LOGINBryce didn’t even realize he’d said it out loud until Landon shot him a mocking look.“Wow,” Landon muttered. “Is this really the ice man I've always known?”Bryce ignored him completely and moved closer to Kimberly with such a slow move, like one wrong step might shatter whatever spell had settled over the room.“Kimberly,” he said quietly. “You look… fuck.” he ran his hand through his hair, eyes fixed on Kimberly body as he ravaged her completely.The urge to grab her right now, and kiss the hell out of her, knock every airhole she possessed, almost took control of him. But he held himself together, not wanting to look like a freak.But maybe he wouldn't stop himself from being a freak when they get home today.That dress woke something in he never knew existed within him.And damn anyone looking at him right now. He didn't care at all. As a matter of fact, there was no one else in the room except Kimberly. She was the only person he could see, everyone else was a complete blur.Kim
********Kimberly stood on the little fitting platform, smoothing down the fabric of the dress she’d just tried on.“No,” she said immediately, shaking her head. “This one makes me look like I’m attending a royal funeral.”Cindy circled her, with her arms folded, eyes narrowing like a stylist on a mission. “Turn.”Kimberly turned.Cindy sighed dramatically. “Okay, maybe not a funeral. But definitely a rich aunt who hates everyone.”Kimberly burst out laughing. “Exactly my point. Next!”The attendant whisked the dress away, already holding two more. “Let’s try these,” she said eagerly.The next thirty minutes dissolved into chaos, fabric swishing, zippers buzzing, Cindy gasping theatrically at every outfit.Kimberly tried a smooth black number, and seeing that, Cindy gagged immediately. “Too deadly. Bryce will cancel the fashion show and lock you in a tower.”Kimberly burst out seriously, and even the attendants couldn't hold back their laughter.Cindy was being such an entertainer tod
By the time Kimberly finished her bath and returned to the bedroom, she expected to find Bryce there, sipping his tea.Instead, the room was empty.“Bryce?” she called softly, tightening the towel around her body.Water droplets slid from the ends of her hair as she walked back into the living room. Her gaze drifted to the bedside table, where two cups sat neatly. Hers was already empty. Bryce’s, barely touched.“God have mercy on this man,” Kimberly sighed, shaking her head as she moved toward the dressing mirror. “Even drinking tea is hard for him.”She applied lotion to her skin, muttering to herself.“Looks like I’ll be forcing him to eat now… like a child. Is he really any different from his daughter? So now I have two humans to monitor.” She scoffed lightly. “And one of them is a full-grown adult.”The thought made her chuckle.Once she was done, she stood and walked to the closet. It didn’t surprise her to find her clothes already there—neatly arranged, separate from Bryce’s.O
The smile on his face still disappear, it lingered for a long while. Because whether or not he knew when it started, he loved it. Every bit of it. And he wanted more of those soft, ridiculous, strangely warm mornings. He was about to take another sip of the tea when his phone started ringing. The cup paused midway to his mouth. His gaze drifted to the table where his phone buzzed, and he stood, dropping the cup. “Hey, Mr. Married,” Landon’s voice came through the second Bryce picked up. Bryce rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, already tired of his insufferable best friend. “What do you want, Mr. Bachelor-Who’s-Single-To-Stupor?” Landon’s laughter burst through the speaker, loud enough that Bryce had to lower the phone from his ear for a beat. “Someone had a really good night’s sleep. Your voice alone says it!” Landon teased. “Tell me, what’s the cause? Because the Bryce I know is a vampire who hates sleeping. So I want to know.” Bryce could practically see Landon
The morning light of the next pushed softly through the curtains, seeping in slowly. The storm from the night before had passed, leaving everything washed and strangely gentle, as if the world itself knew better than to interrupt them today.Bryce walked down the hallway with two cups of coffee, the steam curling from the lids. His hair was still damp from the shower he had just minutes ago, white shirt clinging slightly to his chest and shoulders. A color he rarely wore. He pushed the door open gently with his leg, finding Kimberly still asleep as he entered.She lay curled on her side, wrapped loosely in his sheets like she belonged there, which she actually did. The morning light painted her skin in warm tones, and a few strands of hair stuck adorably to her cheek.They had returned to their sweet home as early as anything the next day.A quiet smile tugged at Bryce’s lips as he fully walked in soundlessly, setting the cups down on the bedside table.He didn’t wake her immediatel
Neither Kimberly nor Bryce ever thought they’d be spending the night in a hotel instead of at home.Just when they had prepared to leave the hospital, the rain had suddenly come down relentlessly hard, drenching the city in minutes. What had looked like an ordinary cold New York night earlier had turned into a full-blown storm while they were inside, trapped between Nana’s teasing and naughty conversations.Driving home was out of the question.Bryce hadn’t even argued it. One look at the wet roads, the reduced visibility, and the way Kimberly hugged herself tighter in the passenger seat, and he’d made the call.If he were alone, he might’ve pushed through it. But with Kimberly beside him? Never. He couldn't just risk it.So here they were.The hotel room was quiet, warm and the lights were deem. The steady sound of rain tapping against the window wrapped the space in something private, sealed off from the rest of the world.Kimberly stood near the foot of the bed, rubbing her hands t
Kimberly rushed into the school building as fast as she could, praying with all her heart that her daughter’s school play hadn’t started already.She had come straight here after the shoot, which had dragged on longer than anyone expected, and now every second felt like a punishment to her.God, al
After spending close to an hour in the shower, relishing in the warmth of the water, Kimberly finally stepped out, the steam still clinging faintly to her skin. She wrapped herself in her silk robe, and walked barefoot back into her room. Sitting at her dresser, she smoothed lotion over her arms
Kimberly’s arms tightened around him before her mind caught up with what she was doing. The familiar scent of his cologne, the one she craved for reasons she didn't know, one that gave her that unknowing comfort, instantly wrapped around her, dizzying, grounding and overwhelming all at once. For a
“Kimberly?” She spun, and there was Bryce, standing close enough to have seen the storm in her eyes. His brows drew together, concern flashing across his face. Bryce's sharp eyes scanned her face, lingering on the stiffness in her posture, the way her hands were balled into fists. “Are you okay?







