Page 129 of All at Once

His hands move to the ends of my dress, pulling the fabric up agonizingly slowly.“¿Quieres que te toque?”

I gasp. “I don’t know what you justsaid, butyes.”

He meets my eyes with his now inky sapphire ones. “You want me to touch you?”

I barely nod, and then tilt my neck up when his fingers trace up my legs as my dress moves up with them. He rests his hands on the sides of my upper thighs, when I hear his almost raspy voice by my ear. “Where?”

And then theloveliestthing happens.

My fucking phone has to fucking ring right now ofallfucking moments. FUCK.

I groan. “The only person who calls me twice in a row ever is my mom.”

Luca removes his hands from underneath my dress to my extreme dismay as I struggle to keep my weight upright. He looks at me, a bit concerned, but also trying to regain his composure as well. “Maybe it’s an emergency?” he says, his voice still scratchy from our tragically-interrupted hookup.

I grumble to myself for even bringing up my mom of all people right now. It just slipped out of my lips since I’m not exactly thinking the most logically right now. My body achingly moves off his as he stretches his neck.

It’s almost like we sigh in unison on what could have just happened.

I check my phone, then mumble to myself when it reallyismy mom. “If I don’t call her back, she will keep calling me until I answer.”

“Don’t worry. Go talk to her. It’s getting late anyway.” He checks his phone, raising his brows. “Shit. It’s already 3 am.”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “Next time my phone’s going on silent.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’ll see you in a few hours anyway.”

“Oh shit, we’re surfing tomorrow, right.” His lips made me temporarily forget about anythingbeforehis kiss. Rememberingwhen we have to wake up, I groan even louder. “Do we really have to get up at 7?”

“If you want to feel the fresh salt air right in the morning,” he exaggerates.

“And if I don’t want to?” I mock.

“Goodnight.” Luca kisses my lips so softly that it makes me want to throw my phone into the ocean, and just pull him in again.

CHAPTER 21

“Jump Then Fall (Taylor’s Version)” – Taylor Swift

WHILE MY IRRATIONAL FEAR OF the ocean hasn’t fully escaped me, I’ve been anticipating going into the water, now having some surfing knowledge under my belt.

But my excitement isn’t enough to mask how tired I still am as I open the door to find Luca grinning wider than my half-asleep mind and body can handle at the moment.

“Good morning,” he says with plenty of energy for the both of us.

“It would have been if I got another three hours of sleep,” I reply grumpily, then perk up a little when I notice what he’s wearing. A white t-shirt, olive-green swim trucks, and black Ray-Bans.

“Don’t worry,” he says. “The ocean will wake you up.”

“I was thinking a donut would be more effective but okay, great. Can’t wait.” I put on my sunglasses, while I continue to sleepwalk.

“We can get some pastries before we go if you want?” he suggests.

“How about we get the pastries and come back andsleep?”

“There’s no time for sleep this week. You can sleepnextweek. C’mon.”

Luca takes my hand with purpose, leading us toward the main restaurant and then the beach as I daydream about the implications of his comment.

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