Page 21 of Sucker Love (Sugar Pill Duet #1)

“That’s not true.” Luca bundles me into his arms, and he lays a kiss on my forehead as I close my eyes against the tears that spill forth.

“That is definitely not true. Don’t say that.

” His thumbs wipe my cheeks, and my hands come up to take his wrists.

“Let’s take a shower,” he says softly. “Okay? I’ll get you cleaned up. And then I’ll feed you. ”

I shut my mouth and nod.

The shower is a tight squeeze; it’s not meant for two full-grown adults to occupy at once. We manage it, anyway.

I let Luca soap me up and he’s so impossibly gentle and tender with me, kindness I don’t deserve when all I’ve done is freak the fuck out, didn’t even touch him or do anything for him.

He keeps telling me how beautiful I am and I have to tell him to shut up, but it’s hard to do with a straight face because he is so damn cute with me, and I can feel my lips curling at the corners despite myself.

“That’s better,” he tells me, smiling back.

What’s better is that I get to do it, too.

Get to lather him all up beneath my fingers, watch the suds and water run rivulets over his lean and tattooed form, and this is what I really like.

Touching him. I love it, actually. I haven’t gotten to do nearly enough of this the times we’ve been intimate.

I trace along the edges of his tattoos, marveling, following down his throat, his chest, his sides and hips and thighs.

There is very little of him that isn’t tattooed—the only spots free are his stomach, face and back.

“Having fun?” His voice has taken on that low, rough quality again.

I’m arousing him. I can tell by the way that thick cock of his is stirring again as my palms slide down his hips, thumbs brushing the trail of hair that descends from his navel.

My own libido roars back to life in defiance of my post-coital crash out.

I could get on my knees here and run my tongue along the inside of his thighs, up and up and up.

It’s such a strong mental image I have to hide my face against his neck, where it fits so perfectly. I nuzzle my favorite tattoo of his, the lunar moth with its wings spread across his throat. “Yes. You’re really sexy.”

He covers my roaming hands with his. “Nice try. Don’t think we should go again just yet.”

But it’s a waste, isn’t it? Being in here like this and not even getting to do something about it.

And I still owe him. I just press closer and sigh and let my palms slide up his chest, where I can feel his steady heartbeat, and he smoothes my hair back from my face.

And this is nice too, maybe, I think. Nicer than the nothing I am used to.

Nicer than him abandoning me to stuff his face or ignore me altogether.

“You’re okay?” he asks me. “Feeling a little better now?”

“I think so.” I do not feel like the worst person on earth anymore.

I don’t feel like a dirty, evil whore. He isn’t discarding me, he’s doing the opposite: holding me close, telling me I’m pretty and sweet.

He still wants me; the half-hard dick against my stomach tells me so. “I didn’t mean to ruin it.”

“Nothing’s ruined. I’m just worried about you. If I messed something up or hurt you, I want to know. I need you to tell me.”

“You didn’t .” I look up at him, snagging his gaze with my own. “I really liked it, Luca. It was so fucking hot. It was the hottest thing anyone’s ever done with me.”

“But you’d tell me if it wasn’t , right?” He cups my cheek. “Promise me you will actually use those safe words, if you need them. I’m just going with what feels good in the moment, what I think we’ll both like.”

“And I think we’re aligned on that.” I know my gaze is nothing short of adoring as I stare into his handsome, earnest face.

And it’s only made more gorgeous by the way the water slicks his hair back, baring all that beautiful bone structure.

His cheekbones and jawline might as well be carved from marble.

“Luca, I promise it was good. ” I hesitate, then decide to try honesty.

“Sometimes I feel so awful. After, I mean. With anyone. It has nothing to do with you. It happens almost every time. I just feel like this awful, dirty person no matter how badly I wanted it.”

His mouth quirks to one side. “Then why don’t you let me take care of you?”

“Because I didn’t get to take care of you . ”

“What do you mean? We both had fun, we both got off. Now we both wind down together.”

“But Luca, I didn’t do any work ,” I protest.

“Is that what this is about?” He raises his eyebrows at me.

“Noel, it’s your birthday. And I really like doing things to you, if you couldn’t tell from the way I came all over your face.

Try to trust me a little going forward, if we’re going to keep doing this.

Okay?” He kisses the top of my head. “Do you want to eat?”

So it was because it was my birthday. I guess that makes sense, to let me off the hook for that.

And if he’s handing out favors because of that, I’ll make one last request. “I want to stay like this a little longer. If it’s okay.

” My voice is very small when I request this and then I hold my breath because a sudden terror seizes me.

That he will tell me no. Oh, I regret asking already because wasn’t this enough?

We’ve spent enough time in here already, touching and washing up, and our fingers are getting all pruny and there’s still that food he made to eat.

“Or maybe not,” I add quickly. “Never mind?—”

Luca ignores that last part and puts his arms around me, drawing me in closer. “We can,” he murmurs. “No problem at all.”

I nudge my nose beneath his jaw and close my eyes.

I feel something very close to happy.