Chasing forever, p.4
Chasing Forever, page 4
Shortly after six, Luca rings my doorbell. Opening the door, I find Bogart, a large German shepherd sitting beside his feet. I set my hand in front of his nose and wait. He leans forward, and I pet him.
“Hey. Do you want me to go around so they can meet outside?”
“Sure, I’ll be right out.” In the kitchen, I attach Newman’s leash and step onto the deck.
Once Luca secures the gate, I step off the porch and introduce Newman and Bogart. They sniff one another. After determining they’re fine together, I drop the leash. Then they take off running. We sit on the top step and watch.
“How was the rest of your day?” I watch our dogs run circles around my yard.
“At lunch I saw a beautiful woman and newborn, then I finished a boring road shift; now I’m hanging out with the same woman for movie night.”
What am I going to do? I genuinely like him. Can I get over his job? I turn to face him. “You can’t say things like that.”
His deep brown eyes bore into mine. “Every word is true.”
Sweet mercy! His words get me every time.
“Luca, I—”
Both Newman and Bogart hurdle the stairs and sit by the French doors, facing inside.
“Hey, hey. The party is here. Wil, who’s car is in the driveway?” I hear through the screen. “Hi, Wil. Cappelli.”
“Tabi,” we reply in unison. Luca rises and offers me his hand to stand up. Reluctantly, at least in my mind, I take it. The heat from his touch sends tingles spiraling though me. Most of me wants so much more than friendship from Luca, but my brain is screaming to walk away.
“What are you doing here, Tabi? I thought you and Davis had a set Friday-night schedule.”
“We do. We’re meeting later. He went out with the guys for an after-work drink. No invite, Cappelli?”
“They invited me, but I already made plans with Willa.” Luca’s voice is without regret for choosing movie night with me.
Tabi casts a look in my direction only I can see to point out Luca and I are still holding hands. Tabi slides open the door, and the dogs rush in.
“What’s his name?” Tabi asks.
“Bogart,” Luca responds, leaning against the sink beside me.
“You love classic movies too?” Tabi asks Luca.
“Yes.”
The look I get from Tabi screams, “Don’t let go of this one.” She’s my bestie. She knows Luca is physically exactly my type. He’s also so much more than I thought. He loves his family so much he sleeps on a couch because his nephew is having a hard time. Yet she knows about my one rule and he breaks it.
“Wil, can I have a word with you in private?”
“Sure. Luca, did you eat?” I ask him.
“Not yet. Thai or Chinese?” he suggests.
“Thai. We’ll be right back.”
Tabi grabs my arm and hustles me back onto the porch.
“What’s going on, Wil?”
“Nothing. Luca gave me a copy of Gone with the Wind, and I invited him to watch it with me.”
“Luca, huh?”
I drop my head.
Tabi sets her hands on my upper arms. “Willa, no one in this world wants you to be happy more than me. You can’t lead him on. If you aren’t going to break your rule, what are you doing?”
“Tabi, I really like him. I may even more than like him. I’m terrified something will happen to him too.”
“As I’ve told you before, I understand why you have your rule, but even though you lost someone in his profession in an awful circumstance doesn’t mean something will happen to him too. Does it matter if he’s your friend or your boyfriend? The upside will be significantly better if he’s your boyfriend. The pain will be the same either way.”
Damn her for making sense. “What should I do, Tabi?”
“Be honest with him. He deserves that much. You were dealt a crappy hand, Wil. Don’t let his job take away the first good thing to happen to you in the last few years.” Tabi gives me a hug and goes inside.
I take a few deep breaths before joining them in the kitchen. I know Tabi’s right, but how do I tell Luca I’m scared and why? More importantly, when?
Chapter Eight
Luca
When Willa invited me over, I wasn’t sure how it would go. I didn’t plan on Tabi showing up; then again, neither did Willa. Now I’ve ordered enough Thai for three and she’s outside with Tabi on the porch.
With as many sisters as I have, I know their conversation is about me. About what? I’m not sure. I would never do anything to hurt Willa.
“Tabi, is she okay?” I ask when she steps into the kitchen.
“She’s fine.”
“I don’t know you very well, but I’m damn good at my job. I know you aren’t being truthful.”
“Look, she needs to tell you what we talked about. Not me. She’ll tell you when she’s ready. At the risk of breaking bestie code, she likes you. Be patient with her.”
“I will.”
As the words leave my lips, Willa rejoins us in the kitchen. Newman lies across her feet when she stands beside me. Bogart lies on the floor beside Newman. He clearly knows his master is upset like I do. My hand is itching to take hers again.
“Where is the DVD, Wil?” Tabi asks.
“By the TV. I’ll grab some plates and drinks and meet you in the living room,” Willa replies, turning toward the cabinets.
Tabi leaves the kitchen, and I hear the crinkling of the wrapper as I turn to help Willa get the plates.
“Are you okay?” I bracket her waist and turn her to face me.
She nods.
“Willa, you do recall I have magic powers, right?”
Her face scrunches up at my question.
“Four sisters, remember. I know better than most men something is on your mind. It wasn’t there before your conversation with Tabi.”
