The dark blue night sky held a full moon and a few cold stars.
In the moonlight over the Manhattan district, neon lights were dazzling, lively, and bustling.
Luca drove a black Ford through the busy streets, like a streak of black light in the night sky.
From Third Avenue to Downtown Manhattan and then to 43rd Street, they had been driving for who knows how long. By the time they reached Lima's apartment building, only Luca and Lima were left in the car.
Screech~
The car came to a stop as Luca gently parked.
"Lima, we're home!"
He unfastened his seatbelt and glanced toward the back seat.
Lima was asleep, arms crossed, slumped in the backseat. Her brown puffer jacket wrapped around her curvy figure, and her tight jeans accentuated her shapely waist and hips. Her long legs were casually propped up on the seat, with an almost carefree attitude.
"Lima, wake up. We're home; you can sleep inside!"
Luca cupped her face and gently shook her.
Lima slowly opened her eyes, her long, curled lashes fluttering, revealing a pair of blue-gray eyes, bright with a hint of amusement.
"Darling, carry me inside!"
Lima stretched out her long arms, her seductive lips curving into a slight smile.
"Alright, Miss Lima, it would be my honor!"
Luca smiled gently and leaned down to lift her by the shoulders, her arms tightly wrapping around his neck.
"Fool, kiss me!"
Luca chuckled and lowered his head, kissing her full, rosy lips.
The evening wind swept through the underground parking garage, a faint whistling sound echoing through the passageway.
"Okay, that's enough. Come on, get up!"
After a while, Luca gently said as he held her by the shoulders.
"I'm too tired, you'll have to carry me inside!"
Lima clung to his neck, refusing to let go, her voice soft.
"No way!"
Luca replied, a bit like a typical tough guy, "You're so heavy, and you want me to carry you? You trying to kill me?"
"Did you just call me fat?"
Lima widened her eyes in surprise.
"Yeah, look at your butt, so much meat! And your chest, so big! You're not fat?"
"Ahhh! Luca, you damn jerk! How dare you call me fat? I'm going to bite you!"
Lima hugged his neck tightly and bit his ear.
"Ouch! That hurts! Lima, are you a dog? Let go!"
Luca winced in pain.
"No! You called me fat; I'm going to bite you to death!"
Lima muttered through clenched teeth as she continued biting his ear.
Luca gritted his teeth, feeling like his ear was about to be torn off.
"Lima, darling Lima, I was wrong! I was really wrong! My ear's about to fall off!"
"Now, do you still think I'm fat?"
Lima released her bite, still fuming.
Luca shook his head, "Not fat, just... a little thick!"
"Jerk! Do you have a death wish?"
Lima raised her fist, ready to punch him.
"Haha, come on then!"
Luca got out of the car with a grin.
"Stop right there, jerk!"
Lima wasn't lazy anymore; she swung her long legs and chased after him.
Breathing heavily, the two of them dashed into the apartment.
Slam!
The door shut heavily behind them.
In the small apartment, along with the big, chaotic city of New York, the night took on an even more fevered pace, making this city of desires truly live up to its name.
Chop, chop, chop~
The next morning, the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables came from Lima's apartment kitchen.
Inside, Luca, wearing a pink apron, was busy at the counter. His knife skills were sharp and swift, and he quickly prepared breakfast: fried eggs, toast, two glasses of skim milk, and a fruit salad.
"Lima, breakfast is ready!"
Luca called out toward the bathroom.
"Coming!"
After a while, Lima came out wearing a bathrobe, wiping her brown curls. She looked radiant and alluring.
"Luca, Kate called earlier. She asked how your back was and if you needed to see a doctor."
"Haha, I'm so strong! Why would I need a doctor?"
Luca flexed his muscular arm.
"Hmph, you're fine, but I almost couldn't get out of bed."
Lima twisted her waist, her face showing a mix of irritation and amusement.
Luca laughed sheepishly, "I didn't expect to be that strong either."
"Hmph! Help me dry my hair!"
"Alright!"
Luca took the towel and gently began drying her long hair.
Ring, ring, ring~
The phone rang.
"Must be Kate," Lima said, smiling while sipping her milk.
"Nope, it's Ed!"
Luca answered the call, "Good morning, Ed! What? You're not doing well? Are you sick? The newspaper? No, I haven't looked at it yet. Alright, I'll check now."
"What did Ed say?" Lima asked, curious.
Luca frowned slightly, "He told me to check the newspaper. I have a bad feeling about this."
"Haha, do you even need a feeling?" Lima chuckled, leaning on her hand. "After what happened at last night's fashion show, with New York's tabloid culture, plenty of papers are probably running front-page stories about it. Stuff like 'Superman Causes Scene at Fashion Show,' or 'Superman's Impressive Size Shocks the Crowd.' Some might even speculate if your public... reaction counts as harassment."
"No way," Luca said, starting to sweat.
"Why don't you just check the papers and see for yourself?" Lima said with a soft smile as she slipped on her shoes and left the apartment.
A couple of minutes later, Lima returned with a stack of newspapers. She flipped through them, laughing.
"Wow, Luca, today's papers are lively! Your news actually overshadowed New York Fashion Week! You made the front page of multiple papers."
"Lima, this can't be real."
Luca shook his head, refusing to believe the tabloids would be this ridiculous.
"See for yourself!"
Lima dropped a few papers in front of him, an amused grin on her face.
Just one glance, and Luca felt a headache coming on. These shameless tabloids were indeed full of nonsense.
The entertainment papers not only reported the incident but also published embarrassing photos from the scene.
There were shots of him having his "physiological reaction," his face showing awkwardness, pictures of him standing tall while his pants seemed to exaggerate his posture, female audience members gasping in shock, and plenty more, leaving none of his embarrassment hidden.
"Darling, you look absolutely stunning in this one," Lima laughed, pointing to one of the photos.
In the picture, Luca stood proud, chest puffed out, exuding confidence. If you only looked at his upper half, it was fine, but the full shot made the whole photo look... odd.
As the New York News put it, Superman Luca wasn't showing off his CK outfit but rather his masculine "attributes," which were, to say the least, impressive.
Luca held his head in his hands, thoroughly embarrassed. He never imagined in two lifetimes that he'd make headlines for something like this.
"Darling, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You should be proud!" Lima teased, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Proud?"
Luca shook his head. "I bet from now on, anyone who sees me will point and say, 'Look, there's that guy from the 2003 Fashion Week who—' Ugh, these photos will be a stain on my life."
Lima smiled softly, "Honey, it's no big deal. Men will envy you, and women will find you even more attractive. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise."
"A blessing?"
Luca glanced at the scathing articles criticizing him, calling him unprofessional, labeling him a "fashion world thug," and even suggesting brands blacklist him for bringing shame to Fashion Week.
Luca smirked. Maybe it was a blessing—his fashion career was clearly over, which meant he could focus on acting. He just hoped he wouldn't make a fool of himself in Hollywood, or he'd be out of options.
(End of Chapter)