Lucca's Lust: The Luminara Series Book 3 (59 page)

“Do you want to share anything about that first lesson? How it made you feel?” I question, sounding tentative.

“Um … si. I remember it like yesterday. Lexi’s bronzed skin, jaw-dropping figure, thick, glossy brown hair bunched up on her head, the soft pink blush on her cheeks, beautiful big brown eyes … rich like chocolate. Her long luscious legs, the smell of her skin scented with Brazil nut cream, those perfect lips plumped and shiny with watermelon lip gloss, and that stunning smile that just melted my heart and can light up the whole damn world. It took my breath away, it still does. I felt entranced, completely mesmerised watching her. I have made pastry a thousand times over, but I was so engrossed in her I was worried I would make a mess of mine. I knew then that she was like an addiction I could not shake.” Lucca lifts his hand and gently waves it from side to side.

“The way she nervously wiggled her fingers in front of her mouth and wrinkled her nose, the feisty look she has when she gets fiery and frustrated and tries to frown—even though she still looks simply adorable and gorgeous. I have never smiled on the inside as much. She seemed shocked to see me there, but every time I looked at her, she blushed and had the sexiest goddamn smile and twinkle in her eye. Part of me wanted to send everyone else out of the kitchen. I wanted her, all of her, to myself.” Lucca sounds so passionate and upbeat, happiness filling his voice as he recalls.

We get to see the possessive alpha male in him which we witnessed during his press conference.
The sparkle
.

“She had a cut on her finger from chopping vegetables. She looked so innocent and sweet; I knew I would kiss her wounds and heal her forever. It is hard to explain. I had an instant urge to protect her and make her mine, and I knew it was going to take a lot of patience and gentle encouragement for her to let me in. I moved soft curls from her face. The minute my skin touched hers, it triggered an unexplainable surge of energy between us. The intensity and heat we shared was electrifying. Actually, I moved her hair without thinking … Jesus, it felt so right, and I made sure she would remember the heat from my body long after the cooking lesson was finished.” Lucca circles his wrist of the hand clutching his pen before straightening his shoulders and expanding his wide chest upwards and forwards, an obvious sign of ownership and male buoyance.

Lucca then laughs and rubs his thumb across his head. “I had to wipe flour from her forehead, and I remember she was really embarrassed but the chemistry we shared at that moment when I touched her skin again was explosive. God, I wanted my hands on her, in her hair and all over her. I wanted to touch and caress every inch of her body until I crawled into her heart and touched that also.” Lucca places his hand over his chest and winks. I gasp.

Oh my, he is as sweet and romantic as he is portrayed. I think my own heart just went into overdrive. The room is completely silent other than the distant buzz from the air conditioning, and I swear the others can probably hear the beating of my heart. I’m spellbound. His sincerity and honesty is enchanting.

“I knew after that moment, I would make her mine. That I would give her my light, keep her with me, worship and cherish her. She was so vulnerable and I could not help feeling some sort of guardianship over her. I knew I could not push her because she was so shy and timid, but I knew what I felt and I could see it in her eyes too. She wanted me just as much. Her body responded to mine in such a way that I knew I had her and would share my bed with her, then …
and always
. But I needed to be patient. The lust I felt for her was like nothing I have ever experience before. I knew it would only be a matter of time before I fell head over heels in love with her. I could not have stopped those feelings even if I tried. The all-consuming love shared between us came very quickly after. What we have, it is a forever kind of love. It is
L’amore … the love, the only one that will ever matter.
”

“That is the sweetest thing and very romantic. So you knew that after your pastry-making class that you would be together? What if she had said no? Did you have a backup plan?” I tease playfully and Lucca laughs roguishly.

“Saying no was not an option. I actually had met her before the cooking lesson, at my club in her physio clinic. I was infatuated by her and so taken with her beauty and grace. I asked her out to dinner. She declined, but I do not give up easily. I am a very persistent man when I want something, and I very much wanted her. I would have stopped at nothing to get her to go on a date with me,” he assures me.

“So the cooking lesson was that part of your plan? Did you organise that? How did it come about?” Desperate to know, I practically jump from my seat.

