Her dress was still on from the ball, and he moved slowly, fingers brushing over her shoulder as he slipped the strap down. The soft fabric slid over her skin, revealing more with each inch, and the way her breath hitched only spurred him on.He lowered his mouth to her collarbone, lips trailing over the skin like he was memorizing her, and she closed her eyes, her back arching slightly into him. Every part of her was awake. She felt like her whole body had been waiting for this — for himMemories of the night her virginity was taken flashed by her eyes, she felt the way she felt that night.The atmosphere,the exact spot Noah was placing his kisses,the way she was moaning and throwing her head back. It somehow felt foreign but not new. Aurelia immediately inwardly scolded her self for comparing that night to what she was feeling now instead of living in the moment The gown pooled around her ankles, leaving her bare in front of him.Noah stepped back for just a second, and his eyes ra
It was Nathan.Noah’s cousin.Even if she already guessed it, seeing him there—alone, with that twisted smirk—made her stomach churn. Sure, he was about Noah’s age, but everything about him felt older… rougher. Scarier. The kind of man you didn’t want near you when no one else was around.She tried to take a step back, but his grip only tightened. One hand still clutching her arm like it belonged to him, the other casually lifting a cigarette to his lips. He took a long drag, eyes raking over her body like she was something laid out for him to sample.“You shouldn’t run off like that,” he said, voice low, almost mocking. “What if something happened to you out here?”She said nothing.She didn’t trust her voice.He took another puff, then leaned in way too close. Close enough that she could feel the heat of his breath, the stench of his cologne, the smoke lingering between them like a curse. And then—he exhaled, slow and deliberate, right into her face.Aurelia flinched, coughing light
Aurelia hated that she was affected by him.Noah.She hated how her heartbeat had caught in her throat that morning, how she was still thinking about the warmth of his hands on her waist, the way his voice dropped when he spoke to her. She hated how his distance had stung more than she was willing to admit.He was her boss.That was the line.He’d been kind. Polite. Maybe a little warm. But that was all it was — she was probably just taking it the wrong way. Misreading everything.And with the plans she had for herself — real, grown-up, get-my-life-back plans — she didn’t have space for misplaced feelings.Especially not for someone like him.So she pushed it down.At least she tried toLike she always did.Downstairs, Noah waited near the entrance, dressed in a dark tailored suit that looked like it had been sewn directly onto his frame. His hair was slicked back neatly, a silver cufflink glinting under the chandelier light. Calm, in control — the very image of authority.Except he wa
NOAH’S POVThe second I saw her choking, everything else around me blurred out.One second she was talking — smiling, soft — and the next, she was clutching her throat.My body moved before my brain even did.I rushed over, wrapped my arms around her from behind, pressing into her stomach the way I remembered from first aid drills I’d learned but never put into real life action- something I never really did paid attention to. She grabbed the glass of water, practically downed it in one gulp.Relief hit me like a damn wave.I turned her around, eyes scanning her face, searching for any sign that she was okay.“You good?”I asked it quietly, but I could hear the tension in my own voice.She nodded.But her eyes were doing that thing — drifting from my lips to my eyes.And fuck, mine were doing the same.We were close.Too close.My hand was still on her waist, and suddenly I became painfully aware of how small she felt under my fingers, how soft her skin was through the thin fabric.Her
Aurelia’s POVMy belly was full, and honestly, I was feeling a hell of a lot better than I did hours ago.I was out on the balcony now, taking in some fresh evening air. The sun had already dipped low — not quite night, but just enough to calm the world down a bit.Noah was somewhere in the house, probably tucked away in his study doing CEO things.I was still enjoying the breeze when I heard footsteps behind me.I didn’t need to turn to know it was him.His sleeves were now rolled up, exposing those annoyingly perfect arms of his.“Zane’s back with your clothes,” he said, eyes fixed on the horizon. “They should be in the room you were earlier.”I glanced at him for a sec.He looked… distant. Or maybe I was just reading too much into it.“Okay,” I said, already turning to leave.“I’m going for a swim in the pool,” he added casually. “You should come. It’ll help you cool off a bit. I’m sure Zane grabbed a swimsuit or something for you.”I gave a small nod and headed back to the room.S
Aurelia’s POVStill in my boss’s oversized shirt, I made my way downstairs for lunch.God, I was starving.The house — no, the penthouse — was something straight out of a rich guy movie.Wide glass windows with thick curtains drawn back, floors so polished you could see your damn reflection, soft beige tones, sleek furniture, and warm lighting that made the whole place feel very expensive and too clean to touch.Noah was already at the kitchen table, looking way too good for someone who just casually ruined my entire sense of normal.The table was set for two — medium-rare steak, mashed potatoes, a bottle of wine. The kind of lunch that screamed luxury For like two seconds, my brain went rogue and pictured this as my house.Noah cooking, us eating, him feeding me like some doting husband.Then reality slapped me across the face.Jesus. He’s your boss.Noah must’ve heard me coming, ‘cause he stood up and pulled out the chair opposite him.Polite. Gentleman move.But… was that all it w