Chapter 0293

Luca, true to his word, showers quickly, continuing to tell me about his morning and how his uncle

kicked the crap out of him, not impressed at all by anything that he learned at the Academy and

taking the day to drill back into him all of his old techniques.

“I mean,” Luca says, turning off the shower. “He’s not wrong – I’ve got to remember the basics that

I’ve had drilled into me for years, or else I’ll get sloppy. But I did learn some stuff at the Academy,

and I’m a little frustrated that he won’t even let me think of incorporating it into any of my strategy.”

“Uh-huh,” I say, completely distracted, sitting prim and straight on the little bench before Luca’s

small set of lockers, my hands on my knees, staring at the flimsy curtain, thinking hard about what’s

behind it.

I remember, suddenly, the first time that I saw Luca naked – in the locker room, while I was waiting

to take my own shower, and I had gone completely still, just…staring at him. Watching the water slip

down his skin, over his muscles. Watched him tilt his head back and fill his mouth with it, and then

let it spill out over his lips…

God, god.

Suddenly all I want to do is leap forward and rip the curtain back, and grab him –

But Luca beats me to it.

I jump as he rips the curtain back, and my eyes go wide because…

God damn it – crap – crap but he’s gorgeous.

Luca – he’s a celebrity heartthrob for a reason, and as I stare at him, a white towel slung low over

his hips, running a hand through his hair that’s darker now that it’s all wet…I know precisely why

he’s almost always included in the top 10 of any “Most Eligible” list.

He’s just…beautiful.

My eyes drift down his body, flicking over his wide, muscled shoulders, toned from years of

determination and training, of hours and hours in the gym, working towards his singular goal of

being the best at his art. Over his pecs and his insane abs that ripple like a damn washboard, all the

way down to the sharp V of his hips, to where it disappears into his towel.

When my eyes move back up to Luca’s face – his perfect, too-handsome, even pretty face – I see

him smirking at me, clearly intuiting my admiration and enjoying the hell out of my shell-shocked

expression, probably feeling every inch of my insane desire down our bond.

“Oh whatever,” I huff, crossing my arms as I blush, a little embarrassed to be caught out in my lust

while he’s apparently perfectly composed. “You’re into me too!”

“Damn right I am,” he murmurs, taking a step forward towards me that makes something burn low in

my stomach, makes me go loose and tense all at once. But to my shock, Luca just continues

smirking at me for a moment before he shifts his attention to the lockers behind me, reaching for

one and apparently completely ignoring me.

I can’t help the indignant squeak that slips from my lips as Luca opens the locker and starts to rifle

inside, pulling out some clothes and stacking them on the bench next to me. I just stare, open-

mouthed, at my mate – who is apparently very, very willing to ignore my desire for him right now.

Suddenly very miffed, I snap my mouth shut and glare at him, tightening my arms across my chest

and sending every single one of my emotions down the bond so that he knows precisely how

offended, and frustrated, and – well, yes, a little hurt – I am, so that there’s no chance he can ignore

it anymore.

To my shock, Luca just laughs lightly, a dark and ironic sound, pressing his eyes shut as he turns

away from me and pulls on his underwear beneath the towel, and then lets that drop to the ground,

and then starts on his pants. I have to admit, I’m a little distracted by the sight, but not enough to

overlook the fact that my mate is very able to just ignore me now, when we’re alone in our non-

dream bodies for like, the first time ever.