LOGIN~FIORELLA~Warmth is the first thing I notice.I'm warm, so warm that for a few seconds, I don't want to move.I feel something solid beneath my cheek, and there's an arm wrapped around my waist.My brain is still foggy with sleep.I slowly open my eyes, and immediately freeze when I see that my face is pressed against Lucas.My entire body goes rigid and I blink twice.Then I look down to see his arm is wrapped securely around my waist.My hand is resting against his chest.One of my legs is tangled with his beneath the blanket.And somehow, I've practically curled myself into him.Oh. My. God.What happened?I stare at his arm around me like it has personally betrayed me.I slowly lift my head and I see that Lucas is still asleep.His eyes are closed. His breathing is slow and steady. His face is completely relaxed.I stare at him, then at myself, then at him again.How did this happen?We went to sleep with enough space between us.I remember that.I remember
~LUCAS~I wake up slowly to realize there's something warm pressed against me, something soft tucked against my chest, and for a few seconds, my half-asleep brain refuses to understand what it is.I keep my eyes closed.The room is quiet. The air conditioner hums softly in the background, and the curtains block most of the morning light. Everything feels strangely peaceful.Then I feel a gentle movement against me, and I open my eyes.I'm surprised to see Fiorella lying against me.I have totally forgotten that she slept in my bed last night.Her head is resting comfortably on my chest, her body curled toward mine, one of her legs slightly tangled with mine beneath the blanket.And my arm is wrapped around her waist.My hand is resting against the curve of her waist as though it has every right to be there.I stare at it, then at her, then back at my hand.What the hell?I don't remember doing that.The last thing I remember is her placing her head on my should
~LUCAS~"So you actually got into the bed,” she replies, and is suddenly staring daggers at me.I stare back at her. "That's generally what people do when they're going to sleep.""But….""But what?" I interrupt her.She pauses because she clearly doesn't know how to finish that sentence without admitting that she expected me to spend the night somewhere else.I smile. "You thought I was joking?""I thought you'd actually not sleep on the bed,” she replies."I considered it,” I say, and her eyes brighten slightly, then I ruin it with my next words. "But I'm tired and I need to sleep.”Her expression drops.I have to look away for a second because I'm dangerously close to laughing.I pull the blanket toward myself, and immediately, she grabs it.I look at her hand, then at her.“That is my blanket,” she says, looking innocently at me."Our blanket,” I correct her."I was using it first,” she says."You're using too much,” I tell her, and we both glance down.I'v
~FIORELLA~This is going to be a very long night.I try to focus on my phone, pretending that the man standing only a few feet away from me isn't the reason my thoughts are suddenly all over the place.I keep staring at my phone but nothing registers.I scroll through the same page twice without absorbing a single word.My eyes keep drifting toward him.Every single time I catch myself doing it, I quickly look away.This is ridiculous! I have never behaved like this around a man before.Lucas is just Lucas.My irritating, arrogant, frustrating colleague…. nothing more.I repeat the fact that he's nothing more silently to myself.Then I hear the soft sound of the mattress shifting, and I look up instantly.Lucas is sitting on the edge of the bed, and my heart jumps.As if he notices it, he glances at me, and gives me a questioning look.“What?” He asks.“Nothing,” I reply, staring intently at him, then at the bed he's sitting on.“You're staring too much,” he t
~FIORELLA~“Fine. I'm staying. But you better behave like a gentleman tonight, or you're going to have to deal with me,” I tell Lucas and he scoffs.“You know I'm always a gentleman, Fiorella,” he says. “I don't do things without permission. If anything is going to happen tonight, you'll have to give me permission to do that.”I can tell he's clearly teasing me.“Don't look so pleased with yourself,” I tell him.“I promise I'm not,” he replies, and I stare at him for another moment before looking away.“And there's absolutely nothing that will happen tonight, you weird ass!” I add, and he chuckles.“Of course. There's absolutely nothing that will happen tonight,” he says with amusement in his voice.“I don't think I'd want to ever go into that room again,” I say, changing the topic, because I'm starting to have stupid thoughts.“Why??” He asks. “They're going to fix it though.” “And if I see another cockroach??” I ask.“You won't,” he assures me.“You don't know t
~FIORELLA~“You’re staying here.”For a few seconds, I genuinely wonder if I hear him correctly.I stare at Lucas, and he stares back at me.Neither of us moves at first, till I finally blink.My brain seems to need those extra seconds to process the ridiculous sentence that has just come out of his mouth.“Excuse me?” I say, but Lucas doesn't even flinch.“You heard me,” he says.“I think I did, but I’m hoping I didn’t,” I say, and his lips twitch, and that tiny movement immediately irritates me.“What?” I demand.“You’re staying in my room tonight,” he repeats.“You cannot be serious.” I push myself farther back on the bed, staring at him like he has suddenly grown another head. “This is a joke.”“It isn't.”“Then you’ve lost your mind,” I glare at him.“Possibly,” he shrugs, and I narrow my eyes.Lucas looks entirely too calm for someone who has just informed me that I am sleeping in his room….with him.Of all the ridiculous things that have happened since we
~ELENA~I don't even know when we get home. I just feel someone pulling me out of the car and leading me to my room.I feel numb. My body, my senses, my mind….they all feel numb.The door to my room opens and I am led inside.“Take your bath and rest. We'll come to chec
Alessandro shouldn’t have come. Every instinct tells him to stay away.But curiosity, or maybe something darker…. drives him straight to the masquerade ball party.After what happened yesterday, he couldn’t stop thinking about them.The triplets.So he did what anyone with too much fear, curiosity,
~ELENA~Vincenzo pins me to the door and takes my lips in his, kissing me hard and passionately.The kiss lingers for a moment, hot, raw and passionate before he abruptly steps back. Like he just crossed a boundary.“Leave now, please” he growls. “Now that I'm still able
~ELENA~Nico's lips graze my cheeks…almost a kiss.Almost.And then the gym door swings open.“Damn!” We both exclaim.Riccardo walks in, towel over his shoulders. He pauses, eyes flicking between our too-close bodies.“Everything okay here??” He asks, voice neutral, but b







