Free Luca (I Love the Way You Lie #1) by Gina Whitney Page B

around my panties and into my core.
    I was never good at quid pro quo, I thought. Silly girl, you’re no match for him. Fiery passion danced in the depths of his eyes. The intensity of it all. Just. Too. Much. Deprived of touch for longer than I cared to admit, he was an all-consuming fire. The spark I needed to re-enter the land of the living—feeling. However, my mind crept to the place it had no business being at the moment—insecurity. Would his fire bring judgment, I thought. Or would his intensity cleanse—purify me?
    As the moments passed, the hidden dross rose to the surface where it became visible and reachable. Softened and surrendered, I yielded all of myself to the fire, giving him both the gold and the impurities. He skimmed my mire off the top and began to mold me into his perfect standard. I was clay in his hands.
    While he worked my body, he watched me, saw through me, and delighted in the pure gold that began to shine through. He was far from finished, though. He continued to apply steady pressure and heat until I was left melted and broken.
    “Please…” I begged breathily to the stars above, no longer struggling against the unfamiliar sensations, but welcoming them.
    A string of profanities left his mouth with a growl. Said profanities vibrated directly into my pussy…challenging its control of him. The heat between my legs was too intense. The words on his tongue were encouraging. My body and will no longer mine. I entered Luca’s dimension with no armor. A thousand starbursts met my eyes like a battalion of rebel forces.
    With my fingers threaded through his hair, I whispered, “Thank you…” I wasn’t sure whether I was thanking him or god for putting him on my path. Either way, I was gloriously grateful. Reborn, strengthened, and utterly satisfied.
    I woke up the next morning with a stretch of contentment. The kind of contentment you get when you go to sleep in the exact opposite way you had intended. The night ended wrapped in his arms, drugged by his kisses. I would never get my fill of him. I would be forever lost in the sensation of…him.
    “Someone’s smiling this morning,” Keri teased on her way to the bathroom.
    “I sure am,” I yawned.
    “Not sure why you’re yawning. You slept like the dead. You didn’t even take your meds.” She referred to the clear cup with a tiny white pill on my nightstand. Huh, that’s a first, I thought, smiling. I guess there’s something to be said about positive reinforcement.
    “Sleeping beauty”—she tapped her watch—”group in forty-five minutes.”
    “Fuck!” I jumped up.
    She giggled, closing the bathroom door to shower.
    “Hurry, please.” I knocked on the door.
    “Yeah, yeah,” she shouted. I ran to my dresser, looking for something to put on. I wanted to look good without actually looking like I was trying. Problem was, I had only yoga pants that were clean. Ugh, I needed to do laundry. A problem I never worried about when home.
    Black leggings, a light cashmere sage sweater, and black flat boots. Don’t forget your pretty panties , I thought. One obsession was constant… I was a lingerie whore. It was never about being seen in them. They just made me feel good—better. These days, I was in need of any tangible vice to lift my spirits. Now, I was with someone who’d appreciate them. Was I with him? I thought. I was never one for casual sex. However, it did feel like so much more. I hope I was reading it right and not seeing something that wasn’t there. I was forever in the murky waters of self-doubt. It was a triggering moment, but I refused to give in to it.
    I glanced over, seeing Keri was out of the bathroom and made a mad dash to get ready.
    I was too nervous to eat breakfast, just grabbed some coffee and took it with me to group. I didn’t see anyone yet. Perfect, I thought.
    “Sleep well last night?” Ollie’s tone was groggy from sleep, his hair still tussled, eyes half-mast, and wholly adorable, in the