“Can I ask you something?” she blurted out.
He looked at her, curiosity kindling in his eyes. “Of course.”
“When this is over… would you still want to see me?”
The question came out raw. Exposed.
He didn’t hesitate.
“No.”
Her heart dropped.
But then, he stepped closer.
He tilted her chin up with two fingers, his touch featherlight, but sure. His eyes locked on hers, unreadable and dark with intent.
“I’dloveto see you again, Sofia,” he said softly. “And you, habiba… would you want to see me?”
Her breath stuttered. His thumb slid down her jaw, then her neck, tracing slow, lazy circles that sent sparks down her spine. Goosebumps prickled her arms.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’d love to.”
His mouth tilted into a slow, wicked smile. “Good girl.”
The words landed like fire between her thighs.
Her body flushed. She swallowed hard, pulse hammering in her throat. Her voice came out tight, breathless.
“Are you ready?” Ilias stepped back with a cocky smirk.
She blushed so hard it felt like her skin might combust. And as she grabbed her towel and headed for the door, one thought kept looping in her head: She wasso closeto falling for him completely. And maybe… she already had.
32
ILIAS
il filo rosso – Alfa
Maroubra Beach wasas perfect as Ilias had hoped. A little south of Sydney’s chaos, it held a quiet magic, unfussy, raw, and exactly the kind of place that could belong to them, even if just for a few hours. He had been there many times before, drawn to its strong surfing community, but today was different. Today, Sofia was with him.
He wasn’t really sure how long he was going to keep up the pretense. Maybe one day he would beg her to stop playing with his heart and fully confess her love or let him be to his own heartbreak. Yet, Sofia showed nothing but cracks in her armors. Slowly, she was getting closer to him, loosening up as much as he was losing his mind.
The second they stepped out of the conference hotel, the ocean breeze seemed to strip away some of Sofia’s tension. Ilias could see it in the way her shoulders relaxed, the way herexpression softened, and the way her breathing seemed to even out.
The beach was quiet, the sky streaked with fading blues and golds as the sun dipped lower, leaving just enough light to surf. Sofia changed quickly into her wetsuit, a long-sleeved one that hugged her curves in a way that tested every ounce of his self-control. She stood with her back to him as she braided her hair, and Ilias turned toward the water, trying to focus on anything but the round swell of her hips and the smooth line of her legs.
Look at the waves, Ríos. The waves.
But his eyes betrayed him, drifting back to her. She looked beautiful, almost otherworldly.
“Ready?” Sofia’s voice cut through his thoughts as she turned to face him, her hair perfectly plaited and her brown eyes bright with excitement.
Ilias forced a grin, grabbing his board. “I was born ready. Try not to destroy my board, please.”
Sofia stuck her tongue out at him, teasing. “I’ll try my best.” She lifted his longer board effortlessly above her head and started walking ahead of him toward the shoreline. Ilias lingered for a beat longer, watching the easy confidence in her stride and the way the golden rays of sunlight seemed to catch in her hair. He smiled to himself, feeling lighter than he had in months.
But before they reached the water, a small group of kids approached, their voices full of awe.
