His fingers slide against mine, firm and warm, and before I can think, he’s spinning me once, pulling me back in close. The world tilts — sunlight flashing through my hair, the hum of the crowd fading beneath the sound of my laughter.
He catches me by the waist when I wobble. “See?” he says, smiling down at me. “You were meant to be here.”
I laugh, shaking my head, but something in the way he’s looking at me makes my chest tighten. It’s not lust, not exactly — it’s something deeper. Curious. Searching.
“What?” I ask softly.
He hesitates, then says, “I like seeing you like this. Laughing. Not guarded.”
My throat tightens. “You make it sound like I’m all walls.”
“Maybe you are,” he says gently. “But it doesn’t scare me.”
But what I feel for you terrifies me.The words don’t come out, but what I think must show on my face as his gaze bores into mine. For a moment, neither of us speaks. The fountain splashes softly behind us. The afternoon light is warm, almost golden, like the universe is daring me to trust it again. I lick my lips.
His gaze tracks the motion, eyes darken. “You’re killing me, you know that?”
“Me?” I ask with mock innocence.
“Yes, you.”
“What are you thinking?” I ask softly.
“I’m hoping I’m not rushing the play.”
“Maybe you are. Just a bit.” I hold my fingers to show them to him.
“That’s the last thing I ever want to do.” He presses his lips against the top of my head. They linger even as we stand still amid the dancers surrounding us. “You’re special, Maya.”
“Why me?” The words reveal the scar of insecurity Bryce left me with. The walls I erected around my heart tremble in uncertainty.
His words hang in the air between us.What do they even mean?
“Why not you?”
“Stop answering my questions with questions, Troy.” I’m uneasy as it is.
He must recognize this because he pulls me off the square and into an alley. The second we’re away from prying eyes, he asks, “What is it, Maya? What’s wrong?”
My tension releases like a pressure valve. “What you make me feel is so much more than I ever have, Troy.”
His pupils blow at my words. His grip gently remains possessive—like I’m a priceless treasure he never imagined being able to touch. “Really?”
“Part of me wants to pull back and throw a flag on myself for wanting to explore where this can go with you. It’s too soon; isn’t it?” My heart versus my head. Two parts of me that both recognize all the little things Troy’s done for me, from opening up his villa for me to stay to bringing me here today, each urging me to lean toward him. See what happens when I stop playing safely.
“Not if it’s right; no. I don’t think it is.”
“So, you don’t have a problem…” My voice trails off as I try to articulate my question.
“What are you trying to ask me?”
I lean forward, clutching the front of his shirt. “What do you expect from this? I need to hear and understand where you’re at. No games. Just honesty.”
His eyes hold mine before he admits quietly, “You. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“Really?” I’m astounded.
“From the very first time we met.”
