timing, Mr. Emerson. Absolutely perfect.
“Bastian, are you all right?”
“I think I’ll rest a little longer,” Bastian said, wishing it weren’t true. Wanting nothing more than to free De Luca of his uniform. “I’m still feeling a bit woozy.”
“Sì, okay,” De Luca said, his palms on Bastian’s shoulders, a grounding strength that Bastian leaned in to.
“At sundown, we should resume our investigation,” Bastian said. “If we can’t go after the commissario, we really must look at the mayor. Assuming Matteo is innocent, it’s all we have to go on at the moment.”
“Sogni d’oro,” De Luca said. Sweet dreams.
Bastian blew him a kiss. “Good night, love.”
He returned to bed smiling, snuggling into the soft covers, Whitby still deep in sleep. He had only just closed his eyes when, what felt like moments later, Bastian was startled awake.
“Bastian, wake up,” said a hard voice. De Luca stood by the bed, his mouth pressed in a thin line, gaze cloudy with worry.
Bastian smiled. “You look so serious, love.”
“You have to get up,” De Luca said.
“Such a lovely bedside manner.” Bastian pulled himself into a sitting position. He felt refreshed by the rest. The world wasn’t spinning anymore, and he felt much more like himself. Night must have fallen, because the sun no longer pushed around the edges of the blinds.
At the foot of the bed, Whitby uncurled herself like a ball of black yarn.
“How long did we sleep?” she asked, yawning as she stretched.
De Luca still looked so serious.
“What’s going on?” Bastian asked.
“It’s the vampire council.” The inspector shot a look at the bedroom door. “They’re here.”