Surviving Broken(11)

When she offered to introduce Luca to Dan, JC hoped it would ease his jealous suspicions. However, she was totally taken by surprise when Luca pulled out his portfolio, trying to sell himself to Dan. She couldn’t blame him. Luca had dreams and this could open a door for him. He was assertive and ambitious with a sexy body and charismatic smile. His forwardness was part of the reason she was attracted to him.

Dan looked over his portfolio attentively, giving an interested nod of approval. He explained, with regret, that he didn’t represent couples, but gladly gave Luca the name of a woman who would certainly be interested.

Luca had an audition by the end of the week. JC gingerly warned him not to get his hopes up. Listening to him boast, anyone would think he was going to be the next up and coming big thing in Italy. Confidence was a great asset. Over-confident was a big no-no in her rulebook. Nevertheless, within two weeks Luca had his first shoot scheduled and another job lined up.

JC took him out to dinner to celebrate his success. High on the possibilities of success, Luca talked nonstop about his agent, the shoot, upcoming opportunities. A passionate flame burned in his eyes. By the time they got home, his hands tugged aggressively at her clothing and he tossed her onto the bed. He was so high on life, Luca didn’t stop her from her own self-indulgence.

“Why’d you stop modeling?” They laid in bed, Luca’s warm his hand rested on her hip.

“I didn’t stop. I just needed a reality check. Things…people get cloudy. It’s hard to know who your friends are, Luca.”

“I thought maybe you gained too much weight? I think you still look great.”

Thank God she was laying down or she might have fallen over.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I haven’t gained weight!” JC shrieked, utterly dumbfounded by his deliberate rudeness. Blessed with good genes and her mother’s metabolism, JC stood at a curvaceous 5’8” and weighed one hundred and forty pounds.

Luca’s voice rose contemptuously. “I was simply wondering why they quit calling.” His fingers trailed down the hollow in her throat to the curve of her breast. “I have the name of a good doctor if you want to get your boobs fixed.”

The blatant insult deadened the thump of her beating heart. Every muscle in her body tensed, firing off a round of angry butterflies in her stomach. She shoved his hand away from her breast, jolting out of bed.

“My boobs are perfect. And they didn’t quit calling! I quit answering!” JC turned and glared him in the eye, hoping he’d read between the lines. “I’m particular about a lot of things, Luca! I don’t care for some of the bullshit that goes with the industry. But I’m sure you’ll fit right in.”

It had been days since Luca degraded JC while lying in bed. He apologized numerous times, trying to convince her that he was only joking. When she still wouldn’t soften, he asked if she was PMSing, calling her sensitive.

Sounding like a strict mother, JC snapped, “Some things you can’t take back.”

Luca played it cool, surprising her with a candlelit dinner, impromptu backrubs, whispering in her ear in Italian. Luca knew the language of love was her ultimate weakness. He mixed it with a bottle of wine and JC caved, falling straight into bed with him. In between his bello and you feel good, Luca buried his face in the side of her neck and whispered, “Ti amo.”

JC froze, acting as if she didn’t hear him.

Love? I don’t think this is what love is supposed to feel like. I like him, when he’s not being a jerk. However, Luca was becoming more and more of a jerk.

Unfortunately, the more time she spent with him, his true colors began to brighten, shining a spotlight on his condescending attitude. JC expected love to be heart-pounding fireworks of sheer lust. Unsaid words with a simple glance. A brush of the hand that would make you shiver and go weak at the knees. A happiness big enough to fill your heart with laughter every day. She kept waiting for these things to hit her in the head like a two-by-four, but there was no lumber lying around in her sights.

She hoped the holidays would provide a fresh perspective. JC didn’t exactly invite Luca to Colorado for Thanksgiving with her family. She briefly mentioned what a shame it was that he couldn’t come along because Vincent had already arranged for vacation at Thanksgiving. She needed clarity, room to breathe, and time away from Luca to figure out her own feelings. The man thoroughly confused her. Sometimes he could be the most sensitive charming man, but occasionally he would say the damndest things. Insensitive, mean, hurtful things.





CHAPTER THREE



It was three days before Thanksgiving and JC couldn’t remember the last time she was so happy to see an airplane taxiing into a gate. She hated to fly and it usually required several cocktails to calm her nerves. The smell of jet fuel combined with the whine of the loud engine before takeoff made her tummy tickle. No matter how hard she turned the airflow control knob above her head, it never let out enough air to settle her hyperventilating.