LOGIN~FIORELLA~I run straight to my room, open the door and go in immediately.The moment the door closes behind me, I press my back against it.I close my eyes, and breathe three times."Okay."My voice comes out embarrassingly breathless, and I cover my face.What the hell just happened?What the hell did I just do?What were you thinking, Fiorella??The worst part is that I know exactly what I was thinking.I wasn't. I hadn't been thinking at all.For once in my life, I had simply allowed myself to feel something without analyzing it, fighting it, or trying to win.And that scares me more than I want to admit.Because Lucas isn't supposed to make me feel like this.My breathing is still uneven, my heart is still pounding, and my lips….God.My fingers rise to them instinctively, and the memory of Lucas kissing me flashes through my mind.I immediately drop my hand.“No.”I whisper the word to myself as though that will somehow erase the last several minutes.It
~LUCAS~I'm more than pleased to discover that Fiorella wants this just as much as I do.Her fingers tighten around my shirt, and mine slide more securely around her waist.The kiss deepens almost naturally, as though neither of us has to think about what comes next.Fiorella's body is pressed against mine and I'm enjoying her warmth and softness.I'm enjoying the way she fits against me like she has forgotten that we're supposed to be enemies.I tilt my head slightly, kissing her again, slower this time.She responds immediately.A quiet sound escapes her, and something inside my chest tightens.I don't know what this is anymore.I only know that I don't want it to stop.My hand moves from her waist, slowly traveling upward until my fingertips brush the side of her neck.She shivers, and I feel it immediately.That tiny reaction sends a rush of warmth through me.I stroke my thumb gently beneath her jaw, then let my fingers trail down toward her shoulder.Sh
~LUCAS~I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing.The look on Fiorella's face is priceless.For the past several minutes, I've been lying perfectly still, pretending to be completely lost in sleep while she stares at me like I'm some kind of puzzle she desperately needs to solve.And, God help me, I've enjoyed every second of it.It started with her fingers.The first touch was so light I almost wondered if I'd imagined it.A soft fingertip brushed across my forehead. Then my eyebrow, and then the side of my face.I nearly opened my eyes when she traced the edge of my jaw, because the sensation sent a strange warmth straight through me.But I didn't.I kept my breathing slow and my face relaxed.I kept pretending…. mostly because I wanted to know what she was doing.But also because I wanted to feel her touch for as long as she was willing to give it to me.And she kept going.Her finger moved over my cheek, so gentle that it almost t
~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
~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
~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,