“No, no. She turned down my offer for dinner and also refused to treat me as one of her patients. She mentioned she was travelling to Tuscany on holiday. I thought that was a huge coincidence. When we bumped into each other in the very same villa, I was just as stunned as she was. I am convinced fate played a big part, but I was not giving up easily either. Alexis Robertson was going to be mine.”

“So, you hooked her in with your charismatic charm until you
had
her, until she was yours?” I watch Lucca place his pen back in his pocket before unbuttoning his jacket and allowing it to casually hang by his sides. The satin finish shirt clings to his rock-solid body showing the shadows and shapes of his defined abdominal muscles. I turn my focus elsewhere, feeling a little flustered.

“Pretty much. I craved her. As I mentioned, she is my addiction. I made sure to wine, dine, and caress her. I made her feel. I listened and I took her to places she never knew possible. I worshipped and smothered her with my love and affection, as well as passionately spoiled her with my lust and gifts. I gave her
all of me,
and I will continue to do so until the day I die. Although, I would say that my sweet, beautiful girl actually
has
me. She has me, all of me, and I am hers, every piece of me.” He taps his heart with his hand and bites his lip.

“That is beautiful. You are both very lucky to have found each other. It’s poetic.” I bite down on my bottom lip mimicking him because I’m entranced, feeling a lovely sense of humming tingle all over my body.

“We are and yes, it is,” Lucca replies confidently and smoothly.

“So I need to ask, do you have lovers’ tiffs? Do you have disagreements?” I know that I do with my husband from time to time, and so far their relationship sounds too perfect and idealistic. I want to know what they quarrel about.

“Honestly? Yes we do. We are like any other couple. Sure we argue, but we always find a way to work it out.” Lucca has a devilish grin spread across his face while his eyes reveal all. Kiss and make up.

“So who’s the boss?” I smile cheekily.

“Definitely my beautiful girl. No question about it,” Lucca replies without a second thought.

“Do you have any flaws? Is there anything that is not perfect about you? If Lexi could answer this what would she say?” I ask with intrigue. Now we’ve fallen into a relaxed and casual conversation. I feel I can be a little more risky with my questions.

“Lexi, my mamma, and my nonna would tell you I swear far too much. Lexi frowns upon it, and she also thinks I am too bossy and persistent. I need to remind her that it is because I love her and want to protect her. I just get carried away because the alpha male in me wants to shield her and give her the best. I just seem to know what she needs and when she needs it. I am used to being proactive and in control from a business point of view; I guess it transfers to my personal life too. ”

Yes, the man is in fact perfect from what I can tell!

“Can you give me an example of when you quarrelled or had a difference of opinions?” I continue to ask while tapping my knee impatiently with intrigue.

“I will not bore you with our disagreements, but I will give you an example of when
I
have felt inadequate. Understandably, Lexi does not like to be kept in the dark. She likes honesty, and although I vow to always be honest with her, there was a time I had to avoid telling her the truth to protect her feelings when I found out about … um found out about … Micha— Fuck!”

Lucca realises he has unintentionally brought up the subject which is to be avoided. Panicked, he looks towards Omari who slowly shakes his head in a silent plea that Lucca does not go too far with disclosing information. Evidently our director is almost jumping on the spot and throwing his hands up in the air because he wants me to delve deeper. I swallow hard and dive straight on in … head first without taking a deep breath.

“I know you’ve explicitly said you don’t want to discuss
Michael Parks,
and I don’t blame you, but we all are wondering how you’re really doing with the knowledge that he’s looking for Lexi and that he’s been seen in the distance but has disappeared for now? Are you able to tell us how
you
feel?”

Lucca clears his throat, closes his eyes, and clenches his jaw. I know he’s finding this topic difficult to discuss because he looks uncomfortable. Opening his eyes, he pauses and slackens his tie before replying. I’ve hit a raw nerve. I see mist behind his eyes, a grave and raw pain-stricken expression across his face.

