Elena blinked awake, her lips still warm from the kiss Nathan had given her the night before.
It had been slow. Intentional. His hand on her cheek, his mouth brushing hers like he meant every second of it.
She could still feel the way his thumb had traced her jaw, the way his breath had mingled with hers.
Now, in the quiet of morning, the memory made her skin buzz.
She smiled to herself—shy, guilty, but happy. Everything about last night replayed in flashes: his fingers tightening around hers during the walk, his voice dipping when he'd said her name, that final moment when he kissed the back of her hand before she stepped out of the car.
No one had ever looked at her like that before. It was simple, yet it burned through her veins long after he left.
A soft knock pulled her back from the memory.
She groaned, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Whoever it was could wait. But the knock came again—louder this time, impatient.
"Yes? I'm up—almost!" she called.
The door opened, and Adrian appeared, leaning against the frame with that awkward smile she knew too well.
Uh-oh. That's his we-need-to-talk face.
He's faking it.
Did something happen?
Oh God, he came to ask why I didn't show up last night.
She scrambled to sit upright, forcing a bright grin. "Hey, Dree!"
"Leena." His tone was casual, but his eyes weren't. "You up to talk?"
"Yeah, sure. What's up? You look serious."
He walked in, hands tucked into his pockets. "Why didn't you join us for dinner last night?"
Her stomach tightened. "Oh, that!" she said too quickly. "Dree, I just got tired."
He raised an eyebrow. "Tired before going out with Nathan or after it?"
Her heart skipped.
What?
How…?
"I might get caught if I don't straighten this up," she thought, panic fluttering through her.
"Dree… I…" She forced a small laugh. "Nathan wanted to go somewhere and asked me to come along. I couldn't say no. You know me…I'm terrible at refusing."
Adrian's stare softened slightly, but his tone stayed teasing. "So you bailed on your best friend for him, huh?"
"Yeah," she admitted, sighing. "I'm already ashamed. Can we drop it?"
He let out a mock sigh, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "Maybe. If you tell me what's going on between you two."
"What's happening?" she asked, feigning confusion.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Leena, I have eyes. Perfect vision, remember? You two weren't exactly subtle on your birthday."
She rolled her eyes. "You don't miss a thing, do you?"
"Not when it comes to you," he said lightly, though something unspoken hid behind his grin.
"What do you want to know?" she asked, crossing her arms.
He tilted his head. "Is it serious?"
"Dree…" She sighed. "We just want to see where it goes. A few dates. Figure out if we match. That's all. It's… no big deal."
He studied her carefully. "Can I trust your words?"
"Yes." She forced a confident smile, though her stomach twisted at the lie.
He held her gaze for a long second, then sighed and pulled her into a hug. "I just got worried, that's all. You remember I'm one call away, right?"
"Yeah, my Adrian—knight in shining armour," she teased, laughing into his shoulder.
She used to tease him using his last name, every time he tried to save her from something.
He smirked. "I have to be. Who else would?"
"Ugh, don't start," she groaned.
"Fair enough! Let's go study before I fail again."
"Sure," she said, grinning as she stuck her tongue out at him.
They walked to the study table, and for a few minutes the air eased between them, light again, like nothing had been wrong.
Elena opened her books, though her mind wasn't really on them.
Her eyes skimmed the page, but all she could see was the way Nathan had smiled at her, the way he'd whispered against her skin. She jerked the thought away.
Focus now!
Her heart gave a quiet flutter, and she quickly dropped her gaze back to the notes.
Adrian noticed the small smile tugging at her lips.
"What's so funny?"
"Huh? Nothing!" she said, too quickly.
He gave her that knowing look again, the one that made her feel like he could see right through her. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"
"I'm improving," she joked, pretending to focus on her book.
"Not fast enough," he said under his breath, but the warmth in his tone made it sound more like concern than scolding.
The quiet stretched. Pages turned. The clock ticked softly on the wall.
After a while, he leaned back in his chair. "You've changed lately," he said suddenly.
Her pen froze. "Changed?"
"Yeah. You're lighter. Freer, maybe. I don't know." He paused, watching her. "Whatever's going on, just… be careful, okay?"
