fierce and beautiful, fucking sexy.” Luka closed his eyes, inhaling deep as his nostrils flared. “And totally off limits.” He dropped Gia’s hair and jerked his gaze at her. “I wasn’t lying to you. You have no clue what you could have. The effect you have…”
Gia’s breath felt thick, as though something had become embedded in the oxygen in her lungs, but she didn’t move as Luka inched closer, lifting a hand to smooth the tip of one finger across her cheek. “Took everything in me not to touch.” She held her breath, heartbeat like a runner’s now as Luka moved his hand, threading his fingers between her thick hair. “Took everything in me not to touch you from the first time I saw you.” Gia opened her mouth, but didn’t speak, not when Luka shook his head, not when he gave her the same, no-excuse shrug that told her enough that he was being honest. “Standing out there among all those knuckle head men that have no idea what to make of you. Looking proud and bold.” He moved closer, his thigh touching hers. “You looked like you belonged. Like you were made to be on that field, like no man would ever tell you to stand back.”
“I’m…just starting at the bottom.”
He shook his head like he wouldn’t hear her making excuses and Gia exhaled, letting her smile stretch and that swell of pride in her chest keep her sated and warm. “You know, my kuku…” he grinned at Gia’s confused frown, amending immediately, “My grandfather always says the bottom is a good place to start. It gives you a steady foundation.” He moved Gia’s chin up with a knuckle and his breath fanned out across her face. “Fearless,” he said, sounding awed.
Gia forgot how to breathe, could only manage to let small sounds that were small noises of anticipation leave her mouth. “Luka…”
The name came out a plea and prayer but got cut off as he pulled Gia down against the mattress. He hovered over her, keeping her still with one large hand against her face. “You tell me to stop, I stop. You tell me to never stop, I fucking won’t.” He leaned still closer, warm, wet lips grazing once against her mouth. “Your call.” Then, just like he’d slipped into every waking dream Gia had ever had about this moment, Luka dipped over her, taking his time, teasing her mouth with the curve of his bottom lip and the soft, wet tip of his tongue before he finally kissed her.
It was slow and still, wet and hot with just enough pressure that she felt the contours of his lips, but not overwhelmed by how he guided her, led them both. Luka moved himself on top of her, holding her face up to get a better angle of her mouth as he adjusted his heavy body so that he held most of his own weight on his free hand and right thigh.
Gia relaxed into his touch, loving the sensation of his warm breath against her face and the weight of his strong body over her. Luka groaned, seeming to like her nails moving up his back as she responded to his kiss and her leg curling around his as he moved them closer together.
He tasted like mocha and mint and smelled like fall—woodsmoke and apple spice. It was everywhere on campus this time of year and the deeper Luka kissed her, the more Gia got lost.
When she pressed close, tugging on his waist, pulling him nearer, aching to feel all of him, Luka let out a long, grunting breath, balancing on both palms as he stared down at her.
“My brother…” he started, adjusting to rub his face like he needed to clear away the muddled thoughts clogging his head before he focused on her again. “Kona has gotten himself entangled.”
“Um… okay.” Gia didn’t know why Luka had chosen that exact moment to discuss Kona and Keira but didn’t ask him why he was mentioning his twin.
He hesitated, glancing at her face before he shook his head and for some reason Gia couldn’t name, she was reminded of Kona’s warning about Luka from just days ago. “I…I got no plans to be entangled,” he told her.
The muscles of Gia’s face tightened when she frowned and she sat up, pushing away from Luka to watch his expression. It was mild, his eyebrows wrinkled together making him look older than he was but he didn’t hurry to explain himself or