All Chapters of Falling For My Father's Best Friend : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

I woke with a jolt at 6:04 p.m., heart racing like I'd been running in my sleep. The apartment was dim - late-afternoon sun already gone, streetlights just flickering on outside the window. My body felt heavy, limbs loose from the long nap, skin still warm under the thin blanket. Shower first. Hot water hit my skin like a reset button. I stood under the spray longer than necessary, letting it pound my shoulders, steam filling the tiny bathroom until the mirror fogged completely. I wiped a circle clear and looked at myself - short bob still damp and curling at the ends, cheeks flushed from the heat, eyes dark and tired but brighter than they'd been in weeks. I dried off slowly, lotioned my skin and walked naked back to the bedroom.The Rossi coffee sat on the counter - brown matte box, gold lettering. I'd bought earlier. I opened it scooped grounds into the new machine, waited for the hiss and drip. When the first cup was ready I poured it black, no sugar, and took a slow sip standin

I got ready for the afternoon shift in a rush alarm blaring at 12:45, shower so fast the water barely warmed up, scrubs yanked on while I brushed my teeth, short bob still damp and curling at the ends. I grabbed my bag, locked the apartment, and headed downstairs. The coffee cart outside the building was already open; the smell of fresh grounds hit me hard. I remembered Olga's face yesterday when I'd handed her the Rossi cup eyes wide, almost reverent. On impulse I stepped up."Two large flat whites, please. One with an extra shot."The barista nodded, handed them over in paper cups with little cardboard sleeves. I paid, tucked one under my arm, and walked to the bus stop. The Uber would've been faster, but the bus felt normal. Grounding. Like a tether to reality after the dizzying heights of Lukas's penthouse.On the bus I sat near the back, one coffee balanced on my knee, and pulled out my phone. Emails first new ones still unread. I refreshed twice. No mysterious "read" receipts. N

The afternoon shift bled into the Berlin evening, the fluorescent lights of the Charité replaced by the cool, shadowy streets outside. I clocked out, changed in the locker room, and zipped my coat to my chin, the chill seeping into my bones despite the layers. My phone, silenced for the shift, buzzed to life the second I stepped outside, the screen flashing with notifications. Five missed calls. All from an unknown London number. All within the last ninety minutes."Please no" My stomach plummeted, a sickening lurch that left me breathless.I stared at the call log, the numbers swimming before my eyes. A cold dread coiled in my gut.I knew.I knew.My thumb hovered over the call back button, a battle raging inside me. Part of me wanted to ignore it, to pretend it wasn't happening. But the other part, the reckless, desperate part, needed to hear his voice, needed to face the storm head-on. I hit call back before I could talk myself out of it.One ring.Then his voice low, wrecked, fu

He does what? I blinked, tears welling up as I tried to explain everything to Lukas. I let him hold my face, let him gently wipe away a stray tear, let him kiss my cheeks. Was this the right moment to confess how guilty I felt for playing with his emotions?Was i really playing with his emotions? I like him. He stated, from the start that it would be casual and he said he loves me? Causal and love doesn't make sense.He seemed to genuinely care for me perhaps even more than Mateo ever had but was it fair to reciprocate when my feelings weren't as strong?Dang it!"I know," Lukas repeated, his voice low and steady, as if anchoring me to the present moment.I dissolved into tears and hugged him tightly, my lips trembling as he stroked my hair with slow, gentle motions.I pulled back to look at him, searching his eyes for answers."You're still worried about the sex," Lukas said quietly, his gaze unwavering. "That's why you've been avoiding me since that day."Huh?My head tilted in con

Lukas's light snoring filled the dark bedroom. He must be tired, peacefully tired with the kind of sound that should've felt safe. Instead it made my heart itch. I lay on my side, one palm flat on his chest, feeling the slow rise and fall under my fingers. 'You deserve so much better, Lukas's I thought.My mind kept racing, replaying Mateo's voice from the call, the way he had laughed like he already owned tomorrow, the way he had said "come back" like it was a fact instead of a question.Part of me wanted to go back and another felt I should have self respect.I shifted my hand absentmindedly, thumb brushing over Lukas's nipple. It pebbled under the touch. I did it again, slower. A small, involuntary flex of his abs told me he felt it even in sleep.My bad.I sighed. Turned to roll away. I should let him sleep.The second my back faced him, Lukas moved; arm hooking around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest in one smooth motion. I flinched, sharp inhale as my body locked up