Page 72 of Tinsel in Telluride

“Luca—”

“Do you mean it?” The desperation in his voice kills me, even as it confirms there are pieces to this situation I’m missing. “Any of it. All of it. Do you mean it?”

I shoot him a light-hearted grin meant to reassure him. “Which part? That you have a delicious pussy to eat at home or that I’d fight for you?”

“Both.”

I look him dead in the eye, just like he does when he wants to make sure I’m hearing him.

“Every word.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

LUCA

The way I see it, we have two choices.

Pretend Leigh didn’t just offer to let me devour her sweet cunt and instead eat a real meal here in town, or throw her over my shoulder and get her pretty little ass back on the gondola to a very empty guesthouse.

I know which I’d prefer.

Even if it is counterproductive to the reason I brought her out tonight.

The plan was to let her in. To tell her the truth. If I wasn’t nervous as hell before, I am now. I’m fucking terrified to admit I’m not as put together as I pretend to be. And after Leigh all but claimed me in front of an entire restaurant, now she’s looking up at me with those full red lips that I know look incredible wrapped around my cock. Why the hell would I choose to talk?

Leigh huffs an adorable laugh and takes a step forward. “Stop thinking so hard, Luca.”

“I would if I could, but I’m not sure what to think.” It’s the understatement of the year.

She weaves her arms around my waist and, with all the confidence she’s been missing, says, “Let’s just take it one moment at a time. How about that?”

I don’t react. Don’t sweep her up in my arms like I’m dying to. “What does that mean? Because you’re confusing the hell out of me. I’m not sure if this is a test and I’m supposed to walk away, or if you really want me.”

Her tongue darts out and wets her bottom lip. “It’s not a test.”

“Fuck, Little Thief.” I breathe, my breath forming a cloud between us. “I need you to tell me what you want.”

Her glacier eyes flash with hunger as she lifts her hands and loops them around my neck. “I’ve done a lot of thinking today. A lot of reflecting. And right now, I want you to take me home, Luca.”

Hope blooms in my chest. Followed by vivid images of all the things I’ve only let myself consider in dreams.

This is really happening.

I don’t know what the hell all her thinking and reflecting has to do with it, because all I hear is she wants me.

Me.

I swallow past the rising emotion in my throat, and give her one last chance to stop this. “What about our talk?”

The last thing I want to do is fuck this up. I need to know I’m not overstepping. Not pushing too hard, or too fast.

“Words are just words, and the past is the past. Eventually, I want your story, but you’ve shown me the man you are now and that’s enough for me.”

That’s all the encouragement I need.

My hands tangle in her hair and my mouth slants over hers. She doesn’t hesitate to open for me.

I groan as our tongues tangle, and Leigh grinds her hips against my already painfully hard cock.

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