LOGINAfter we left the restaurant, Adrian told me we were making one more stop before calling it a night.“Where?” I asked.“Guess.”I narrowed my eyes at him. “No.”“Come on. Try.”We went back and forth like that until he finally pulled up in front of a dance club.Music spilled out the moment we stepped in. Couples were already on the floor, moving together, bodies close, rhythm smooth.Salsa.I laughed immediately as Adrian took my hand and pulled me in.“I don’t know how to do this,” I warned.“You’ll be fine.”I tilted my head. “Are you sure about that?”The next few minutes were a mess—fun, chaotic, completely unserious. I laughed more than I actually danced. Adrian moved like he had been doing it forever, guiding me, turning me, pulling me back in, while I struggled to keep up.“You don’t trust me.”“I don’t trust whatever you’re about to do next.”He turned me again.I laughed. “See?”“Relax,” he murmured.“I am relaxed,” I said, already laughing again.The music slowed, then fade
Adrian stepped out of the car with a smile as he walked toward me.“I guess someone couldn’t wait inside,” he teased.I rolled my eyes. “Explain what’s going on.”He didn’t answer. His gaze moved slowly over me, taking everything in, and when he spoke, his voice dropped.“You look beautiful.”Heat crept up my neck, but I held his gaze. “Thank you. But that’s not what I asked.”“If I remember correctly,” I continued, “we picked all of this for your date. So why is it on me?”His lips curved slightly. “Would you rather go back in and take it off so I can give it to her?”I smacked his arm lightly. “Adrian, be serious.”He looked at me for a moment, then said calmly, “You have the dress. The makeup. Everything. I’m sure you can figure out what that means.”I searched his face, trying to see if he was serious.“You’re my date, Sophia.”My mouth parted, but before I could say anything, he reached for my hand and linked our fingers together, guiding me toward the car.“We’re going to be lat
I didn’t wait for closing before leaving. Everyone had been asking what was wrong. Apparently, my mood had been off and I was unusually quiet. I got tired of the looks, the questions, the constant “are you okay?” So I left.The moment I got home, I took a shower and collapsed on the couch. Sad romantic movies played one after the other, giving me a reason to cry.Even when Benita got back, she paused, clearly confused to find me on the couch, crying.“Are you okay?”“I’m fine,” I replied quickly. “It’s just the movie. It’s really sad… her husband died.”She studied me for a second, then gave a small nod. “Okay.”She sat beside me for a while, watching me while I cried through the movie. Then she shook her head, smiling slightly, before leaving me alone like she had figured it out.I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, Benita was waking me up.“Get up. You’ll be late for work.”“I’m not going,” I muttered. “If Adrian asks, just tell him I’m fine. I just need the day
Adrian asked if I was free so we could start going.“Right now?”“Yes. The date is tomorrow.”I nodded. “Okay. Just give me five minutes. My brother’s been calling… I need to return it.”“Alright.”I stepped out, grabbed my phone, and headed straight to my car. The moment I got in, I dialed Aunt Sophia’s number and pressed the phone to my ear.It rang.And rang.I pulled it away, staring at the screen.“Pick up… pick up,” I muttered under my breath.Just as I was about to hang up, the call connected.“It’s a waste of effort, Aunt Sophia,” I blurted out. “He likes someone else.”“Calm down. Explain.”I took a breath. “Adrian just asked me to help him pick things for his date.”She went quiet for a moment.“Did Danny show up?”“Yes. And Adrian saw us.”“And instead of reacting, he asked you to do that?”“Yes!”She hummed softly, like she was thinking it through, then started laughing.I rubbed my forehead. “Did you hear what I just said? He asked me to help him—”“I heard you,” she cut
As my break time approached, doubt started creeping in. A part of me was scared this could go wrong. But I needed this.I needed us to define whatever this thing between us was. Because I didn’t just want Adrian, I wanted him to be mine. I wanted to be able to say he was my boyfriend.When Danny texted that he was close, I walked straight into Adrian’s office.His eyes lit up the moment he saw me.“Let me guess,” he said, leaning back. “They sent you to convince me to agree to something again?”I laughed. “Not this time.”“Oh?” he said, watching me.“I actually came to ask you something.”“Go on.”I hesitated just enough to make it look real. “A friend of mine is here to see me. I wanted to know if it’s okay if I spend my break with him… at one of the tables.”Adrian went quiet for a second.Then he nodded. “That’s fine.”I smiled and walked over to him, hugging him lightly, just for effect. “Thank you.”When Danny arrived, we took a table at the far end.After the usual how have you
I asked Adrian to spend the night, and he agreed immediately. Somewhere between pillow talk and quiet cuddling, we fell asleep.His hand between my thighs woke me.I was already moaning before I even opened my eyes. When I did, he was above me, smiling.“Good morning,” he said, his voice thick with sleep.Before I could respond, he moved slowly, and then he was inside me.He kept a steady pace, his eyes locked on mine the entire time, watching every reaction, every breath. It didn’t take long before we both came.We stayed like that, staring at each other, catching our breath.“That’s a great way to start the day,” I finally said, my voice soft.Adrian chuckled, brushing his fingers lightly against my cheek. “You look beautiful… especially like this.”I felt my face warm instantly.“I really like it when you blush.”I pushed him lightly, rolling out of bed. “Shut up.”His laughter followed me all the way into the bathroom, and somehow, we ended up in the shower.Later, Adrian offered
He opened the closet like I wasn’t standing there.I leaned against the doorway, arms folded, watching him flip through shirts with cold precision. Like we hadn’t just kissed in a way that could’ve torn the sky in half.He pulled out a black tee, dragged it over his head.And I said it."Why are yo
There’s something strangely healing about building something with your hands, especially when it’s for yourself.The studio was finally coming together. Tripods, soundproofing panels, and ring lights were scattered across the room like puzzle pieces. My new kitchen island gleamed under soft lightin
Gray sweatpants. Black T-shirt. Hair wrecked by the wind or maybe his own restless hands. One of Liam’s knuckles looked scraped. His eyes were bloodshot, not from tears, but from everything he wasn’t saying. He wasn’t the man who made headlines.He was just a man. Standing at my door. Wrecked.“You
Walking past Cassie felt like stepping over clutter–unnecessary, loud, and easy to ignore.There was no need to ask why she was there, and even less reason to acknowledge her with a smile.Because women like Cassie? They thrive on being seen.And silence? Silence starves them.But she couldn’t help







