Page 6 of Perfectly Leashed
“Good?” Luca asked.
Darcy nodded, suddenly unsure if Luca meant the coffee. “Great.”
Meatball pawed at his jeans, breaking the moment. Darcy shot the dog a playful glare. “Patience, buddy.”
“He’s eager.” Luca leaned down, scratching the pit bull affectionately. “Probably because you’re calmer today.”
“Calm?” Darcy laughed dryly. “Tell that to my pounding heart.”
Letting off steam in the shower yesterday helped. Darcy needed to stop thinking about what he’d done. He felt his face heating up remembering how naughty he’d been.
Luca’s smile deepened. “You hide it well.”
Darcy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Years of practice.”
They walked slowly, leashes slack in Luca’s capable hands. Darcy found himself mirroring Luca’s easy stance—loose arms, steady breathing—even as nerves tangled inside him. But something smelled different today. The guy had clearly put in some effort. A faint spicy cologne teased Darcy’s senses, subtle enough to make him question if he imagined it.
He stole another glance, noticing Luca’s hair combed neatly back from his face, not hidden beneath yesterday’s grime. Was that for him? Even if it wasn’t, Darcy would make himself believe it was true.
“So, how’d you get into mechanics?” he asked, breaking a silence that threatened to fill with his restless thoughts. “Always liked cars?”
“Pretty much born with grease under my nails. My uncle owned a shop. Raised me in it.” Luca took a sip of his coffee, his gaze darting to the dogs. He had a sexy profile, and Darcy was dying to run his teeth over Luca’s facial hair.
“Your parents?” he asked, forcing his gaze away.
“Never really knew them.” Luca’s tone stayed casual, shoulders relaxed as if it wasn’t a big deal. Darcy knew better. Casual usually meant well-practiced. “My uncle stepped in, taught me everything I know.”
They walked in quiet again, comfortable rather than awkward. Darcy absorbed Luca’s words, connecting dots carefully. Family without parents. Uncle instead of father. He understood how hollow spaces echoed differently for everyone.
“Sorry,” he finally said. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“You didn’t.” Luca bumped an arm gently against Darcy’s. “It’s okay to ask.”
They rounded a corner, Atlas suddenly stiffening. Darcy saw the squirrel seconds later, perched smugly on a low branch. His fingers tightened reflexively, bracing for impact.
“Relax.” Luca’s voice came low, calm against Darcy’s ear. “You got this.”
He sucked in a quick breath as Luca moved behind him. Warm, strong hands settled on his shoulders, firm pressure kneading tension loose from his muscles. Darcy’s chest tightened at the intimacy, heart thudding wildly. Massaging circles on his back, Luca left him aching in ways he couldn’t explain.
“He feels your tension. Relax your arms. Breathe.”
Easy for you to say. Darcy inhaled slowly, fingers easing their death-grip on the leash. Atlas’s hackles lowered, stance easing almost immediately.
“See?” There was a smile in Luca’s voice. “He’s watching your cues.”
Darcy nodded dumbly, breath shallow, hyper-aware of Luca’s chest at his back and the steady breaths brushing his neck. “Sorry,” he whispered. “Habit.”
“No need to apologize.” Luca’s hands remained, thumbs moving lightly against shoulder blades. “You lost someone, too?”
The question threw Darcy, and it took him a moment to realize what the guy was talking about. Those hands were playing havoc with his senses.
“My mom. Few years back.” Darcy swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that always showed up whenever he talked about her. No matter how much time passed, the ache never went away. Darcy had loved her so much. She’d been his best friend, and when she’d died, it had shattered something deep inside of him.
“I’m sorry.” Luca’s voice deepened with genuine sympathy.
Darcy shrugged weakly. “Dad and Grandma try, but...things changed. Family got smaller. It just doesn’t feel the same anymore.”
“Sometimes family grows differently,” Luca murmured, hands finally easing away, though warmth lingered.
