Chapter 65 Aria
I had just finished homework when I heard the soft scrape of my window opening. My stomach lurched like a storm was about to hit, and I was standing right in the middle of it. A shadow slipped inside, familiar and impossible to ignore.
“Luca?” I whispered, heart already hammering.
He grinned. His wet hair was plastered to his forehead from the drizzle outside. His hoodie stuck to him, one sleeve half zipped and the other hanging loose. His dark eyes flicked nervously toward my door. “Needed a place to hide,” he murmured, voice low and rough in that way that made my knees weak.
“Hide from what?” I asked, though I didn’t really care. My chest was already tight and every nerve was on edge.
“Nothing.” His gaze landed on my bed, and I felt the pull in my stomach. “Just for now.”
I motioned him over with a small wave of my hand. “Careful. Mom’s working late, but if she comes up early…”
“I know,” he said. And then, like a boy who had been through hell on the field, he collapsed onto the bed, careful with his bruised ribs. He was half shirtless, the hoodie falling open, revealing deep purples and angry reds across his chest and shoulders. I wanted to touch, to trace them, and memorize every mark but fear of hurting him kept me frozen.
“I didn’t have to come here,” he said, shifting so his leg brushed against mine. That brush sent a jolt straight down to my stomach.
“You wanted to,” I said softly, trying to sound casual. “And someone had to make sure you don’t do anything dumb.”
“Already did,” he groaned, wincing when his ribs protested.
I crawled closer, careful not to jostle him. My thigh brushed his, the heat radiating from him straight into me. “Moron,” I whispered. Settling beside him, I let my hands find his, fingers lacing together like we’d done it a hundred times before.
“Better with you here,” he muttered, his voice husky.
I felt the thick pull between turning electric. Leaning in felt natural and necessary. His hand came up, cupping my cheek, thumb brushing along my jaw. I tilted my head, my breath coming out in heavy breaths and my heart hammering.
Our mouths met soft at first and testing. Then he sighed into me and everything shifted. Our tongues brushed, slow and exploratory. I pressed closer, straddling his lap, careful around the bruises but reckless enough that it didn’t matter. His hands tangled in my hair, tugging gently, tilting my head back. I gasped, swallowed it, and kissed him harder, deeper.
My hands slid down his bare shoulders, tracing his arms and muscle flexing under my touch. He groaned against my mouth, a low sound that vibrated straight into my chest.
“Aria…” he rasped. “Ribs…”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, pressing into him again.
His hands slid under my sweater with palms flat against my back. I arched against him, heat building low in my belly. My fingers roamed over his chest, careful around bruises but curious everywhere else. His stomach jumped when my fingers brushed just under the waistband of his sweats.
He pulled back just enough to trail open-mouthed kisses down my neck. His teeth grazed my neck where his lips sucked a sensitive spot with my fingers tangled in his hair. My breath hitched with every scrape and suckle, with a desperate moan slipping out.
I felt him tense, his hands now exploring under my sweater. My chest rose in quick shallow breaths. He paused, looked at me with lips swollen, eyes dark and wide.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he breathed.
I yanked him back to me, my need urgent. Our hips were now grinding and reckless. His fingers gripped my hips pulling me flush against him. I pressed harder, rocking against him, every touch coiling and gasp stoking the fire.
We were now skin on skin with ragged breaths and moans swallowed as we teetered on the edge of everything. Tension from the past weeks, all the stolen glances and brushing touches spilled over into something raw and unforgettable. Until we heard the soft click of my bedroom door opening.
My chest froze. Luca’s eyes went wide. “Fuck. Is it your Mom?”
I scrambled off him, pulling my sweater down. He yanked the blanket up and drew it to his bare chest. My Mom stepped inside with her scrubs still on and hair in a messy bun. Her eyes flicked between us, catching the mess of our hair and flushed cheeks.
“Aria? Luca?” Her voice was calm but I knew she knew. The smirk that flitted across her face betrayed it.
“Homework,” I stammered. “Just catching up.”
Her eyebrow lifted, amused. “Mhm. Homework.”
She let go of the doorknob, eyes lingering on Luca’s chest just long enough to register the bruises. “Door stays open. Understand?”
“Always,” I said, exhaling.
She left, pulling the door slightly closed and leaving just a crack. We both slumped back onto the bed, our hearts still pounding.
“You have a ninja mom,” Luca muttered.
“Busted,” I whispered, crawling back beside him mindful of his bruises.
“Worth it,” he murmured, brushing hair from my face. “We’re not done.”
“No,” I whispered. His lips brushed mine again. “Not done.”
He caught my hand and placed it against his chest, letting me feel his rapid heartbeat. “Later. When she’s asleep.”
“You better keep that promise,” I said.
“Swear.”
We settled into the blanket with him leaning back against pillows and me nestled into his side. Our fingers were still laced and I could hear the TV murmuring in the background. His thumb was still tracing lazy circles over my palm.
The thrill of nearly getting caught made the heat more urgent and intense. Every touch and ragged breath wrapped us tighter together cementing the bond that had been growing since day one.
And I knew it was only going deeper, hotter, messier, and more impossible to resist.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
Alright, lovelies—this chapter? I LOVEDDDD it. Luca hiding in Aria’s room and her Mom walking in? This is the kind of tension that makes hearts race and stomachs flip. It’s raw and urgent because the danger isn’t just outside. It’s in the adrenaline and closeness plus the thrill of wanting someone when you shouldn’t be able to. Did it make your heart race? Drop your thoughts. I read every single one and love hearing which moment made your pulse jump❤️.