Chapter 143: You’re Always Ready For Me

Her jaw dropped. “What? Again? Fuck no!” She tried to scramble off him in a hurry, but the sheet wrapped stubbornly around her legs. She barely made it two inches before it tightened and tangled further, trapping her mid-escape.

Luca burst out laughing.

In one swift motion he caught her wrist, pulled her back, and flipped them so she landed on the mattress with a soft bounce.

Vee giggled helplessly as he climbed over her. “Luca!”

“Even gravity wants you under me,” he said smugly before leaning down to kiss her collarbone.

“Luca…” she tried again, though the protest had already lost half its strength.

Her earlier determination to escape dissolved quickly. The man had an unfair ability to turn her thoughts into complete nonsense with just a touch.

And he knew it.

The smug bastard.

His mouth moved slowly along her skin. His fingers brushed over her nipples.

Vee inhaled sharply.

The small sound made Luca grin against her skin. “Thought you said ’fuck no,’” he murmured.

She groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Luca, I swear to God—”

He gently pulled her wrists away.

“Relax,” he said softly, pressing a kiss to her knuckles as his fingers drifted lower.

The slut in her gave in instantly. It had been twice that night already. Once in the car and then when they returned home from dinner. What in the world was wrong with them?

“You’re always ready for me.” he whispered in her ear as he felt her wetness.

“That’s because you drive me crazy.” Her gaze held his.

“Same here, love. Same here.” He asserted as he slid inside her, riding them both to a place where they never tired of going.

Veronica clutched at his shoulders, her fingers digging lightly into his skin as he moved with her. Luca buried his face against her neck, breathing her in.

Their rhythm slowed, unhurried, neither of them rushing toward an ending. It wasn’t about that tonight. It was about the closeness, the warmth, the quiet reassurance of skin against skin.

*****

The bell above the door jingled softly.

“Welcome to Scalese Pizza parlour, what can I…”

The words froze in her mouth once she identified the man standing at the counter.

Her entire face lit up. “Cassidy!” Valentina shrieked.

The quiet afternoon inside the pizza parlour shattered instantly as she rushed around the counter and threw her arms around him.

Cassidy barely had time to react before she squeezed him tight.

“How are you?!” she demanded, pulling back just enough to look at his face.

“I’m good,” he said with a small laugh. “I’m alright.”

Valentina leaned back, still gripping his arms as she studied him.

“Oh my God, you look different.”

And he did.

The last time she had seen Cassidy, he had looked exactly like what he was—a painfully polite high school teacher who wore pressed button-down shirts and sensible shoes.

Now?

The transformation was… noticeable.

His usual formal, good-guy outfit was gone, replaced by much darker colours. A simple black t-shirt stretched across his shoulders, paired with worn jeans and a dark jacket. His hair was a little longer too, less carefully styled.

But that wasn’t the most shocking thing.

“Is that a tattoo?” Valentina bent forward, squinting at the side of his neck.

Cassidy instinctively stepped back. “Oh—uh—yeah. It’s nothing. I was just playing around with something. Ended up getting it.”

Valentina gave him a weird look, one brow lifting slowly as she studied the small inked design that disappeared beneath the collar of his shirt. Cassidy had never been the tattoo type. In fact, the Cassidy she remembered would have probably lectured someone about the permanence of body art and the importance of “making thoughtful decisions.”

“Is it a heartbreak tattoo?” Valentina asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

“What? No! God no! That Chapter has long since been closed.” His response came quickly, reflexively.

“I’m glad you’re doing great,” she said finally.

“Thanks. I’m guessing your sister isn’t here,” Cassidy said.

Valentina hesitated. “No… she….” She paused, then waved a hand quickly as if brushing the thought away. “You know what… never mind.”

Cassidy tilted his head slightly, giving her a look. “Come on, Val. It’s me. How is she doing?”

“She is good,” Valentina said. “She’s happy.”

Cassidy nodded once. “Good.” His gaze drifted around the pizza parlour then, taking in the familiar space. “The store has gotten some improvement too, I see,”

Valentina brightened immediately. “Yeah, thanks to Luca.” The words slipped out before she could stop them.

The moment they left her mouth, her hand flew up to cover it.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“I swear to you, Val,” he said calmly, “I’m okay with all of it. I just came by to get a pizza. Been missing the Scalese touch.”

“Your usual?”

“Yeah. My usual.” Cassidy gave her a small smile.

Valentina nodded and hurried back around the counter, grabbing the tablet to enter the order. Her fingers moved quickly across the screen, but the excitement bubbling in her chest was impossible to hide.

“Oh my God!” she started as she rounded the counter once more. “Vee is going to flip when I tell her.” She glanced up at him while finishing the order. “I haven’t been seeing you at mass and I kind of got worried.”

“Wasn’t exactly feeling Christian.” Cassidy smiled.

“Are you sure you are doing okay?” Val asked once more, passing the printed sheet to Rosa.

Rosa took it without looking up, already moving toward the kitchen.

“Val, your sister is not the only woman in the world.”

“I know… I know,” she said. “But don’t fault me for worrying about you. I did like you when you were going out with her.”

Back then, Cassidy had fit so naturally into their lives. He was polite, dependable.

It had felt safe.

“Now that I think about it,” she continued, leaning her hip against the counter, “you were her first boyfriend ever.”

Cassidy’s mouth curved into a small, thoughtful smile. “I guess she stepped up real nice then, uhn?” he said.

(Hi. Please if you would like to beta read the first few Chapters of a new novel by me, please, please, please, I would appreciate it. Just let me know where to send it.)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep