It’s simple enough, in theory. If I know in advance that he’ll be at a party, I stay away. When we do wind up in the same room, I quickly make my excuses and disappear, before he can say so much ashelloor do something crazy, like look at me directly with those damn intense eyesofhis.
Like I said… simple enoughin theory. Despite my best efforts, sometimes seeing him is unavoidable. Especially these days, since he seems to be popping up more oftenthanever.
Last month, for instance, when Gemma and Chase invited everyone over to their penthouse for a game night, Luca showed up unexpectedly… and I knocked over the entire Jenga tower while scrambling to find my car keys and get the hell out of there before someone could suggest a round of Twister. Everyone yelled their goodbyes as I practically bolted for theelevator…
ExceptLuca.
He stared at me in total silence, something dangerous simmering in his eyes as I skirted around him, leaving enough space between us to fit Phoebe’s bachelorette party bus. As though he justknewthose Jenga pieces scattered all across the floor were somehow correlated to hispresence.
Smooth,Lila.
Then, two weeks ago, at one of Phoebe’s dinner parties, Luca actually managed to corner me in the kitchen when I got up to refill my glass. One minute I was innocently pouring water and the next, every molecule in my body was buzzing because someone standing far too close to my back muttered just one word in a tone full of darkpromise.
“Delilah.”
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I whirled around to find Luca leaning against the kitchen island, arms crossed over his chest, staring at me like one of those indecipherable IKEA instruction manuals. Pulse pounding, I did the only thing I could think of — shoved the pitcher of filtered water in his direction with a snappy,“Oh, did you need arefill,too?”
Without waiting for his response, I promptly turned away… and walked straight into the still-openrefrigeratordoor.
So, sosmooth.
Of course, I fell flat on my ass in a puddle of water with a bang loud enough to bring the entire party running. Luca helped me to my feet in silence while the rest of our friends laughed uproariously at the sight of me, half-soaked and full-humiliated. Pulling quickly out of his grasp, I mumbled a thank you in his general direction without making eye contact, then went home to change my pants… and gather my what little remained of mydignity.
I didn’t think things could possibly get much worse between us… until last night. Most of which I don’t remember, though that may honestly be for the best given my track record when it comes to Luca. I’m not entirely sure what I said to him in my highly intoxicated state, but if I had to wager a guess, I’d say the interaction likely didn’t earn me any goodwillpoints.
He already thinks I’m the rudest person alive after the way I’ve treated him. Hell, Iamthe rudest person alive after the way I’ve treated him. But it’s not like I’ve had any other choice. Because, no matter how much I wish things weredifferent…
Luca is off thetable.
Absolutely.
Indefinitely.
Irrevocably.
I just have to try to remember that when he arrives to rescue me from jail in a few minutes like my goddamned personal guardianangel.
ChapterThree
I don’t do threesomes. If I wanted to simultaneously disappoint two people, I’d go out to dinner with myparents.
Delilah Sinclair, defending her monogamous sexualpreferences.
“Just use a little Vaseline.Does the trickeverytime.”
My nose wrinkles. “Really?”
“Oh, yeah.” Destiny nods sagely, her pink-streaked hair glowing in the lemon cast of the overhead lights. “I’ve even used a grapefruit, in apinch.”
My mouth gapes. “A grapefruit?Seriously?”
“Girl, would I lietoyou?”
I blink stupidly.Would she lie to me?Hard to say for sure, considering we’ve just met about twenty minutes ago, but I have a feeling she’s not the most trustworthy character of all time as we’re currently occupying the same holding cell. Then again, she did share her last stick of gum — and some sincerely unsolicited sex tips — so who am I tojudge?
I’m sitting on nothing even closely resembling a high horse, here. (In fact, if we’re being literal, I’m sitting on a cold concrete bench that’s slowly making my asscheeks go numb.) My point is, I’m not exactly in any position to look down my nose at Destiny for whatever choices led her here. Not when, for the past few days… weeks… okay, fine,months… my life has pretty much been a train wreck. We’re talking jump-the-tracks, total derailment, nosurvivors.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again — it’s not myfault.