Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
OLIVIA
Olivia mentally marked her audition choreography to cheerful classical music in her headphones as the scent of maple cinnamon cookies filled the air.
She’d wanted to do something special for AB’s snack duty at Girl Scouts later. She didn’t trust her kitchen to not be cross-contaminated with wheat, so she’d let herself into Luca’s house after a hard workout at the dance studio.
She’d buckled down all morning, getting her head on straight to focus on her audition materials, and then had come straight to his house without even showering so the cookies would be ready in time.
It had been so hard to say good night to him last night and not kiss him.
Being here in his house, surrounded by all the things that reminded her of him, was the next best thing.
She wanted another taste of his mouth. His hands in her hair.
Feeling his arms wrap around her briefly last night after the fire scare had made everything feel okay again.
But he’s right to make sure we keep our distance.
It would just make everything hurt worse if they got closer.
I only have one shot to join a new company after being let go, and I can’t get lost in beefy muscles.
Beefy, beefy muscles.
And the scent of manly pine and cedar.
Imagining his huge-ass hands tugging on my hair.
Burying my face against his chest as he takes care of me. And, oh shit!
The oven timer had been going off, and she hadn’t noticed it over the music pounding in her headphones. She grabbed a batch of slightly burnt cookies from the oven.
She forced her daydreaming back to her audition, mentally doing her choreo as she placed cookie dough on a new baking sheet. She pictured nailing each step with each measure of music, feeling so proud.
She’d been a little lax about her normal Pilates workout the last few weeks, so she’d pushed herself extra hard this morning. She’d then put in another grueling, sweaty two hours rehearsing her three audition pieces.
After I put these in the oven, I’ll run back home and get ready, then come back, pack them up, go teach the Mommy and Me class, pick up AB, drop her off at Girl Scouts, and then Luca will pick her up.
And at the end of the day, she’d finally start sewing the ten leaf costumes she’d designed. Though that would be fun, not work.
She scooted the cookie sheet into the oven, “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” blaring in her ears. She spun, imagining herself pirouetting, lost in the Tchaikovsky of it all. Sweeping strings, tightening her core for the big leap, and—
“Holy fuck!” she screamed at the man behind her.
Her hand flew to her chest. “Luca!” She yanked off her headphones, gasping for air.
He looked equally surprised to see her. He stood frozen in the back door, bare-chested and holding a paint-stained work shirt in his hand.
The beefy muscles she’d dreamed about were on full display.
Dark ink wound across his muscular chest. A healthy layer of softness laid over his muscles that made him perfect for cuddling with and softened the definition of his muscles.
Her pussy pulsed at how they gave way to a muscular thickness in his middle.
Like he had abs that could pull a Chevy, but he’d never turn down a piece of pie.
She liked that it dipped just a little over the band of his jeans.
Sturdy. Sexily sturdy. Perfect for riding.
“Hi?” he said slowly, meaning: Why are you alone half-naked in my house in the middle of the day?
She stood barefoot in a sports bra and yoga pants. Whoops. She’d been so hot from her workout and with the oven going that she hadn’t bothered to put a sweatshirt on.
She busied herself cleaning up the counter, not meeting his eyes.
“It’s AB’s turn for Girl Scout snacks. She asked if we could bring homemade cookies because everybody else did, and my kitchen has cross-contamination.
I begged Pearl for the recipe AB loves most and…
” She gestured to the mess in front of her. “You get the gist.”
He looked rugged and roughed up from working that morning. His cheeks were pink from the cold, and he looked like he’d worked hard.
She liked it.
“Just came home to take a shower before a meeting later. Didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, cautiously.
“Sorry, I should’ve let you know I was here,” she said, embarrassed.
“You’re welcome here any time.” His voice was rough as he stood at the end of the counter.
She finally met his eyes.
Tortured eyes full of wanting heated her from head to toe. A half smile tugged at his lips. “I like seeing you here,” he added softly.
Oof. She felt that in her breastbone. That longing in his voice.
It feels like mine.
Her heart slammed against her ribs as she felt the crackling in the air between them.
His chest rose and fell harder the longer he looked at her. The pull between them was making her lightheaded, needy. That familiar ache between her thighs pulsed, and she stared at his mouth, biting her lip as she remembered what it tasted like.
