A faint frown crossed his face.
‘Wait, why should I be embarrassed? She’s my girlfriend. I didn’t do anything wrong.’
The hesitation in his eyes disappeared, replaced by quiet confidence.
The next second, he pulled her closer.
Emma let out a soft, surprised breath as her body shifted against his.
Harold lowered his face again, brushing his lips slowly along the line of her neck. His eyes closed as he held her tighter, his arms pulling her closer.
Emma went still beneath him.
She lay still beneath him, her heart racing at first, her fingers gripping the sheet tightly—
Then slowly, her body softened.
Her grip loosened. Her breathing softened. The initial stiffness in her body faded as she sank back into the bed, her eyes slowly closing.
***
“How is the coffee?”
Camila’s voice broke the quiet as she watched Magnus from across the table.
They sat in the garden, morning light filtering through the trees. A small table stood between them. Magnus leaned back slightly on the outdoor couch, one arm resting along the backrest, while Camila sat upright across from him, a cup of tea held carefully in both hands.
Magnus took a slow sip of his black coffee, his gaze thoughtful.
“It’s good,” he said after a pause. “Tastes different than usual.”
A small smile appeared on Camila’s lips. “I brought it from France the last time I visited a friend. She said it’s one of a kind. When I tasted it, I thought you would surely like it.”
She tilted her head slightly. “Do you like it?”
Magnus gave a short nod. “Yes.”
But his eyes were no longer on the coffee.
Magnus slowly lowered the cup in his hand, the porcelain making a soft clink as it met the saucer. His fingers lingered on it for a second before he looked up at her, his gaze sharp, serious.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice low. “Is something wrong?”
Camila stiffened.
Her fingers tightened around her own cup, shoulders drawing in slightly as if caught off guard. “Nothing is wrong,” she said quickly, almost too quickly. “What do you mean?”
Magnus leaned back in his chair, studying her, his jaw tightening.
“You’re making small talk,” he said flatly. “You never do that.” He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. “Which means you have something planned. So tell me… what is it? Why did you ask me to come here today?”
Camila’s lips parted, but no words came out at first.
For a moment, she said nothing. Then she exhaled, her shoulders dropping slightly as if the weight of it all finally pressed down on her.
“I…” She hesitated, then forced the words out. “I asked Sophia to come over today.”
Magnus went completely still.