The words lingered, gentle, but edged with something she couldn't name.
She smiled, pretending not to hear the warning behind them. "Always am."
He raised an eyebrow. "That's what scares me."
For a brief second, it felt like old times again. Laughter echoing, sunlight pouring across the desk, their friendship unshaken.
But beneath it, an invisible line had been drawn.
He didn't trust Nathan.
And she wasn't ready to admit how much that kiss last night had already changed her.
---
Adrian left soon after, and silence returned to the room.
Elena tried focusing on her books again, but her mind drifted elsewhere, back to Nathan.
This time, she let herself think more clearly.
Sometimes, he said things she didn't fully understand, words that sounded deep but left her guessing.
Sometimes, he was all over her, the intensity in his eyes making her forget to breathe.
Other times, he was distant, composed, too patient, like he was waiting for something she couldn't name.
He talked little about himself. She barely knew him beyond what he chose to share.
But last night felt different. He had opened up to her, at least a little.
Maybe he was adjusting too.
Maybe they both were taking careful steps.
The thought should have comforted her. Instead, it made her restless.
She snapped her notebook shut, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and headed outside, desperate for air.
But her steps didn't take her to the park or the café. They carried her to a familiar place.
The one that felt like trouble and comfort at once.
Nathan's door.
Her heart beat faster just looking at it. She hesitated, staring at the brass nameplate that gleamed softly in the afternoon light.
Why am I here again?
Before she could find an answer, she took a deep breath and reached for the doorbell.
The door opened before she could press it.
"Oh!" Nathan stood there, looking surprised—and impossibly composed. His navy shirt sleeves were rolled up, a hint of cologne and movement telling her he was dressed to go somewhere.
"You're here," he said, a mischievous smile breaking through his expression.
She gasped, the door had opened so suddenly that she lost balance, nearly stumbling forward.
Nathan caught her instantly. In one smooth motion, he pulled her into his arms, bridal style. Steady, certain, like he'd been expecting it.
"Whoa…" she breathed, gripping his shoulder. Her heart raced so fast she forgot to breathe for a second.
He chuckled softly. "You really do have a talent for making dramatic entrances."
Before she could protest, he carried her inside and set her gently down on the sofa.
She was still catching her breath when he poured something into a crystal glass and handed it to her.
"Here," he said, his tone warm but commanding. "This'll calm your nerves."
"I… ugh… I'm fine. Just clumsy—as you know," she stammered, cheeks burning.
He smiled, watching her take a sip.
"Are you going somewhere?" she asked, noticing the sleek watch on his wrist. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.. "
"I know, Elena," he said, cutting in softly. "Actually, I was on my way to see you."
She blinked. "Really?" Something in her heart clicked.
He nodded, leaning against the counter, his gaze steady. "Couldn't stop thinking about last night."
"What about it?" she asked curiously.
"It was the best date," he said simply. "I enjoyed your company. And…" his voice lowered, "I missed you today."
Honesty should go both ways, Right?
Her breath caught. "Nathan…"
"Yeah?"
She hesitated, then whispered, "I missed you too."
His grin deepened, sharp but tender. "Oh, my baby girl was missing me? Why does it make me so happy to hear that?"
He tilted her chin up, his thumb brushing her jaw with practiced ease.
"You're getting comfortable with me," he murmured. "And I like that. No barriers, no walls—just unfiltered, heartfelt thoughts between us, okay?"
"Okay," she said softly, meaning it.
Just like that, every bit of doubt faded. Every worry, every overthought question, disappeared the moment she saw him.
Nathan smiled looking at the drink she was sipping on. "Go easy with it, it's Bellini. Champagne and peach nectar. A dangerous mix. Sweet enough to disarm, smooth enough to hide its edge."
She smiled, oblivious to the weight behind his words. "I like it."
"I know," he said quietly, watching her with that same unreadable gaze.
They'd been talking for a while—little things, casual things, the kind of talk that felt too easy.
"Did you eat anything?" Nathan asked suddenly, leaning back on the couch, his gaze tracing her face.
She shook her head. "No. I'm hungry."
