They stood there, just letting themselves float in the silence—foreheads touching, breathing the same air. The space between them pulsed with tension and tenderness, the kind that made time feel suspended.
So close she could feel the warmth of his breath.
So still, it felt like time was holding its breath too.
Then—slowly—Damien began to lean in. His breath brushed her lips, their mouths only inches apart. Just as Maya’s eyes fluttered shut.
When suddenly—
BANG.
The door swung open.
“Hey D! I’ve been looking for — Oh… s**t!” Ashcroft’s voice cut through the room like a whip crack.
Maya jerked back like she’d touched fire, cheeks flaming. Her hands flew to her sides, eyes darting, desperate for the floor to swallow her whole.
Ashcroft blinked at the two of them, then grinned like a
