Luca watched Nadia's eyes light up in excitement as they walked onto his family's jet. She ran her fingers over the plush seats and grinned at him as she sat down. "This is amazing! There's so much room." 

He chuckled and sat across from her. He leaned over to pluck a bottle of champagne and orange juice out of the small refrigerator under the table, "mm-hm, how quickly your attitude has changed about the jet." 

"Hey now, I said it might change," she chuckled, "are you making a drink already?" 

"A little mimosa on the flight is hardly drinking. My mom already has a glass of wine." He laughed as she looked next to them at his parents filling their glasses. 

"Your family is a mess," 

"If Lacey was here she'd be shitfaced by the time we got there. The Sholas are the life of the party, Nadia," he leaned forward and whispered, "my mom may look like grace and class but don't let her fool you," He laughed, "do you want one?"

She shrugged, "yeah why not. I better act like part of the family today," 

"We already consider you part of the family, dear," Elena said and raised her glass, "Just waiting for Luca to make it permanent." 

A blush burned over Luca's cheeks as he stared at Nadia. Her eyes grew wide and they both fell out laughing. "Coming with you to this wedding was a bad idea wasn't it?" 

"It's only going to get worse around my aunts and uncles. I don't think I've ever brought any of my girlfriends around them," 

"No, you haven't," his mother interjected, "so why don't you two cut the crap and just be together. Everyone's going to think so anyway." 

"Lena! For heaven's sake leave them alone," Philip grumbled, "you're going to scare Nadia away before Luca has a chance." 

Luca groaned and ran a hand over his face, "I'm just going to apologise for all of this in advance. I feel like Lacey did this on purpose." 

Nadia smirked and took a sip of her mimosa, "Lacey definitely did this on purpose. She knew what she was doing," she laughed, "it's fine. The comments don't really bother me. It's kind of cute and we're just friends so it doesn't matter anyway." 

"Yeah, that's true," he mumbled, but he was starting not to like that. Why couldn't they be more than what they were? 

Nadia was the only person he spent any meaningful time with, she was the only person he wanted to spend time with like this. He knew he had the Ciara issue to deal with, but they could date in secret until that was taken care of.

Date in secret? What the fuck am I thinking? 

He didn't do relationships. They've both said they didn't do that. It's why they worked so well together. He told himself he wouldn't get involved with anyone until he took care of Ciara. So why did his mind keep wanting to go there? Nadia was still working through her trauma from Jonathan and he didn't want to complicate that for her. Luca watched her make herself another drink and couldn't help the yearning he felt for her. He wanted more from her.

"Do you want another one?" She said holding up the bottle of champagne.

"Yeah, of course," he nodded. 

His father was right, friendship wasn't enough. Luca wanted to be the one Nadia let her freak out for. The one she allowed to take her to those deep, dark and pleasurable places.

Cut it out, Luca. We're fine the way we are.

"You ready, Matt?" Luca said, slapping his cousin on the shoulder as he drank a few beers with his groomsmen. 

"Yeah, I'm ready. I've waited a long time for this," he grinned as he shrugged on the jacket to his tuxedo, "when are you going to be ready for this, huh?" 

"Don't worry about me, this day is about you and Maia. I'm happy for you. You two deserve each other."

"So, Luca...the woman you came with, are you two...together?" One of Matt's groomsmen said as he sipped on a beer.

Luca raised an eyebrow at the dirty blonde. "No, why?"

The young man's lips curled into a devilish smile. "She single?" 

Luca's jaw ticked and his eyes darkened. "She's not for you."

The man burst out laughing. "Alright, so you're not together but you're trying to hit that. Fair enough, I'll keep my distance." 

"Damn, Luca. I don't think I've ever heard you talk like that about a girl. You sure you're not ready to settle down too? Nadia's got you all defensive." Matt laughed.

"Fuck off, it's not like that," he blushed and checked his watch, "anyway, I should get out of here," he said setting his beer down and getting up, "I'll see you at the ceremony. I'm proud of you." 

"Thanks," Matt chuckled and gave him a hug, "sounds like you might be next," he whispered.

He laughed patting him on the back, "not me, I'm not the marrying type," he said and wished him well again. 

Luca left the suite and shook his head as he walked down the hall to meet up with Nadia and his parents. He needed to calm the fuck down and stop getting so uptight about Nadia. They weren't together. He had no business getting short like that. Nadia was free to be with whoever she wanted, even if it wasn't him.

"Oh, Nadia! You look beautiful." He heard his mother exclaim.

Luca looked up and his heart thumped. Nadia was standing in the hall dressed in a floor length gold sequined dress. A peek of her leg was showing through the slit up to her thigh. The neckline dipped low and hinted at the curve of her cleavage. 

A simple diamond choker wrapped around her neck and her curls were knotted in a low bun on the side of her head with diamond encrusted flowers tucked into it. Her make up was soft and accentuated her bright green eyes and the crimson red lacquer on her lips made his groin twitch.

Oh fuck.

"Are you sure this isn't too much? This was Lacey's pick, she said I wasn't allowed to wear anything else." She grumbled as she adjusted the straps on the heels on her feet.

