Page 109 of All at Once

Luca’s voice turns deeper. “I don’t see what I’m doing wrong if nothing happened between us, which you also made very clear.”

My chest tightens. “Well seeing how quickly you can move on makes me stand by what I said.”

“Move on fromwhat?” He raises his brows at me. “An actual conversation that we had agreeing that we were both just tired?”

Our eye contact is so intense that actual embers could fly out both our pupils at any second. Or at least from my eyes as I stand in a pool of frustration, watching him pour his two drinks. After he’s done, he turns toward me. “And for the record, she’s just a friend. And we’renotdating,” he says before walking away.

Now I feel shitty.Again.

This is the first time in my entire life where I actuallywanta drink. I don’t think I’ve ever had a shot this eagerly. Or two for that matter. As if it wasn’t enough for my inexperienced body, I finish it all with one beer.

My throat is burning at this point, but it’s nothing compared to what my heart’s currently experiencing.

I slump onto a chair outside, while I watch Enrique talk to a group of his friends like it’s his job to entertain this group of people. It hasn’t left my attention that as usual he hasn’t tried to talk to me for more than a few minutes right when we got here. Then I remember how he was at the last party, where it might haveseemedlike he was with me for the majority of it. When in reality he was just introducing me to his friends, then mainly focusing on them.

Putting my empty beer bottle onto the grass, I get up when I notice Luca going inside the house. I feel a little dizzy as the alcohol hits my body all at once, but I continue until I spot him in the hallway. I walk up to him and poke his back with my index finger, the pressure throughout my body building from the contact.

He turns around with frustration burning in his eyes. Even more than earlier.

It makes my skin feel all tingly as I tilt my face up toward him. “You don’t need to work out as much as you do,” I say. “Your back’s pretty solid to me.”

When his brows furrow, mine quickly mimic his confused expression. “Are you drunk?” he says.

“No. Why would I be drunk? I hate drinking,” I remind him. “Are you dumb?”

“You’re definitely drunk.”

I poke his chest. “I am many things butnotdrunk.”

Luca exhales deeply. “Here. Come with me.”

My eyes light up when he holds my hand, the heat only building all over my skin. “Are we going back to your apartment?” I ask.

“No. We’re going to the guest room,” he says. “I think it’s the next door down.”

“To do what?” I play with his hair, and then hold in my whimper at how soft it feels.

Then I frown, no, almost grumble, when he gently moves my hand away from his head.

Once we’re in the room, Luca says, “Please don’t leave. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” I say, while getting on the bed.

A few minutes later, Luca comes back inside with a few cups in his hands. I prop up on my elbow as my mouth drops open. “You brought me a drink? You’re so sweet.”

He looks at me as if he doesn’t even understand how this happened, while handing me the cups. “It’s just some water and lemon juice. It’ll help you rehydrate.”

I look into his eyes and pout. “I told you I’m not drunk. I’venevereven been drunk before. Why don’t you remember?”

“Idoremember, but you are drunk right now. And if you want to not be drunk this will help you.”

I scowl at him and put the drinks on the nightstand. “Maybe I want to be drunk then?”

“Okay. Suit yourself. But I’m not leaving,” he says, before he sits down onto the floor, tilting his head back against the wall.

My heartbeat continues to thud as I press my hands onto my forehead in growing frustration. “Why do you keep doing this to me?”

“We can talk about this later, Jasmine.”

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