Chocolate Cosmos

Chapter Five

The scent of sizzling butter and garlic lingers in the suite, mingling with the breeze drifting through the open balcony doors. I watch Adrian move in the open-concept kitchen, his sleeves rolled up, exposing strong forearms dusted with faint scars. He’s efficient, precise—like everything he does.

It’s unsettling, really. A man like him shouldn’t look so natural cooking.

The food is plated with an almost effortless elegance, and when I take my first bite, I have to stop myself from moaning. The grilled chicken is perfectly seasoned, the mashed potatoes creamy, the citrusy sauce adding the right balance of tang and warmth.

I set down my fork and narrow my eyes. “Okay, I’ll admit it. This is really good.”

Adrian leans against the counter, sipping his wine, the smirk on his lips both satisfied and knowing. “I’d be offended if you thought otherwise.”

I arch a brow. “I just didn’t peg you as the domestic type.”

He tilts his head, considering. “A man should know how to take care of himself.”

Something in the way he says it makes me pause, like there’s weight behind the words. A history I don’t know. But I don’t push. Instead, I take another bite, savoring the meal.

Adrian watches me for a long moment, then asks, “So, what’s next for you?”

I swallow, suddenly feeling the weight of that question. “I don’t know yet. I came here for a fresh start, but I didn’t exactly plan ahead.”

“You don’t have a place to stay.” It’s not a question.

I sigh, setting my fork down. “No, I don’t.”

A beat of silence passes before Adrian sets his glass aside and leans forward. “Stay with me.”

I blink. “What?”

“My summer house is by the beach,” he says smoothly, as if he’s inviting me for coffee. “No one will bother you there.”

I stare at him, trying to gauge his intent. “Adrian… we barely know each other.”

His smirk deepens. “Exactly. That makes it interesting.”

I roll my eyes. “That makes it a bad idea.”

“Or a thrilling one.” His voice dips lower, smooth as silk, tempting.

I huff a laugh, shaking my head. “You’re impossible.”

He watches me for a moment, as if debating whether to push, then shrugs. “Think about it.”

And damn it, I do.

After lunch, the weight of the meal settles into a comfortable lull. The sun spills golden light into the suite, painting the space in warmth, the distant sound of waves a soothing backdrop.

I stretch on the couch, curling my legs beneath me. “I could fall asleep right here.”

Adrian settles beside me, his arm draped over the back of the couch, his body close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from him. “I’d offer my shoulder, but I doubt you’d accept.”

I scoff. “You’d be right.”

But I’m hyper-aware of him now. Of the way his fingers graze the cushion between us. Of the slow way he tilts his head, studying me like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve.

His gaze drops to my lips, then back up. “You know, you keep looking at me like you’re waiting for something.”

My pulse stutters. “I do not.”

His smirk says otherwise.

He reaches up, fingers grazing my cheek, his touch light, testing. “You’re thinking too much.”

I should pull away. I don’t.

Adrian’s thumb traces the edge of my jaw, slow and deliberate, and then he leans in. Not all at once—just close enough that I can feel his breath against my lips, waiting, giving me time to stop him.

I don’t.

The first brush of his lips is slow, a tease. Then he deepens it, his fingers curling at the nape of my neck, pulling me into something far more consuming.

A quiet gasp escapes me, and he takes advantage, his tongue sweeping against mine in a slow, devastating stroke.My fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt, trying to ground myself as heat pools in my stomach.

Adrian shifts, pressing me back against the couch, his weight caging me in. His hands—strong, sure—glide down my sides, igniting a fire everywhere he touches.

Then—

A deliberate cough.

I freeze.

Adrian exhales heavily, his forehead still resting against mine.

“Don’t stop on my account.”

My entire body goes rigid as I snap my head toward the voice.

Ryan leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, amusement dancing in his eyes.

I shove at Adrian’s chest, but he doesn’t move. If anything, he looks completely unbothered, like getting caught halfway to devouring me is just another Tuesday for him.

Ryan smirks. “Am I interrupting something?”

I groan, covering my face with my hands. “Oh my God.”

Adrian chuckles, sitting back with infuriating ease. “You’re blushing.”

“I am not.”

Ryan tilts his head. “Oh, you definitely are.”

I glare at them both. “I hate you.”

Adrian takes a lazy sip of his wine. “No, you don’t.”

Ryan winks. “But we appreciate the dramatics.”

I grab a pillow and launch it at Ryan’s face.

This is ridiculous.

This man—this whole situation—is ridiculous.

But as I steal a glance at Adrian, watching the way he licks his lips like he’s still tasting me, I know one thing for sure.

I’m in trouble.

The room is thick with tension—mostly mine. Adrian, of course, looks completely at ease, lounging on the couch like he wasn’t just caught kissing me senseless. Ryan, still smirking, strolls further into the suite, looking far too entertained.

I sit up, straightening my clothes, willing the heat in my face to disappear. “Don’t you know how to knock?”

Ryan shrugs, unbothered. “Didn’t think I needed to. Didn’t expect a show either, but hey, I’m not complaining.”

Adrian smirks, his fingers lazily tracing the rim of his wine glass. “Jealous?”

Ryan scoffs. “Of you? Please. I just didn’t realize you moved this fast.”

I glare at them both. “I was not moving fast.”

Ryan chuckles, dropping into an armchair. “Right. That’s why you were half in his lap.”

My mouth opens, then snaps shut. I hate him.

Adrian, the traitor, just takes another sip of his wine, clearly enjoying my suffering.

I cross my arms. “If you two are done, maybe I’d like to get back to not being the center of your jokes.”

Adrian tilts his head, eyes gleaming with amusement. “Are you sure? You make it fun.”

Ryan nods in agreement. “You really do.”

I grab another pillow and chuck it at him, but he dodges, laughing.

Adrian shifts beside me, his voice dipping lower, enough that only I can hear. “You should’ve just kissed me again. Would’ve made him leave.”

I turn my head sharply, but he’s already looking at me, his expression unreadable. There’s a flicker of something there—something deeper than just amusement.

And that’s what unsettles me the most.

Later, after Ryan finally leaves (not without a few more smug comments), I stand by the balcony, watching the sun sink lower over the ocean. The sky is painted in fiery oranges and deep purples, the waves catching the light in glittering ripples.

I hear Adrian before I see him, his footsteps slow and deliberate.

“I meant what I said earlier,” he says, coming to stand beside me. “You should stay.”

I exhale, gripping the railing. “Adrian—”

“I know what you’re going to say,” he interrupts. “That it’s a bad idea. That we don’t know each other well enough.” He glances at me, his ocean-blue eyes calm, unreadable. “But what if it isn’t a bad idea?”

I don’t answer.

He turns fully toward me, his gaze steady. “You need somewhere safe. My place is safe.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “And what do you get out of this?”

His lips twitch, like he’s amused by the question. “Good company.”

I huff a laugh. “You barely know me.”

“True.” He leans in slightly, voice lowering. “But I’d like to.”

The words settle between us, weighty, unspoken things threading through them.

I should say no.

I should.

Instead, I look out at the horizon, feeling the pull of the unknown.

“I’ll think about it.”

His smirk returns, but there’s something softer in it this time. “That’s all I ask.”

And as the sun disappears, I know deep down—thinking about it might already be too dangerous.