God, she loved Horny Ilias. The man was a walking sin created to worship her body like it was a religion.
The plane was descending, not the ideal moment for emotional declarations, but the seat beside them was empty, and she could feel the truth stirring in her chest.
“Thank you,” she said softly, toying with his silver ring, “for waiting. For letting me heal. For letting me go at my own pace.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for, habiba,” he replied, brushing his thumb along her knuckles. “I told you, I would’ve waited forever.” He chuckled. “At first, I won’t lie, it was physical. I was insanely attracted to you. But then I got to know you. You’re… smart. Brave. Passionate. Funny. Sarcastic. So sexy.”
“Stop,” she said, half-laughing. “You’re going to make me fall harder.”
“As you should,” he teased with a grin, then sobered slightly. “What that asshole did to you, stealing your research, breaking your heart? It’s criminal. But the fact that you still know your worth? That you let yourself love again?” He shook his head. “You’re the bravest person I know.”
Sofia blinked back a sting of emotion. “I’m giving you my heart, Ilias Ríos El Idrissi,” she said solemnly. “Take care of it.”
His smile was crooked and beautiful. “I’ll treat it like my most prized possession.”
“More than your Olympic gold?”
He scoffed. “No contest.”
She laughed, cheesy, lovestruck, over the moon. But she needed it.
Once they landed, they made their way to the beach house Ilias and Amira had rented. It was empty. And the moment the door shut behind them, his hands were on her waist.
“As much as I’d love to fuck you on every surface of this house,” he whispered, voice already rough with need, “I have to train. Are you coming to the Athlete Zone?”
“Yeah, let me change,” she replied.
While he prepped his boards, she went into the bedroom and changed into a sundress, carrying an oversize jacket when the sun was going to dip behind the horizon.
Before she could reach the door, he blocked her, pressed her back against it, his hands gripping her wrists and pinning them above her head.
“This fucking sundress,” he growled, his mouth already at her throat. “It’s been the death of me for weeks.”
He kissed down her neck, then lower, his ringed hand slipping the strap off her shoulder. He freed her left breast from the dress and immediately sucked her nipple into his mouth.
Sofia gasped, hips grinding into the bulge pressing between them.
“Tonight,” he whispered, lips hot on her skin, “I’m going to do so many scandalous things to you, habiba. You won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”
Her whole body shuddered. Her hands clenched in his. Her pulse was screaming.
“Can you wait for me?” he asked, face buried between her breasts.
Sofia nodded breathlessly. “Can you?”
He groaned, lifting his head, chest heaving. “I’ll just think about the time my grandmother’s boobs ended up in my face. That should do the trick.”
She burst out laughing as he pulled her dress back into place.
They stepped out together, strolling down the path to the beach, the Athlete Zone already buzzing in the distance.
She hadn’t had a second to text Alejandra and spill what happened. Or, more accurately, who had gone down on her. But when her best friend spotted them approaching, hand in hand, glowing from the inside out, her Cheshire Cat smile said it all.
“Fucking finally,” Alejandra grinned.
“What do you mean?” Sofia asked, playing coy as Ilias greeted Alejandra with a kiss on the cheek.
“You fucked.”
