Page 55 of Amore
FRANKIE
Nick:I heard you were attacked in your house. Are you okay?
I rolled my eyes and put my phone down with a sigh. With the attack and Candace more than likely slashing all of Luke’s tires, Nick was the last person I wanted to speak to. I’d already spoken with my parents to assure them I was okay and let them know Luke was helping me stay safe. They tried to avoid tabloids because they knew it was more than likely false information, except now, it was true. Mom asked me about the coffee shop photo, and I explained it was taken when Luke and I had reconnected.
“Everything okay?” Luke asked as we sat on the couch watching a baseball game. Well, he was watching the game. I was looking for houses on my phone.
“Yeah. Just Nick, all concerned about me now.”
Luke turned his head quickly. “Nick Jennings?”
“Yeah.” I blew out a breath. “Guess he saw the story that was leaked.”
“Whatever happened with you two?”
I lifted a shoulder. “He ghosted me after Sensation and apparently got back with his ex.”
“Are you”—Luke cleared his throat—“upset about that?”
“Not at all.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
I set my phone on the coffee table and, seizing the moment, straddled his hips. “Does this look like I’m upset?”
His hands went to my hips, and he shook his head with a grin. “Nope. Don’t think so.”
“And this?” I leaned down and placed my lips against his. Licking the seam, he opened his mouth, and I slid my tongue in, tasting and exploring freely.
“Nope. Definitely not,” he said after we kissed for a few seconds.
“I like that we can do this now,” I admitted with a smile.
“Me too.” He went in for another kiss, his hands sliding up my sides.
I stilled and broke away from his mouth as images of the night before came back.
“Franks?”
I shook my head slowly, then rested my forehead against his. “Please tell me it won’t always be like this?”
“Another flashback?”
I nodded, not removing my head from his.
“I can’t tell you it won’t be, but you have to know I would never do anything to hurt you.”
I pulled back but stayed on his lap. “I know. Hopefully, it’s because it just happened.”
“Yeah, but also, we can take this slow. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know.” I sighed, my heart swelling at his affirmation. “But I’ve wanted this for forever.”
Luke grinned. “Me too.”
He held me as I stayed in his lap, the baseball game playing in the background. After some time, he said, “I’m going to kiss you as much as I can, but I won’t let it get hot and heavy. That can be your call, okay?”
“All right.” I placed my head on his shoulder. I didn’t want to think about the guy who broke into my house while I was kissing Luke. That guy hadn’t kissed me at all, but as Luke and I kissed and his hands touched me as though he was going to remove my shirt, I thought about being naked, and the last time I was fully naked, I had a stranger pinning me to my bed.
