The Thistles of Rose

11 • Stunning

A week later and it's the night of the charity gala Luca and I got invited to attend. The bleeding stopped two days after I woke up, along with the cramping. My doctor advised that all I do is rest so Maya slept over the whole week to keep me company.

I was so glad to finally have another girl in the house again. Luca and Marco are too much ego.

It didn't help the testosterone levels that Brando would spend the whole day at our house when Alara was working, which was two days a week, and would constantly drool over her.

My dress is the one I bought the other day with Maya; the burgundy, v-neck, maxi one. I only applied concealer to my dark circles. The faded, dark burgundy eye shadow accents my eye colour and matches the shade of my lipstick. And, I curled my hair.

I'm proud of my look today. You can never go wrong with wearing dark red.

"Fuck," Luca mumbles, breathlessly, from the doorway of our room. His pupils have dilated and trace my body in a way that engraves it to his memory. It makes my insides all fuzzy to know he looks at me with such admiration.

I do the same to him.

He wears a midnight black suit over a navy shirt. The stubble on his jaw is gone and his mouth hangs agape the longer he stares at me. The curls in his brown hair aren't as messy but look as if he's run a comb through it. And, his strong arms are folded over his brooding chest.

Again, it's something about those arms that have butterflies raving in my core.

Oh, fuck me. He looks hot.

I smile at him and he stalks over to me in a predator's footsteps. He stands behind me, resting his arms around my waist.

Immediately, he brushes his nose up the delicate skin of my neck and I suck in a harsh breath, shrinking into him with every inch he grows closer.

"You mesmerise me," his hot breath fans my ear in an alluring whisper. I'm forced to press my legs together. Luca glances at me through the mirror and his grey eyes yield me breathless.

"I can't understand how it's possible for someone to be this beautiful," he breathes.

A cage of butterflies flees into my unsettled blood jilting a trail of jostling heat. It steals my breath from my throat and makes my heart rattle loudly in Luca's palms.

"Why do you do this to me?" I ask, breathlessly, placing my hands over his.

"So we can skip to the part of the night when I'm making love to you?" His warm, rousing hands slowly rub down my thighs.

"Tempting but no," I dejectedly decline, pushing his hands off me.

I spent half an hour getting ready. As much as I want him to, I'm not going to have him ruin it in a matter of monumental, climactic minutes.

An adorable pout falls over his lips and I reach up to peck them. He smiles into the kiss. Before he can push for more, I pull away from him.

He smooths out my hair from where it frazzled because of him. His eyes fall to my neck and he threads the necklace, declaring, "this was actually worn by a real princess."

I go to sit on the stool to put my heels on and ask, curiously, "really? Who?"

"I don't remember," he responds, following me over, "I didn't pay much attention during the auction. I saw that and thought, I have to get that for my Rosa."

My heart warms again and I smile at him while strapping my heels on, "I'm wearing a royal necklace."

I hold his hand for some support and he gently pulls me up. My balance wobbles a little from the four extra inches added to my height so he steadies me by placing his hands on my waist.