He gulped and wiped his mouth. “Gonna grab some water, if I can reach past you.”
Her cheeks lit on fire. Right, fuck, he just wanted a water glass and I am standing right in front of it. He’s not staring at me.
A thick, muscular forearm passed her face to grab a glass from the cabinet as she swiped crumbs from the counter.
The smell of him wrapped around her and turned the aching in her pussy to greedy need.
She gulped every bit of the spice and musk of him down, grateful it was stronger with him shirtless.
Hard nipples pressed against her sports bra in response.
Her cheeks heated in embarrassment as she realized how gross she was, inches from him. Her sports bra and yoga pants had been soaked through with sweat during practice. “Probably shouldn’t stand too close. I’m gross and sweaty.” She moved the cookies from the cooling rack onto a plate.
“Smells good,” he said in a low, rough voice, still over her shoulder.
Goosebumps covered her arms at the nearness of him. She didn’t want him to go.
“Maple cinnamon sugar,” she whispered roughly as she plated the last cookie. The last one crumbled in her shaking hands.
The raging heat coming off his chest radiated against her back like a warm sunbeam. She closed her eyes, digging for the strength to not press back into him.
“Not the cookies, Liv,” he said between ragged breaths. A heavy, huge hand settled on her hip, and she sighed in relief. Fingers dug into her hip. “You smell good.”
It had come out as a growl—possessive, low. He turned her to face him, and she was overwhelmed at the expanse of muscle in front of her.
At not burying her face into his chest and licking every inch.
“But I’m…” Sweaty. I need a shower.
“I know.” His head tilted and an appraising look in his eyes, he stared hungrily, as if deciding where to take his first bite. “Didn’t think it was possible to want you more than yesterday…but I do. Like this.”
His eyes caught on her nipples, and he blinked before looking away.
Her pulse hammered in her ears. “You can look. I...” She sucked in a breath. “I…want you to look.”
His jaw worked like he was holding himself back as he openly stared at the hard nipples poking against her sports bra. Staring at her breasts, he bit his bottom lip, then licked it.
Her clit pulsed at the brazen want on his face, at how his chest heaved and the hand on her hip dug in harder.
Which only made her nipples harder.
A thick outline pushed against his zipper as he studied every inch of her hips and thighs, breasts and abs.
She sighed, imagining it in her hands, her mouth.
Her pussy.
He drifted closer. His nose came close enough to brush her cheekbone.
They both gasped out a sigh at the contact. The featherlight touch spiraled need into her every fuck-me nerve ending.
His nose caressed a path along her jaw, brushing down her neck.
He kissed the spot where her shoulder met her neck, and a small flick of his tongue made him growl out a moan. She curved into him, wanting more.
His hand framed her jaw. “Turns out, I prefer you this way. Covered in sweat.” They shared the same ragged breath back and forth, mouths an inch from each other. “Smelling like home—that I want to bend over and fuck.”
She gasped as arousal flooded her thong.
Luca’s nostrils flared. “Fuck it—”
Their open mouths met in gasping, clutching, messy kisses. He grabbed her ass and pressed her against him as she wrapped her arms around him.
More, more, more was the only thought that thrummed through her as she moved against him.
Closer.
Not enough. Grasping, desperate kisses deepened, and deepened more.
His tongue swiped against hers, and it reverberated into her core. She needed to touch him, feel every part of him.
She slid her hands to feel the hard cord of muscles around his back. She licked his chest, needing to press against him, taste him.
Need him closer, all around me.
He lifted her up to pull her closer, and she wrapped her legs around him.
Her pussy pulsed, grasping at nothing, begging for attention. Begging for anything he’d give her. Tongue, finger, cock. Anything, please.
He was carrying her somewhere. The bed, hopefully? She’d die if she couldn’t keep doing whatever this was.
He sat on the couch, and loud electronic music from a toy made them both jump.
He leaned up, taking her with him as he pulled the toy out from under him and tossed it across the room.
A too-loud digital voice sang, “I’m a little tea pot.
” They both huffed out a laugh before they continued devouring each other.
His hand clutched the back of her neck, fingers threaded in her hair, holding her in place. Want to stay right here forever.
Warm, soft muscles flexed under her hands as she clutched at him. The only thing she needed from the next ten minutes was his tongue in her mouth, pulling needy, desperate kisses out of her.