She exhales sharply, setting her hands on my chest. The warmth of her fingertips seeps through my Henley. “It was on my mind before that. Has been since you first asked me on a date. She made me see it from a different angle.”
“Will you tell me?”
“I will but not tonight or even next week.”
“Okay. Please know, whatever it is, we can handle it.” Leaning forward, I press my lips to hers softly, then draw her against me.
Even with Newman on her feet, her curves against me is heaven. I hear the opening music of the movie, and then it stops. I release her, letting my fingers linger on her as long as possible. A flicker of pain crosses her features. She tries but fails to hide it fast enough. Plates and silverware in hand, we join Tabi in the living room, who accepted the food from the delivery guy.
I join Willa on the couch, and Tabi sits on the floor beside the ottoman. Willa restarts the movie once each of us has a mountain of food on our plates. Aside from the clinking of silverware and movie dialogue, the room is silent. Usually I’m perfectly comfortable in the quiet with Willa. Tossing Tabi in the mix messes up the quiet. About halfway through the movie, Tabi clears her plate. After hugging Willa, she leaves to meet Davis.
I lean back in the corner of her couch and open my arms to her. It takes her a millisecond too long in my opinion to move into them. Whatever Tabi said added some distance between us. Despite her reservations, Willa curls up in my arms for the rest of the movie. She feels like she belongs there. Her body fits with mine like she was made for me. I may not be able to call spending time with Willa a date, but it feels like one all the same.
While cleaning the dishes, I catch her staring at me. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Try again, gorgeous.”
I slide my arms around her waist and draw her against me. Her face buried against my shoulder, the scent of her shampoo or lotion drive me insane, a mixture of vanilla and sugar. “I… you… I really like you, Luca. You make me feel like me again.”
“I don’t know what that means, but I’m glad. I really like you too,” I whisper near her ear.
Goose bumps erupt over her exposed skin. She’s dressed comfortably, wearing leggings that leave nothing to the imagination. Trust me, my imagination has definitely mapped every inch of her. Her sweatshirt is old with frayed cuffs and hangs off her shoulders. The sight of her hot pink lace bra strap is tempting. I lower my head and press my mouth to the sweet-smelling curve of her neck. I feel her sigh against me. Drawing back, I slide my hand to the nape of her neck, my thumb against her jaw. “Willa.”
Her gaze lifts to mine. Her eyes are half lidded with lust. She meets me as I close the distance between our lips. Our kiss is tentative at first. Pulling her lower lip between my teeth pushes her from tentative to consumed. The tenor moves from friendly to passionate heat in milliseconds. Her hands slide to my face, our lips fuse together. I explore her mouth with my tongue before she pushes hers into mine. Her fingernails slide down my chest before slipping beneath the hem of my shirt. The heat from only her fingertips is intense. Never has a first kiss felt like this. I travel over to her ear, then down the slope of her neck. The soft sounds falling from her lips tell me a few things. First, she hasn’t been kissed properly in a while, if ever, and second, I want more. So much more.
With that thought, I pull away. I don’t want to push her too far, too fast. Apparently, Willa isn’t ready to stop. Her fingers retrace a path upward until she interlaces them around my neck, she draws me in again. Normally I would fight for control, but with her I don’t feel it’s necessary. For the first time, I don’t feel like I need to guide this interaction. When she’s seemingly satisfied, at least for now, Willa draws her lips away from mine.
“As much as I would like to continue this, I need to go home. I have an early shift tomorrow.”
All she can do is nod. Her lips are pink and swollen from our kisses, and her skin flush.
“Can I have your phone?”
Her fingers drift down my chest and dangerously close to the waist of my jeans as she steps away. The moment she’s out of sight, I adjust myself and calm my breathing and heart rate. The only thing I want is to kiss her again… repeatedly. Everything around me falls away when she’s in my arms. Even more so when we kiss. She returns soon thereafter with her phone in hand.
I take it, then immediately hand it back to her. “Willa, you need to enter your pin.”
“Sorry.” As she takes the phone from my hand, I notice it’s shaking.
“What’s wrong, beautiful?”
“Nothing.”
I raise an eyebrow and start to speak. “Wil—"
“It’s never felt like that before.” Her voice is so soft and low, I strain to hear her.
“For me either.”
She unlocks her phone and gives it back to me. I save my number and text myself, so I have hers. I feel the vibration from the message in my pocket.
“Are you working tomorrow?”
She nods.
“What about Sunday?”
“No.”
“Want to take the dogs for a hike in the morning?” Once the words leave my lips, I almost want to pull them back in case she thinks I’m asking her on a date. I suppose inviting her on a hike could go either way. I’ll take as much time with her as she’ll give me.
“Sure.”
I mask my surprise well, at least in my opinion. “I really should go. I don’t want to, but I should.” Following her lead, we move toward the front door. As we pass the banister, she reaches for my hoodie.
“Here. Thanks for the loan.”
“Keep it. I have more than I use. Thank you for inviting me to watch with you.”
“Thank you for coming.”
I lean forward and brush my lips across hers. “Good night, Willa.”
“Good night, Luca.”
I make it to my car and turn back for the door.