"I insist," he said, already reaching for his phone. "I'll order something. Thai, Chinese, Continental?"
She didn't argue with him. "Anything you like. Order for two."
He nodded, dialing without another word. His voice was smooth as he placed the order—calm, controlled, the kind of confidence that made everything sound certain.
When he hung up, he turned back to her with a half-smile. "Now that's out of the way… I want to say something."
"Go ahead," Elena said softly, curious.
"When you come here," Nathan began, his tone deceptively light, "I want you to dress sexy, not comfy. That's my preference."
The words hit her like a spark. He was smiling, that devilish grin again, as he stepped closer.
She froze for a second, unsure whether to laugh or blush.
Maybe that's just how boyfriends are, she thought. Isla always dressed up for hers.
"Oh," she murmured, trying to sound casual. Then, before she could stop herself, the words slipped out.
"Is that an order from my boyfriend?"
She regretted them saying out loud instantly.
Nathan's grin widened, teasing, low. "Wow… you just tagged me as your boyfriend today."
Now he won't let it go!
He leaned closer, voice playful. "What happened to my innocent, shy girl? Who are you today—the daring one?"
Her shyness came rushing back at the weight of his words, and she looked away, her fingers fidgeting in her lap.
Nathan didn't move away.
Instead, he reached out and gently tugged at the hem of her oversized jumper, his fingers brushing the fabric like he was testing its softness or her reaction.
Elena's breath hitched.
She glanced down at herself, suddenly hyper-aware of how the loose fabric hid everything and how close he was now, standing right in front of her.
Nathan's fingers slipped beneath the edge of the jumper, just enough to graze the bare skin of her waist. His touch was warm, slow, deliberate.
"I like seeing you. Feeling you." His voice got a little rough.
His hands moved slightly higher, trailing along her sides, the pads of his thumbs brushing the curve of her ribs.
Elena's body responded before her mind could catch up. Her breath shallow, her skin tingling where he touched her.
She didn't stop him.
Couldn't. Too overwhelmed by his touch.
"Want me to stop?"
"No!" She said too quickly.
Nathan leaned in, his mouth close to her ear. "You tagged me as your boyfriend," he whispered. "So I'm claiming the perks."
Elena trembled, her eyes fluttering shut as his hands paused at her waist.
Nathan didn't move.
For a moment, the silence stretched thick with heat and hesitation.
Then his voice came, low and rough. "Get up."
She opened her eyes, startled by the shift in his tone. But she obeyed, rising slowly from the sofa, her heart thudding in her chest.
I can trust him!
He pulled off her jumper.
The nakedness made her self conscious.
Nathan stepped back, his gaze never leaving hers. Grazing on her body from head to toe, more specifically on her lacy white bralet.
"You are even more beautiful than I imagined," his voice roughed in the edges.
He reached for the buttons of his shirt, undoing them one by one. No rush. No words. Just the quiet sound of fabric and breath.
Elena stood still, unsure of what would come next. Watching him unbuttoning aroused the need in her body.
When he shrugged off the shirt, letting it fall to the floor, she saw him fully—the lean muscle, the sharp lines of his chest, the way the city lights caught the edge of his collarbone.
He's truly a work of art!
He crossed the space between them. No teasing now. Just closeness.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him, skin to skin, heartbeat to heartbeat.
"I wanted to feel you like this, the moment I saw you in that garden, when we first met." he murmured, his voice softer but rough. "Like nothing in between us."
Elena's hands rested lightly against his bare chest, her cheek brushing his shoulder. She could feel everything. The warmth of him, the steady rise and fall of his breath, the way his body fit against hers like it had always known how.
Then the doorbell rang. And Nathan groaned.
Nathan didn't move right away.
He exhaled, lips brushing her temple. "Food's here," he whispered. "Let me get your jumper first. Then let's eat?"
She nodded, watching him walk away with a small frown—still half lost in the warmth he left behind.
But for the first time, the silence didn't feel calm.
It was roaring inside her body.
It felt like a pause—before something began to shift.
She wanted him to go on…
She'll have to unravel this comfort, she found in him, soon!