Page 101 of Moonlight & Matrimony
Luca types the address into the GPS and pulls away from the curb, leading us down the road towards the small tree farm on the outskirts of Oak Ridge. I watch Luca’s hands flexing on the steering wheel, my thoughts spiraling to those hands doing much more salacious things. He must feel me staring at him because he reaches out to stroke my thigh, and it has goosebumps erupting over my flesh at the gentle brush of his fingers over my jeans.
In an attempt to distract myself from the heat building in my core, I turn my focus to the changing landscape. All the air whooshes out of me as we near a familiar overpass. Suddenly, my vision blurs and my body begins to shake uncontrollably, my mind thrust back into the past.
“Fuck. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize…” Luca’s voice is muddled, and we’ve stopped moving.
“Mommy?” Rylin’s voice is frantic as my door swings open.
“She’s okay, Bug. Just give us a minute, alright?”
“Okay.”
In one swift motion, my belt is unbuckled, and I’m being pulled outside by a pair of strong arms. My legs wrap around Luca’s waist as I bury my face in his collar, soaking in his woodsy scent.
“Breathe, sweetheart. Stay with me. Tell me five things you can see.”
I scan my surroundings, a shiver racking my body as I avoid looking at the creek bed below. “Trees. Road. Truck. Sky. Rylin.”
“Good girl.” Luca places me back on my feet, cupping my cheeks as his eyes lock on mine. “Now, four things you can touch.”
“Mittens. Jacket. Hat. You.” As the cold bite of the winter breeze settles over my exposed face, my breathing begins to steady.
“Three things you can hear?”
“Engine. Wind. Breathing.”
“Two things you can smell.”
“Sawdust and winter.”
“Winter?” he asks with a chuckle.
“Shut up! The seasons have a smell. You should know that, Canada.”
“Ok. And one thing you can taste?”
My gaze flicks to his lips and back to his eyes, silently asking for permission. He nods and brings his lips down to mine in a gentle featherlight kiss.
“You,” I whisper.
Luca
I fucked up. Spectacularly. We stand like that for a few minutes, Ivy slowly coming back to herself after what looked like a particularly brutal panic attack. Once she’s steady, I lead her back to the truck.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, buckling Ivy into the passenger seat. “We can just go home.”
I’m just about to close the door when she stops me with a hand on my forearm. “No. I don’t want to let this ruin my life anymore. I have to get past this. Let’s go get our tree.”
Fuck, she’s so goddamn strong.
“Ok. If you’re sure.” I brush a strand of hair away from her forehead.
Her expression turns tender as she squeezes my arm.“I am. Get in the truck, Bossy.”
I chuckle, taking the use of the playful nickname as a good sign.
“What about this one?” I ask, pointing to a tall fraser fir. Rylin stares at the tree, assessing its form with her mitten glad hand tapping at her chin. I can't help but grin at her.
“Nope.” She dismisses the tree without a backward glance, skipping off down a path between the evergreens.
