Chapter 5 — The Night.

*POV Derby*

The hotel room door clicked shut behind us with a quiet finality. Sound echoed far louder than it should have, making my pulse jump.

The muffled sounds from the hallway disappeared, replaced by the steady hum of the air conditioner and the uneven rhythm of my breathing. I stayed near the door for a second, suddenly aware of how different everything felt now that we were alone.

Jordan didn't move toward me right away. Instead, he walked over to the window and drew the curtains halfway, letting only a wash of city lights spill into the room.. When he turned back, his hands rested loosely at his sides. He watched me with the same calm expression he'd worn all night.

He didn't close the distance between us. He simply waited, patient enough to let the silence speak first. If I changed my mind, I knew he'd open the door without asking a single question.

I really could have left. Nothing was stopping me except myself. Part of me kept insisting this was a mistake, that one stranger couldn't possibly fix what had broken inside me tonight, that I was using a stranger to patch a wound that wouldn’t heal in one night. Then the loneliness answered back. It was louder than reason had been all evening. Before I could argue with myself again, I closed the distance between us.

My fingers curled into the front of his shirt before I leaned in and kissed him.There was nothing polished or graceful about it. Everything I'd been trying to hold together since seeing those photos finally spilled into that single moment. He tasted like whiskey and heat, and for a moment he let me lead, hands hovering at my waist without gripping. Then his fingers settled there, strong and warm, steadying me as he kissed me back.

The kiss deepened. His tongue brushed mine, slow and sure, sending sparks down my spine. I pressed closer, feeling the hard plane of his chest against me. His hands slid to my hips, lifting me effortlessly until my back met the wall. The cool surface contrasted sharply with the heat of his body. I gasped into his mouth. He used the moment to trail his lips along my jaw, then down my neck, breath hot and ragged against my skin. When his teeth grazed that sensitive spot below my ear, a low moan escaped me before I could stop it.

My fingers tangled in his hair, holding him there. His hands explored—sliding under my top, palms rough and warm against my bare waist. Every touch was deliberate, like he was learning me. Not rushing to take. Giving me time. Always watching my face, ready to stop if I changed my mind.

He waited until I looked up at him before speaking. "You can say no," he said quietly. "At any point. I mean that." His breath sent goosebumps racing across my skin. “Anytime. I mean it.”

I searched his face for another second, then slowly shook my head. No wasn't the word sitting in my chest. I pulled him closer instead, legs wrapping around his waist as he carried me to the bed. Clothes came off between kisses and quiet breaths. Every bit of closeness felt startlingly real after a night built on lies. His body was firm and warm, muscles shifting under my hands as I traced his shoulders, his back. He never stopped watching my face, checking my expression with every pause as though my silence mattered as much as my words.

When he finally sank into me, slow and deep, my back arched off the mattress. A broken sound left my throat. He paused almost immediately, resting his forehead lightly against mine while we both caught our breath. "Are you okay?" he whispered, his voice barely louder than our breathing.

I answered with a small nod before closing the distance between us again, pulling him down into another kiss. The rhythm built gradually—powerful but controlled, every thrust measured like he wanted me to feel all of it. At one point our hands found each other naturally, fingers slipping together without either of us saying a word. His low groans mixed with my gasps.

It wasn’t just bodies moving. He looked at me as though I deserved his full attention, something I hadn't realized I'd been missing. Even afterward, he didn't rush to create distance between us.

Eventually the room settled into silence again, the room fell quiet except for our slowing breaths. Part of me braced for awkwardness. For polite excuses. For someone to reach for their clothes and pretend none of it had mattered. Instead he shifted behind me, pulling my back against his chest in a loose, protective embrace.

He quietly shifted beside me, close enough that I could hear the steady rhythm of his breathing. His arm rested lightly around me, never holding me in place, only reminding me he was still there.

A quiet goodnight lingered between us, gentle enough that it caught me off guard. His lips brushed the nape of my neck in a soft kiss that sent one last lingering shiver through me.

I let my eyes fall shut, surprised by how quiet my thoughts had become, letting the strange calm wash over me. My body was spent, muscles loose and satisfied in a way I hadn’t felt in years. Rian hadn't disappeared from my heart. The hurt was still there. It just wasn't the loudest thing inside me anymore. Dulled by the steady beat of Jordan’s heart against my back and the gentle way his fingers traced lazy circles on my hip, like he wasn’t in any hurry to let go.

Sleep crept in quietly, pulling at my thoughts until they began slipping out of reach, heavy and warm. Right before exhaustion finally won, I heard him speak, I heard his voice, barely a whisper against my skin.

His voice was almost lost in the darkness. "Who are you... really?"

The question lingered in the dark, soft and wondering. It carried a weight that made my chest tighten even as exhaustion pulled me under. For the first time tonight, I wondered if one night with a stranger had opened something I wouldn’t be able to close again.

**To be continued...**