The Code of The Alpha

Chapter Forty-One - Down by the Sea

Luca brought the bottle of wine back with us to his oceanfront villa.

We sat out on a balcony that overlooked the water, watching the stars and listening to waves as they crashed onto the shore while we drank.

As I finished my second glass, I felt my courage grow, remembering then the wrapped box of lingerie Norah had stowed away in my suitcase.

Should I? Maybe not. Maybe another time...

But when, if not now? Why not now?

"I'm going to the restroom," I told Luca, standing from my chair.

He hummed as I walked back through the French doors that opened into the dark bedroom, the white curtains that framed them blowing loosely in the ocean breeze that passed through the threshold.

I looked over my shoulder to make sure he wasn't watching as I opened my suitcase slowly and soundlessly to retrieve the box.

Walking into the en suite, I closed the door behind me, flicking on the light.

I changed out of the satin dress quickly, hooking the lacy, plum-colored bra together behind me and slipping on the matching panties. It took me a few moments to figure out how the garter was supposed to work, fumbling in my tipsy state with each hook and strap.

When I was finally done, I looked in the mirror and gulped.

I wished then that I had brought my wine into the bathroom, needing another boost of confidence and a pep talk.

After pulling my hair down, I raked through it with my fingers to add volume at the roots. I wrung my hands out nervously at my side before I turned out the light and opened the bathroom door.

I felt like I was going to be reintroduced to my five-star dinner as I walked through the moonlit bedroom slowly, my stomach in my throat.

I froze in place as I saw Luca's shadow stand from his chair before he turned to come back inside, completely unaware of what was waiting on the other side of the door.

Oh shit.

He stopped mid-stride as he caught a glimpse of me through the billowing curtain.

I watched as the bottle of wine in his hand fell from his grasp. It shattered against the wooden flooring next to his feet, cutting through the silence.

Raising a hand to cover my mouth, I stared at the remainder of the expensive wine as it flooded over the floor, bleeding into the rug that he stood next to.

Luca muttered something unintelligible under his breath as he took a single step towards me, over the shards of broken glass.

His back towards the moonlight meant I couldn't see his face. I couldn't read his expression. I had no idea what he was thinking.

But I knew exactly where his eyes were.

I fought against covering my body with my arms, feeling like I was on fire under his gaze. It was a torturous feeling that made me want to bury myself under the bedsheets to never be seen again.

The elaborate, accentuating attire somehow made me feel more exposed than I did when I was naked.

Luca walked towards me slowly and I found myself stepping backwards into the wall behind me. My breath was caught in my throat as he approached, his body radiating heat as he got closer until we were only centimeters apart.

I could smell the wine on his lips as they drew nearer to mine. His hands gently grasped either side of my face, orienting my eyes to meet his.

Luca's mouth covered mine with such passion that I felt my knees go weak, my hands fisting the front of the white button-up he wore.