Holiday Romance

Chapter 10: Unraveling Desires

The night air was thick with humidity as Isla stood on the balcony of her suite, staring out at the moonlit ocean. Her lips still tingled from the kiss she never should have shared with Adrian. Her body ached in ways she refused to acknowledge, her heart pounding with the weight of everything left unspoken between them.

What the hell had she done?

A soft knock on the door made her jump. She knew who it was before she even opened it.

Adrian stood in the dimly lit hallway, his gaze unreadable, his hands clenched at his sides like he was fighting an invisible war within himself.

“I shouldn’t be here,” he said, voice rough.

“Then why are you?” she whispered, gripping the doorframe for balance.

He exhaled sharply, stepping forward until he was close enough for her to feel his body heat. “Because I can’t stop thinking about that kiss. About you.”

Her breath caught, but she refused to let him see how much his words affected her. “It was a mistake.”

Adrian’s eyes darkened. “Then why didn’t you stop me?”

Because she didn’t want to. Because for a few blissful moments, she let herself remember what it felt like to be his.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.

He reached out, fingers tracing along her jawline, tilting her chin up until she had no choice but to meet his gaze. “Liar.”

The tension between them was suffocating, an invisible pull neither of them could resist. Adrian’s lips brushed against hers—light, teasing, testing. And Isla hated how badly she wanted more.

“Tell me to leave,” he murmured against her mouth.

Isla opened her lips to speak, but no words came out. Because the truth was, she didn’t want him to go. She wanted him closer, deeper, undoing her with every touch.

Instead of answering, she kissed him again.

Adrian groaned, his hands gripping her waist as he walked her backward into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. Their bodies collided, hot and desperate, years of frustration melting into raw hunger. Clothes were discarded, hands roamed freely, and when he finally laid her down on the bed, she realized just how far she was willing to fall for him again.

Their past didn’t matter in that moment. Neither did the consequences.

All that mattered was the way Adrian made her feel—like she was his, even if just for tonight.

And god help her, but she wasn’t ready to let go.