“Forget something?” she asks as I step onto the porch.
I pull her into my arms and kiss her breathless once more. I’ll never tire of this feeling. When I release her, I whisper, “I forgot Bogart.”
“I made you forget your dog?”
“You make me forget my own name when we kiss.” I kiss her softly again and walk out the door with Bogart beside me. If I don’t leave now, I never will. It’s way too soon for me to stay.
Chapter Nine
Willa
Inviting Luca to watch the movie he gave me was partially spoiled by Tabi and her reminder of my concerns. I’m not sure if I can get over my fears of dating a cop. Well, I’m afraid of losing someone again, but is it really about the job? It’s the risk of the job. Even this soon it’ll hurt if something happens to Luca.
I’ve never felt so much from a kiss before. You would think he had me writhing naked beneath him with the sheer heat coursing through me. I refuse to consider how sex will be, especially when kissing Luca is off the charts. My phone chime pulls me out of my head.
Tabi: I’m staying with Davis. I’ll call you in the morning.
Me: Be safe. I have a shift. Night.
While I answer Tabi, a message from Luca comes through. The preview of the message, knowing it’s from him, makes me smile.
Luca: Thank you again for inviting me.
Me: You’re welcome. Thanks for coming. Good night, Luca.
Luca: Good night, beautiful.
Thank goodness he can’t hear me react to him calling me that or any other nickname he creates. My last relationship ended three years ago. Zack and I dated for a little more than a year. Zack never plans on getting married. It should have been a red flag for me since I absolutely do want to get married, despite not having a solid example to use as a model. My dad and his wife were blissfully happy, or at least it’s how he told their story. I have no reason not to believe him, considering he never remarried or even had a long-term relationship after her death. The stories of his marriage and my grandparents’ truly make me believe it’s possible. Unfortunately for me, my adopted paternal grandparents live in Italy and they rarely travel. We have a standing video chat once a month. I love those calls and won’t miss them.
I recheck the doors, set the alarm, and shuck my clothes before crawling into bed. The vivid memory of Luca’s lips on mine lulls me into a sexy dream-filled sleep.
After slamming my alarm to silence it, I change and hustle through my workout. Newman is sitting by the French doors while I down a bottle of water. Weekend shifts could go either way. I know better than to wish for one or the other. If you wish for one, you’ll absolutely get the opposite. After showering and dressing, I make some tea and head out the door.
My phone buzzes while I drive to work, but I ignore it. When I pull into the parking lot, the flashing lights set up the kind of day today will be… chaos, absolute chaos.
I throw my bag into my locker, glove up, and immediately get to work. The EMT is calling out the patient’s vitals and injuries as I join the on-call doctor. He rattles off the tests to order, and I get to work. I focus on my patient’s immediate needs without worrying about anyone new coming in. When my current patient is stable, I move to where I’m needed next. Today, at least the cycle continues until my shift is three quarters over. Once I’m sure I’m able, I move into the break room, inhale my lunch, and check my phone.
Luca: Good morning. Have a great day.
Luca: Can I cook dinner for you tonight?
Me: Sorry. I just got this. It’s busy here. I would like that. What should I bring?
Luca: Newman and your gorgeous smile. Seven work?
Me: I’ll be there.
Luca: See you tonight.
I smile, stash my phone, and head back onto the floor.
“What’s with the smile?” Stacey asks as I grab one of my charts from earlier today.
“Umm, what smile?”
“The one plastered all over your face since you left the break room.” Stacey grabs my forearm, forcing me to look at her.
“Stace, please don’t push.”
“Okay. It needs to be said, you look lighter in the last week or so. Whoever he is, hold on to him. I haven’t seen you like this since… well, ever.”
“Thank you.” I plop into the chair and finish some notes in the chart. Before I know it, my shift is over, and the Luca smile is back on my face.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, I climb the steps at Luca’s. His home is a gorgeous craftsman. The front porch is wide and open, and the landscaping is complete with seasonal flowers. Either Luca has a green thumb or his sisters helped with the landscaping. It wouldn’t surprise me if it were Luca himself though. As I raise my hand to knock, the door flies open and Newman runs inside.
“Hi. How was the rest of your shift?” Luca opens the door, ushering me inside.
Apparently we’re switching wardrobes for tonight. Last night I was wearing comfortable clothes while Luca was casually dressed. Tonight he’s wearing basketball shorts low on his hips and a T-shirt that clings to his chest in the best places. The door barely closes behind me before he kisses me breathless. Being in his arms is exactly where I want to be after today’s shift. I’m glad I didn’t decline his invitation earlier. I seriously considered it.
“It was crazy for most of the day. Tourists are arriving early this year, and they don’t know how to cross the street. How about you?”
“Today was light for me.” He moves back into the kitchen.
I take my time surveying his home as I follow him. It has an open floor plan with a great room in the center open to the kitchen off to the left. The kitchen boasts white cabinetry with stainless fixtures, stainless appliances, and a huge island. The furnishings are a touch more modern than I pegged him for, but it was only me taking my best guess.
“Your home is gorgeous.”
“Even more so with you in it.”
“Luca.” His words get me every time.
“It’s true.”
