Luca stares at me for a beat, sensing my evasion but not calling me out on it. “What’s thatmakeyou?”
I hesitate, then sigh. “The eternalrunner-up.”
His eyes narrow, but he doesn’tcomment.
“Anyway, after Duncan blew through his trust fund, followed by most of the family funds… it wasn’t long before I got the call.” I mimic my mother’s breathy tones. “Lila, darling, you know your father and I are out of the country on business. We just need a small loan to get by until we get things back on track…” I fold my hands together to keep from hitting something. “Just like that, poof goes my trust fund, and in the blink of an eye I’m a cliché — a washed up socialite with zero useful life skills and zero dollars in her bankaccount.”
“You gave them everything?” he asks, tone laced withsurprise.
I nod. “Essentially.”
“Why?”
“They’re my parents,” I say, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “What was I going to do, let them starve? Let the bank take their house when they couldn’t pay theirbills?”
“Some people probably would’ve.” His eyes scan my face, trying to figure me out. “Most would’ve at least given it some thought. Especially if they’ve always felt like arunner upwhen it comes to parentalaffection.”
Ouch.
For some reason, hearing him use those terms stings more than when I say them myself. I suck in a breath and steady myshoulders.
“I guess…” My voice is nearly inaudible. “When people I love are in trouble, I don’t need to give it any thought. I do whatever I can to help, and figure out the restlater.”
Luca’s gaze is moving across my face again, making me uncomfortable with his intense scrutiny. I drop my eyes to myplate.
“Not just great hair and high cheekbones,” he murmurs, so softly I’m sure he didn’t mean for me tohearhim.
I glance up sharply. “What did youjustsay?”
He’ssilent.
“Luca,” Iprompt.
“Babe.”
“What did I say about callingmethat?”
“You say a lot of shit, can’t be required to remember allofit.”
Rude!
Luca’s lips twitch. “I wasn’t insulting you, so wipe that look offyourface.”
“What look? I don’t havealook.”
“You’ve definitely got a look. Snottyone,too.”
I force my features into a menacing scowl and my voice into an artificially sweet tone. “Is this onepreferable?”
“Hate to break it to you, but you’re pretty when you’repissed.”
I suck in abreath.
He half-smiles as he pushes his empty plate away and leans back on his stool. “In my experience, women who look like you do, with that bouncy fuckin’ hair, and those legs that go on for miles, and that peaches ’n’ creamcomplexion…”
My stomachflips.
Luca shrugs. “Women like that tend to coast through life on their looks, never bothering to cultivate kindness or compassion ‘cause, frankly, they never need it. Not when every man they meet is falling over himself, just trying to get their attention. Most of the time, there’s a pretty strong correlation between attractiveness and entitlement.” His eyes flicker down to my mouth and linger there. “Glad to know you’re an exception. You care about people. Don’t know why you’re so determined not to show that side of yourself to anyone, but I gotta say… I’m looking forward tofindingout.”