COLD AND AUSTERE
[LENA]
I still couldn't get over the fact that Luca was carrying me. I was elated and embarrassed at the same time.
Luca used to give me piggybacks all the time when I was a kid. But the way he was carrying me now, was the way a man should carry a woman.
Or perhaps, a lover.
Stop it, Lena!
I was overly conscious of the way the muscles in his arms tensed up and relaxed with every step. I could feel them all.
And his chest! His chest was solid. Like one of those faded statues of half-naked men decorating the palace gardens. But beneath his wet shirt, it was warm, unlike stone.
I rested my head on that warmth, listening to the beating of his heart. His heartbeat was fast, probably due to the added effort of my weight.
"Sorry for being heavy," I muttered.
He didn't look at me when he answered. "You're light as a feather."
"Liar." I fumbled with my hands restlessly.
He didn't respond, but I saw him smiling.