Chapter 34: This Room, This Heat
The group faded into the distance, their laughter trailing behind like a soft echo. Emily stood still for a moment, her hands casually resting on her hips.
Luca leaned against the low brick wall beside her, arms crossed, eyes flicking from the retreating figures to Emily’s face with a lazy smirk.
"Well," he drawled, "that was subtle."
Emily didn’t even blink. "Was it?"
He let out a short laugh. "You looked like you just found your next obsession. I half expected you to ask for her star sign and blood type."
"I don’t need her blood type," Emily said coolly, brushing invisible lint off her top. "I just need her number. That’s step one."
Luca’s grin widened. "You’re not even going to deny it?"
"Why should I?" she shot back, eyes sparkling. "You saw her, right?"
He snorted. "Yeah, Lina. Quiet. Sharp. Probably the kind who keeps a blade in her purse and a bookmark in her hand."
Emily’s gaze lingered on where Lina had walked off. "Exactly my type."
Luca raised an eyebrow. "You think you’ve got a chance with her?"