Thump.
Thump. Thump.
Luca's heart was loud.
Too loud.
It thundered in his chest like a drumline, pounding against Xavier's just as fiercely. He wasn't sure when it started, only that it had no plans of slowing down.
But what startled him most wasn't his own heartbeat.
It was the one beneath his palm. He'd heard it before, but knowing that it wasn't a one-time thing was something else.
Pressed directly against Xavier's chest, just over his heart—steady, yes, but fast. Just like his.
They were in sync, almost as if their bodies had aligned first before either of them caught up to what this moment really was.
So close it made the air thin.
So close it made thoughts impossible.
His face hovered there, barely a breath away. Their foreheads nearly touched, the tips of their noses occasionally brushing against each other.
And those eyes?
Those deep and steady eyes somehow held him like he was something fragile. Something precious.
It was dizzying.