"Not at all," his mother said and looked at him, "Oh good you're here, tell Nadia she looks perfect." 

He cleared his throat, "you look...stunning," he breathed. 

Nope, she's all mine tonight. She isn't free to be with anyone else. Not dressed like a damn snack and a Queen. Shit, I'm fucked.

A shy smile spread across her lips, "thank you."

"Alright, let's get going I want to get a seat next to the bar," His father grinned, sliding his arm around his mother's waist, "can you believe there's an open bar during the ceremony? I love your family," he gushed as they carried on down the hall.

Luca held his arm out to Nadia and grinned, "I hope you can dance in those heels," 

She rolled her eyes and slid her hand to the crook of his arm. "I can dance in anything. You better keep up tonight." 

"Oh, I will," His eyes trailed down the open back of her dress and he thanked Lacey for this beautiful gift tonight. Ma petite fleur looked like a damn Goddess and he was all too proud to have her on his arm.

Luca barely paid attention to the ceremony, he was too busy stealing glances at the stunning beauty next to him. How the hell was he supposed to act like her friend when he felt like this? He didn't want to be with anyone else, he didn't want to talk to anyone else but Nadia. He felt the stares and longing glances from Maia's friends. He was used to ignoring women's advances but he had never been able to ignore Nadia. 

And tonight...tonight she didn't realize she damn near shattered his restraint. Nadia was...everything. 

I just want to be hers and for her to be mine.

He didn't care about Ciara's bullshit and he could protect her from Jonathan's men.

Nadia dabbed her eyes with a napkin and looked at him, "that was such a beautiful ceremony. They love each other so much," 

"They do, they've been through a lot together," he murmured and touched a knuckle to her cheek, wiping away a stray tear.

"I don't usually cry at weddings," she chuckled, "but damn that was so emotional. I'm so happy for them and Maia is gorgeous. I see you're not the only one who's into black women." 

A blush burned over his cheeks, "I never said that," 

She raised an eyebrow, "Pretty sure you did that day at the museum and you have a crush on Miri," she smirked, "don't try to deny your attraction to the dark fruit,"

"Fine," He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her. He leaned into her ear, "as long as you don't deny your attraction to white men," 

She turned her head, their lips were inches apart and a slow smile spread across her mouth, "I have never denied that. I just said I don't date,"

Sweet fucking Jesus, what the hell has gotten into her? She has never looked at me with that sultry look in her eyes.

Something had definitely shifted between them and Luca was finding it hard not to catch those lips with his.

"Are you two coming?" His mother asked interrupting whatever the fuck was happening right now.

Nadia bit her lip and looked at his mother, "yeah, we're coming," she said as she stood up and looked at him expectantly.

He slowly took her in again. That damn dress was doing things to him. Shit, he'd love to make her cum.

Get that shit out of your head, Luca.

He stood and slid his hand to the small of her back as they followed his parents outside with the rest of the guests. They sat at a table with a few of his aunts and uncles who were gushing about the ceremony, the immaculate decor of the reception area and the delicious food laid out before them.

Once again, Luca was too enamored by Nadia to pay attention to the fairy lights dripping above them and the view from the balcony that looked over a vast meadow. The setting sun set everything in an amber glow around them coupled with the stone pillars alight with plumes of fire.

"I don't think we've met yet, Nadia. I'm Anisa, Luca's aunt and this is my husband Floyd. It's lovely to meet you," Luca's dark haired, hazel eyed aunt held out her hand to Nadia.

"It's lovely to meet you as well," she smiled and shook her hand.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry Nadia. Luca, introduce her to everyone, goodness." His mother tutted.

He chuckled and introduced Nadia to the rest of his family sitting around the table. They were all too happy to greet her and tell her how surprised they were to finally meet one of his girlfriends. His heart stuttered when Nadia didn't correct them and just went along with it.

He grinned. He didn't mind it either, "I thought you didn't date," he whispered to her.

She raised an eyebrow, "you don't date either, Mr. Underworld. I don't see you correcting them." 

He laughed, "it's easier to just let it go tonight," he looked toward the open space beyond the tables at the guests starting to dance, "should we show them how it's done out there?" He said, holding out his hand to her.

A beautiful grin spread over her lips as she slipped her hand in his, "I thought you'd never ask," she said as they excused themselves from the table and weaved their way to the dance floor.

"Don't you embarrass me and trip in those heels," he teased.

She glared at him over her shoulder and it sent a zing straight to his groin, "so you want me to show you up in front of your family? Because that's what that sounds like to me." 

"Oh, I don't mind a little dance battle with you." 

She burst out laughing, "I'm going to fuck you up. You don't have your wing man here to save you tonight," 

A devilish grin curled over his lips, "I'm perfectly capable of handling your skills all by myself," 

"We'll see about that," she said, stepping away from him, "come on, show me what you got." 

This is good, Luca. A little competition will get my mind off of these ridiculous thoughts of confessing my feelings to her. 

A/N: Confess them feelings Luca!!! 🙌🏾😁🥰