LOGINKAYLABy the time the food was gone and the tea had been refilled twice, something in me had unclenched properly for the first time since the plane landed.This… Zara talking with her whole body, both hands moving, nearly knocking her mug off the counter twice. Her laugh filling every corner of the room. I'd missed her in a way I hadn't let myself fully feel until right now.Darius had been quiet for most of it, he laughed when something was actually funny. Asked exactly two questions, both of them good ones. Refilled my mug once without being asked and I told myself that meant nothing and I almost believed it."Okay." Zara stood up suddenly. She stretched both arms above her head and groaned. "We have to go.""Already?""It is… " She checked her phone and made a face. "Kayla. It's almost midnight.""It is not.""It genuinely is and you just got off a long flight and I have a seven AM and if I don't leave right now I'm going to keep you up until three talking about nothing and you're
KAYLASomehow… I found my voice."Darius." I whispered. "What are you…”His fingers pressed gently against my lips lightly, and every word I'd been about to say dissolved completely. His eyes stayed on mine the whole time… and then he dropped his hand slowly. And then, before I could pull together a single thought, his fingers ran up my arm… the back of his knuckles dragging from my wrist to my shoulder like he was just… exploring. Like he had all the time in the world and intended to use every second of it.My heart skipped… and he noticed. Of course he noticed.His hand changed direction, drifting down now, and I knew I should say something, should do something, but my mouth had completely stopped cooperating and my legs were barely functioning and when he placed his warm palm against the outside of my thigh I made a quiet sound.The corner of his mouth shifted. "Still fine?" he asked.I hated him. I genuinely, deeply, passionately hated him for how unbothered he sounded right now.
KAYLAHe dropped the duffle against the wall and set it down easily, then straightened up and looked around the room for a second like he was doing a mental checklist. Making sure everything was in order. Like that was just a thing he did naturally.It was annoyingly attractive."You good?" he asked, turning to look at me. "Need anything?""I'm fine," I said quickly. Maybe a little too quickly. "Seriously, I'm great. Thank you."He held my gaze for just a beat longer than necessary and then nodded."Alright." He moved toward the door. "I'll get out of your hair then.""Okay. Thanks again. For everything.""Don't mention it."And then he was gone, pulling the door mostly closed behind him, and I heard his footsteps going back down the hall and I stood completely still until I couldn't hear them anymore.Then I let out the longest breath of my entire life.What… was THAT.I pressed both hands to my cheeks. They were warm. Of course they were warm. I'd been standing in a bedroom with a
KAYLASix years was a long time.Six years of FaceTime calls that cut out at the worst moments, voice notes sent at 2 a.m. because of time zone confusion, and text threads so long that scrolling to the beginning felt like archaeology. Six years of I miss you and when are you coming back and soon, I promise, soon… and now soon was finally, actually here.I pressed my forehead against the cool window of the cab and watched the city blur past, my fingers fidgeting with the strap of my carry-on like I didn't know what to do with my hands. Which, honestly, I didn't. I'd been on a plane for four hours and in my feelings for considerably longer, and the closer we got to Maplewood Heights, the more that anxious, giddy feeling in my chest threatened to crack me wide open.I was going home.Home was the house on Sycamore Row that my parents had both packed their separate boxes out of two years into my first semester, each leaving in different directions without much thought for the building the
MIAHis eyes widened for a split second, searching my face like he was waiting for me to back out, to laugh it off as some twisted joke. “You serious?” he asked, his voice filled with that raw hunger he'd been holding back.I nodded, my heart beating really fast. “Yeahhh,” I whispered, the word dragging out, my body already aching for what came next.That was all it took. He crashed his mouth against mine, his tongue pushing past my lips. I moaned into the kiss, my hands fisting in his shirt as he devoured me. His fingers dug into my hips, pulling me against him, and I felt the thick ridge of his cock pressing insistently through his pants, right against my core.Before I could even process it, he scooped me up, one arm under my knees and the other around my back. My legs wrapped around his waist on instinct, and he carried me toward the stairs, his mouth never leaving mine. Each step jostled me against him, grinding my soaked panties against that hard bulge, sending sparks shooting
MIAI was already dressed.A wine-free short dress, simple and soft, nothing tight, nothing that screamed look at me. I’d thought about wearing something that hugged my body more, something I knew would make his eyes linger, but no. I wasn’t giving him that satisfaction. Not today.I just applied a little lip moisturiser, nothing glossy, nothing dramatic, then let my hair fall loose down my back. I took one last look at myself in the mirror and nodded once, like I was convincing myself more than anything else.Good enough.I walked out of my room and into the parlour, the house quiet in that way that made every thought louder. I sat on the couch and crossed my legs, waiting.Why the hell did my father leave his card with him?Now Jake would start acting like he was in charge, like this was his territory, like he was responsible for everything. The thought annoyed me more than I wanted to admit, and I shifted on the couch, folding my arms loosely.I wanted to be pissed about it. I real
MIAI forced a small smile at my mum. “Alright… that’s no problem,” I said softly. “At least I’ll finally see what my stepbrother looks like.”She smiled back, clearly relieved by my calm reaction. “That’s my girl. I’m glad you’re taking this well.”She clapped her hands lightly. “Now that that’s s
Elias sat stiffly beside the woman, his hands resting awkwardly on his thighs, his shoulders tensed. Mrs Halston leaned closer. “Look at me, sweetheart,” she murmured, her fingers settling boldly on his lap, her nails pressing lightly. “You’re far too beautiful to be standing behind a bar when you
Sapphire couldn’t remember the last time she had looked forward to work quite this much.The walk from the café to Obsidian was short, but her mind replayed the scene again and again — the way the boy’s cheeks flushed pink, the way he stumbled over his words, the way he looked at her like she was m
ARIAI sat on the edge of my bed and dragged a hand over my face.What the hell did I just do?My body was still warm, still sensitive, still humming with the echoes of him… his hands, his voice, his weight pinning me to the wall like he owned every breath I took.God.I slept with my boss.On my f







