The penthouse was quiet again, but this time the silence felt heavy, suffocating almost. Amelia had barely made it back from her late-night walk, her fingers still tingling from the chill of the evening air. She had walked for miles, hoping the city lights would distract her from the memory of Adrian's vulnerability in the study, yet his gray eyes haunted her with unrelenting persistence.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw them the way they had softened for a fleeting moment, so unlike the controlled, untouchable man she usually knew. Sharp and stormy, yes, but something raw and human lingered beneath the surface. Something that belonged exclusively to her now.
She tried to convince herself she could ignore it. Pretend it hadn't happened. Pretend it didn't matter. But the moment she stepped into the living room, her resolve shattered.
Adrian was there. Pacing. The subtle creak of the hardwood floor echoed through the stillness, matching the rapid beat of her own heart. He stopped mid-step the instant he saw her, the air between them charged in a way that made Amelia's chest tighten.
"Still awake?" His voice was low, rough around the edges, lacking its usual command but there was a presence in it that made her forget to breathe for a moment.
"I… couldn't sleep either," she said softly, fighting to keep her voice steady. Her fingers twisted nervously at the hem of her sweater.
He studied her, eyes narrowing, unreadable and intense. "You've been thinking about last night, haven't you?"
Her stomach lurched. She wanted to lie, to brush it off, to reclaim some semblance of control. But the truth had a way of clawing its way to the surface. "Maybe," she admitted, barely audible.
His gaze softened almost imperceptibly, just enough to make her pulse race. Then, he took a step closer, closing the distance between them with slow, deliberate intent. Every inch he moved seemed to draw the air taut, electric.
"You shouldn't," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, yet it sent a shiver down her spine.
Amelia's pulse pounded in her ears. "Shouldn't what?"
He stopped just inches from her. His presence was overwhelming, and she could feel the heat radiating from him even through the thin fabric of her sweater. "Feel this… feel anything for me."
Her lips parted, breath catching in the back of her throat. "Adrian…"
"Amelia." His voice dropped lower, thick with something he refused to name. He lifted a hand slowly, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face, the touch electric and intimate. "This… what's happening.... it's dangerous. For both of us."
She swallowed hard, unable to tear her eyes away from his. "I know," she whispered.
His face was a storm now, desire and frustration colliding in his gray eyes. The air between them vibrated with unspoken words and restrained impulses. Amelia's fingers twitched, aching to reach for him, to bridge the gap she wasn't sure she was ready to cross.
Then, before reason could intervene, before either of them could stop it, he leaned in.
Their lips met soft at first, questioning, tasting, exploring. The spark between them was immediate, igniting a fire that neither had anticipated. Amelia's eyes flew open in shock, and Adrian froze, lips hovering over hers, a mix of longing and torment in his expression.
"I… shouldn't....." he murmured, his voice breaking slightly, betraying the inner battle waging within him.
"I know," she whispered, the confession trembling between them.
They stepped back almost simultaneously, breaths shallow, hearts hammering against their chests as if trying to escape. The room felt impossibly small, yet the space between them seemed endless, charged with tension neither dared to break.
Adrian ran a hand down his face, exhaling sharply, the sharp exhale echoing in the quiet room. "We can't do this," he said, his voice firmer now, but brittle at the edges.
"Then why… did you....?" Amelia began, voice tight with confusion and something heavier, something dangerously close to longing.
He didn't answer. Instead, he turned sharply, grabbing his jacket as if it could armor him against what had just happened. "Go to your room. Now."
Amelia watched him leave, every step he took a dagger twisting in her chest. She should feel anger. She should feel humiliation. She should feel relief that the boundary had been maintained.
But all she felt was… longing.
And fear.
Because deep down, she already knew the hardest part wouldn't be resisting him. It would be ignoring the part of her heart that had been awakened, the part that wanted him, no matter the consequences.
She closed her eyes and let the quiet overwhelm her, knowing that tonight had changed everything. Forever.