Happy Monday!!
I should’ve gone back to my room. I should’ve shut the door, crawled into bed, and buried my head under the blanket until sleep came.But instead, I lingered.Something about Javier’s tone on the phone, the sharp edge of his words, the way he brushed past me without so much as a second glance… it left me rattled.And when he disappeared down the hallway toward the common restroom, I found myself waiting, pulse skittering like I was standing on the edge of something I didn’t dare name.The sound of the door opening pulled me from my thoughts. And then I saw him.Javier stepped out, barefoot, towel slung over his shoulder, his torso bare. My breath caught before I could stop it. Not just because of the sharp lines of muscle, the way the dim light caught the sheen of his skin.No—because just above his abdomen, a fresh wound stretched across his side. It wasn’t deep, but it was raw, angry, the kind of wound that spoke of violence.I gasped. “Javier.”His eyes flicked to mine, already nar
The penthouse had been unusually quiet lately.For the past two weeks, Javier’s presence had faded like smoke—drifting in late, leaving early, sometimes not at all. When he did appear, it was brief, a shadow slipping past me with a tight smile and a vague excuse.At first, I told myself I didn’t care. That his absence was better for me, that it gave me room to breathe, to focus on Joaquin, on work, on my manuscript.But every time the elevator chimed late at night and heavy footsteps crossed the living room, my heart gave a traitorous lurch.Because I did care.Of course, why wouldn’t I? He’s my childhood friend, my best friend—one whom I just reunited with recently. I was saddened when we parted, and life went on as it should!But of course, I missed Javier—I missed Javi.But who would have thought that he’s going to be the younger brother of the man I fell in love with? And who would have thought that his little brother fell in love with me, too?This is really worthy to make as a b
The text came just as I was wrapping up my lunch with Jessy.‘Done with your plans today? If so, meet me at the grocery. We need to shop for the house.’I blinked at the message. Grocery shopping. With Joaquin Greyson. The man who’d once been dubbed publishing’s untouchable prodigy was asking me if I had time to grab milk and bread.I smiled despite myself. ‘I’m free now. Which one?’He sent the location. A high-end grocery just a few blocks from the office. Of course. Leave it to Joaquin to shop somewhere the carts were probably shinier than my previous lifestyle.When I got there, I spotted him instantly. Tall, composed, in a navy button-down with the sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms. He was pushing a cart like it was the most natural thing in the world.“Wow,” I teased as I walked up. “Didn’t think you knew how to do normal-people things. Also… after pushing me away by giving me free time for only a few hours, you’re now asking for attention?”“Yeah, sorry.” His mouth curved f
The cursor blinked back at me, taunting me with its steady rhythm. I’d been combing through Joaquin’s manuscript for what felt like hours, making last-minute notes and double-checking continuity.My red pen had bled all over the margins, tightening sentences here, shifting transitions there.To be honest, I was distracted by what he said earlier. The sudden change in topic, telling me to refocus… why do I feel so uneasy despite him showing his sweetness last night and a while ago?Is Javier right?Shaking myself out of these thoughts, I let out a sigh and did refocus.“Too formal,” I muttered under my breath, scribbling a note in the corner. “Loosen the tone. Readers need to breathe, Joaquin.”If he saw the way I marked up his work, he’d probably scowl. And yet, he trusted me with it. That thought alone made my chest tighten in a way I wasn’t ready to admit.A shadow fell across the desk. I glanced up to find Joaquin standing there, sleeves rolled up, his expression unreadable. “Still
The sound of tapping keyboards and the low hum of printers filled Greyson Publishing’s floor, but all I could hear was the steady scratch of Joaquin’s pen beside me.We sat across from each other in his glass-walled office, manuscripts and notes spread between us. From the outside, it must have looked like any other workday—boss and editor hard at work, laser-focused.Except it wasn’t. Not really.Because every now and then, I’d catch him looking at me. And every time our eyes met, the corner of his mouth would tilt in that faint smile—the one only I ever got to see.And judging by the subtle whispers drifting from outside the office, the employees had noticed too.“They’re such a romantic couple,” I overheard one say, her voice carrying as she passed by.“It’s so strange seeing the boss like that. He’s actually smiling,” another whispered, like Joaquin was some kind of mythical creature rediscovered after years in hiding.I tried not to laugh, ducking my head to refocus on the manuscr
The morning light spilled through the curtains, soft and golden, wrapping the room in a warmth that felt far too gentle compared to the chaos inside me.I blinked awake slowly, my body aching in ways that made me blush just thinking about it.Every muscle reminded me of last night. The tenderness, the passion, the sheer intensity of Joaquin Greyson when he finally let himself unravel with me.Beside me, his arm was draped across my waist, his face buried against my hair. He looked… peaceful. So different from the guarded, polished man he was to the world.My heart squeezed painfully. There were moments before that we slept in the same bed because I was drunk, but not like this. He did that out of responsibility and chivalry.Now… is there something going to happen between us from here on out?‘Don’t get used to this, Haven.’I tried to shift quietly, but Joaquin stirred, his lashes fluttering as his gray eyes blinked open. “Don’t go just yet,” he said in a sleepy voice, pulling me clos