ALESSIA
“Oh… that’s fair. It’s just that this place is beautiful,” I said quickly, forcing my voice to stay steady.
“This is where I usually take a quiet nap,” he whispered, gaze lifting toward the ceiling. “Especially when I want to be alone.”
“I love quiet places… quiet nature,” he added softly, exhaling slowly. “It’s comforting.”
There was something in his tone that made me shift, a subtle pull I couldn’t ignore. I lay on my side, eyes locked on him.
His thick lashes blinked slowly, and I found myself memorizing every detail of his face—the sculpted curve of his brows, the sharp line of his nose, the faint parting of his lips.
My gaze lingered there, frozen, and my mind betrayed me with forbidden, messy thoughts of leaning in, tasting those lips.
A shiver ran through me, and I s