He sighs. “I am an honest man and will not fabricate this, Rebecca. It is fucking destroying me, goddamn fucking eating me inside. I can barely think straight. My beautiful girl is living on her nerves, has spent a lifetime in the dark, and that monster is still fucking out there.” Raising his voice slightly, he pinches his forehead with his middle finger and thumb and then runs his fingers through his hair before scratching his neck in irritation.

I’ve obviously pressed on a sensitive nerve. I falter and from the corner of my eye glimpse at my team, looking for encouragement. I did not expect to get a reaction like that from him, especially since he has been so composed so far, but from the eager look from our magazine director and editor, it’s exactly the reaction they wanted. The editor signals for me to keep it going with a rolling wheel motion of his hands in the air. I don’t know where to start, but once again Lucca eases my discomfort.

“I … I am sorry. I did not mean to sound so harsh. I just find it hard to talk about. She is everything to me—everything—and he will not get fucking near her. I am trying to stay strong for Lexi, but I am hurting for her. It tears me apart to see her afraid and vulnerable. I have the best security agents and systems in place, but the thought of him being out there is unnerving. I am crumbling inside. I would never tell Lexi this because she needs me. She needs me to be strong, and I need to keep her positive and in my light. I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. I hate that she is going through this, but I made her a promise, a promise we would get through this and that I would keep her in my light.”

Lucca’s eyes look dull and foreboding, almost despondent. Omari straightens in his seat and exchanges a knowing look with Lucca. I think he approves of his answer, but he holds a finger up, his chin protruding in warning. I want to strike while the iron’s hot, and so I again push the limits and ask the first thing which comes into my head.

“Would you like a break?” After shifting in his chair, he looks towards Lloyd, his security agent again, who whispers something into a mouthpiece.

“No, let’s carry on, Rebecca,” he says flatly before sipping some water, which pleases me because he wants to continue but agitates me because I feel like we are losing the connection we had earlier.

“Ok, if you are sure. I know you keep discovering new things about Lexi’s past; we read about that. How are you doing with the knowledge of Lexi’s past?” I know I have asked the right question to please my bosses, but I can’t help feel an awful tug of guilt low in my stomach. It feels unorthodox given how distressed Lucca was at the mention of Michael Parks’ name.

“It stabs and weakens my heart and soul. It shatters and fucks with my mind, and it makes me so fucking infused with anger I could set fire to the whole fucking world sometimes. It keeps me from sleeping. I lie and I watch her, holding her in my arms. I listen to her breathing when she is asleep. The rise and fall of her chest with every breath can keep me fascinated for hours. The soft content sounds she makes, makes me smile, especially after I calm her and help her back to sleep after a night terror. The way she whispers my name in her sleep, unknowingly, grips onto me, melts my heart, and fills me with warmth making me feel whole.”

“You must be very tired. How do you manage and get through it?” It sounds exhausting and they do have an extremely complicated life at the moment from what I gather.

“I do not need a lot of sleep. I just manage and I get through it for her. Every night I pray to God and thank him for saving her and for bringing us together. I thank him for giving me the gift of Lexi. That helps keep me strong, and I thank him that I can
and
will protect her in any way that I can.” Lucca’s voice breaks.

He swallows hard and holds his eyes closed for a few moments. He’s hurting. I am feeling uncomfortable watching him suffer with his emotions. Now I wish I never mentioned it, but I can’t go back, not now.

“I know this is a hard subject, so I won’t be asking any questions about what she went through. Knowing what you know so far about what she’s experienced in her past, what’s your biggest fear for her?” I ask softly with compassion.

“It is breaking me thinking about her past. That is why I need for her to never feel afraid or scared again. I never want her to need anything or be without anything ever again, even if I do go over the top with spoiling her. I need to focus on what we have together and our future; it helps me keep a light shining for her … for us, and my girl needs that light. Lexi needs me and I need her, so I do not want her to relapse and go back to the place she was before. She has come too far. Every day I remind her of this by keeping her centred and right here with me.”

He touches his heart over his shirt, sighs, and then slumps his shoulders. If I’m not mistaken I would say he’s exhausted but trying to keep a professional guard up at all times by staying alert.