Chapter Five

Nana's POV

My blood went cold with nervousness as I stood to go to our room. Every step up the stairs felt like I was carrying a weight far heavier than my body. My heart raced, and I forced myself to take deep breaths to calm the storm inside me.

When I entered the room, I froze. The King-sized bed we shared sat empty, and I let out a quiet breath of relief when I heard the shower running. I wasn’t ready to face Simon yet—not like this. I didn’t even know what I could say if I did.

I moved to the closet, hands trembling as I began to undress. The faint, familiar scent of Noah’s cologne lingered on my shirt, teasing my senses. Without thinking, I pressed the fabric to my nose, inhaling deeply, letting the memory of his presence wash over me.

My stomach flipped with guilt. What the hell is wrong with me? I yanked the shirt away like it burned me, my cheeks heating at the thought of Simon catching me like this.

After wrapping myself in a towel, I stepped out of the closet, only to stop dead in my tracks. Simon stood outside the bathroom, a towel draped low on his hips, droplets of water sliding down his chest, glistening under the dim bedroom light.

My eyes betrayed me, trailing from his toned chest to his damp hair, which he rubbed carelessly with another towel. I bit my lip, a surge of heat rising through me.

He looked up, his piercing gray eyes meeting mine. I tensed, my breath hitching as his gaze softened—unexpectedly, like he wasn’t holding the same anger from earlier.

“I’m sorry, Simon… for what happened today,” I murmured, my voice hardly louder than a whisper.

He sighed deeply, letting the towel drop from his hair. Then, to my surprise, he stepped closer—close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating off him. My pulse thundered as he stopped just inches from me, his gaze searching mine.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m sorry too,” he said softly, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. His hand reached up to cup my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek.

I opened my mouth to say something, but his lips found mine before I could utter a word.

The kiss stole the air from my lungs, gentle at first, then growing deeper, hungrier. I froze for a heartbeat, caught off guard by the suddenness, but then his hands slid around me, pulling me closer. The heat of his body seeped into mine, and for a moment, I couldn’t think—only feel.

Each touch from Simon burned away the lingering shadows of Noah. My guilt, my confusion—it all melted under the weight of his embrace. His hands roamed, igniting fire along every inch of my skin. I felt the growing bulge press against my stomach.

Before I realized it, my towel slipped to the floor, leaving me bare against him. His hands gripped my thighs, lifting me effortlessly as I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our eyes met briefly, and in that fleeting moment, I saw something raw and unspoken in his gaze, something I hadn’t seen for so long. My cheeks flushed with the heat that creeped in me.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt truly seen. Loved.

“Maybe the argument we had earlier was a good thing,” I thought silently, the edges of my lips curving upward. Despite the hurt, despite the anger, this moment felt like a reminder of the bond we still shared.

The bed felt impossibly soft beneath my back as Simon lowered me gently, his weight pressing into me in all the right ways. His lips left mine to trace along my jaw, the heat of his breath teasing my skin.

“Simon…” I moaned, my voice trembling, but I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to say. His name came out like a prayer, a plea, a confession.