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Chapter fifty-five

Samara

H e really set all of this up. For me.

Luca De Laurentiis surprises me at every turn, and it annoys me to no end. I almost wish I could forget his past, but unfortunately, ignorance is only bliss to those who are ignorant themselves. Though, I also think there’s something to be said about growing and maturing. He’s shown me in the last few months that he’s done a lot of that. Maybe it’s my turn to do the same.

I settle in on the cushioned lounge chair. As the sun heats my skin and the light breeze whisks by, I finally feel myself start to genuinely relax for the first time since we arrived.

I open my book to where I had left off, but I can’t seem to focus. Doing my best to ignore the feeling of being watched, I finally give up, glancing in Luca’s direction. He’s lounging in one of the chairs opposite me, but with his sunglasses on, it’s difficult to tell if he’s actually looking at me or not.

Hopefully, the same can be said for my sunglasses because I can’t seem to look away. Luca appears like he was carved from marble. Every tan abdominal muscle chiseled out, one by one with extreme care. He looks damn near radiant and entirely relaxed as he rests with his arms behind his head, showing off his impressive biceps.

I avert my gaze back to my book, mortification seeping in. God, I need to get laid.

Doing my best to keep my mind focused on the book in front of me, I pay extra close attention to each word, and it does nothing to settle me.

Regrettably, I left off at the scene where the enemies just became lovers. The tension has been building this entire book, and finally, they’ve given in to their desires.

The FMC has a strong personality, and she’s confident, which is definitely why I like her so much. Throughout the entirety of this book, they’ve been battling for dominance, and the words written across the page now are no different.

Even during the spicy scenes, she’s demanding, and for once, he gives in rather than talking back or doing the opposite of what she wants.

I glance back over the top of my book, and even with sunglasses on, I can feel the heat from his gaze crawling over my skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

I start reading again, hoping to get sucked in and away from my current reality, but with every turn of the page, it’s becoming more and more unbearable to lie here.

“Always so demanding,” he tsks, but for once, he does as I say. He’s on his knees, crawling to me, and goddamn, is it a fucking turn-on. Heat sears through me, zipping down my spine as it pools in my core. I clench around nothing as I wait with anticipation for his body to finally be on mine.”

My thighs squeeze tightly together, my core pulsating with need the further I read. This is torture.

I can feel the wetness between my legs, and I’m praying that Luca can’t see it. But when I look up over the book again, I know he does. He’s got his bottom lip clamped so tightly between his teeth that it must be on the verge of drawing blood, and when my eyes skate down his torso, his massive erection gives him away. He’s been watching my every move and my perusal of his incredible body.

Fuck.

“Wanna go for a swim, princess? Maybe cool off a bit?” he asks, calling over to me.

This is a bad idea. Regardless, I slam my book shut, tossing it onto the table beside me as I stand, removing my sheer cover-up and descending the steps into the pool.

As expected, Luca jumps in with no preparation. Water sloshes along the sides of the small pool, jostling me.

When he emerges from under the water, he’s just a few feet from me, dripping as he brushes his hair back away from his face.

He gives me a knowing, cocky smile as he stands in front of me.

“How’s your book?” he asks.

“It’s good,” I start, clearing my throat. “Very, uh, enlightening,” I finish.

“Enlightening, you say?” he asks mockingly. “Maybe I’ll have to borrow it sometime then.” He winks, further invading my space.

Backing myself up against the wall of the pool, I think of a response, but nothing believable comes to me, so instead, I own up to it. “Enlightening wasn’t the right word,” I tell him as he further encroaches on my space, and I have nowhere to go this time.

The smooth pool tiles behind my back act as a reminder of that.

“It wasn’t, huh? Then what is the right word, Samara?” he asks, testing me.

I’ve dug my own grave. Time to lie in it. “It was hot .”

He quirks a dark brow at me, and a teasing smirk coasts his lips. “Hot?” He places either hand on the edge of the pool behind me, boxing me in. My chest is heaving with the effort it takes to focus, not wanting to fully give away how goddamn turned on I am.

My pulse is at a sprint, nearly singing beneath my skin the closer he leans in.

“I’d love to know what’s making you so hot, principessa,” he says, his lips merely an inch from mine as he bends to meet my height.

My core is clenching, and I must’ve officially lost my mind because I’m the one who set boundaries, and here I am, ready to break them all because I’m turned on by a book.

Yeah, Samara. A book. Even I know I’m lying.

“Come on, enlighten me. I’m sure whatever’s in that book, I could make come true and do it a thousand times better than your imagination,” he taunts.

I’m sure he could. That’s the problem.

His lips are a millimeter from mine now. I can feel his warm breath and practically taste him. My body reacts to him as if my brain has no say in the matter. I tilt my head back, finally ready to give in. One good orgasm , and we can pretend this never happened at all.

His hands slip into the pool and drag down my sides, pulling me against him. I feel his heavy length slip between my legs, pressing against my clit. My head tilts farther back, and a whimper pushes through my lips. Rocking my hips into him, I release a long sigh, ready for the pleasure I know only he would ever be able to give me.

I slide my hands over his shoulders and wind my legs around his waist, further rubbing my center along him. He lets out a moan that has my whole body coiled so tightly I’m ready to burst.

Luca grips my ass, crushing me to his solid body, and just as our lips are about to meet, music blares from behind us, jolting me back into reality. 1 My eyes are wide with shock as I realize what we were just about to do. What I was just about to let happen.

“Shit,” Luca says, climbing out of the pool, not even using the steps as he gets out in two seconds flat.

He towels off his hands quickly and grabs for the phone, bringing it to his face. As soon as the music stops, a brilliant smile spreads across his lips.

“Hi, Gia, mia bambina ,” he coos into the phone. “Did you enjoy the park?” he asks her, but Cecily answers.

“We didn’t do much, obviously, but she seemed to enjoy being outside at least,” she tells him, and it feels like I’m intruding again.

I get out of the pool quickly, rushing to grab my towel and dry off before taking myself and my book back inside.

“One second,” I hear Luca say, and a moment later, his hand is at the base of my spine. “You stay and read. I’ll talk with Gia inside so you can enjoy the pool,” he tells me, redirecting me to my seat.

Kind and considerate Luca is a dangerous drug.

1. Cut the Cord — Shinedown