The apartment was quiet except for the soft hum of the city beyond the glass windows. Ava leaned against the kitchen counter, hair slightly damp from a shower, and watched Ethan from across the room. He was leaning lazily on the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes dark with something she could feel but not yet name.
"You're staring," Ethan said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"I'm… admiring," Ava said, voice low, a flutter in her chest. "Is that allowed?"
"Always allowed," he replied, stepping closer. The air between them seemed to crackle. "But right now… I think admiring is too slow."
Before she could respond, his fingers found hers, tugging her gently until she stumbled into his chest. The heat of him made her shiver.
"You know," he whispered, lips brushing against her temple, "we've been fighting shadows and lies for too long. Don't you think it's time to… enjoy ourselves a little?"
Ava's breath hitched. "Enjoy ourselves… how?"
He grinned, dipping a hand to her waist. "Exactly like this."
And just like that, the tension melted into something dangerously sweet. Fingers intertwined, their lips met in a kiss that started slow tentative, testing but quickly deepened, carrying every ounce of longing they had denied themselves. Ava's hands slid up his chest, feeling the strength beneath, the warmth, the steady heartbeat.
"Ethan…" she whispered against his lips, voice thick with want. "I… I need you."
"I know," he murmured back, letting his forehead rest against hers. "And right now, nothing else exists. Not Claudia. Not Cole Dynamics. Just us."
Ava's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "We're supposed to be fighting tomorrow."
Ethan's grin was wicked. "The fight can wait. Tonight… tonight, I want to make sure you can't even stand up in the morning."
Ava laughed, a soft, breathless sound that sent shivers down his spine. "You're ridiculous."
"Completely," he admitted, pressing his lips to her neck, trailing kisses down the line of her jaw. "But I'm serious about this… about us."
Hours seemed to vanish as they explored each other, the room filling with whispered words, shared laughter, and the kind of closeness that left them dizzy and desperate for more. Every touch, every brush of lips, every brush of fingers became a silent promise: they belonged to each other, no matter the battles beyond these walls.
At one point, Ava pulled back slightly, cheeks flushed, hair tousled, and gazed into his eyes. "Ethan… are we supposed to have leisure time like this? Between everything?"
He cupped her face, voice husky with emotion. "This is exactly why we do it. Because we need to remember… that we're more than the lies, more than the chaos. And because I want you… more than anything else."
Ava's lips found his again, slow and lingering, before she whispered, "I want more… don't stop."
Ethan's grin was dark and playful. "Trust me… I have no intention of stopping."
By the time the city lights flickered with the first hints of dawn, they were tangled together on the couch, breathless, hearts racing, and yet completely at peace in a way neither had allowed themselves to feel in months. Liam's innocent laughter earlier that morning seemed a distant echo compared to the storm they'd made together but it was theirs, private, and untouchable.
Ava rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "Promise me… we'll keep moments like this. Even if the world tries to tear us apart."
Ethan kissed the top of her hair. "I promise. Nothing, no one, will ever take this from us. Not Claudia. Not anything. We fight together, love together… and we take our time to enjoy this… always."
And for the first time in a long while, Ava let herself believe it.
Tonight, they weren't just Ethan and Ava, survivors of lies and manipulations. Tonight, they were a force of their own, and nothing not even a Coles empire could touch the fire burning between them
The morning sunlight seeped through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the room. Ethan was still sprawled across the couch, one arm behind his head, the other draped lazily over Ava's waist.
"You know," Ava said, teasing, her fingers tracing idle patterns on his chest, "you said you wanted to make sure I couldn't stand up this morning… I think you succeeded."
Ethan laughed, low and satisfied. "That's called preparation. Strategic advantage."
Ava smirked, rolling onto her side to face him. "Strategic advantage… huh? I think you just wanted an excuse to show off."
"Maybe," he admitted with a grin. "But I'll take full credit. And you… you didn't complain once. In fact…" His lips brushed hers, playful and teasing. "…you seemed to enjoy it a little too much."
"Enjoy it a little too much?" Ava echoed, mock shock in her voice. "Excuse me, but that's a criminal understatement."
Ethan pulled her closer, wrapping her in his arms. "Criminal, huh? Then I guess we'll have to serve our sentence… together."
Ava laughed, breathless, nuzzling into his chest. "You're ridiculous… but I like it."
"I aim to please," he said, voice husky, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Now… breakfast? Or should we… continue… our 'sentence'?"
Ava shook her head, biting back a laugh. "You're impossible. But… maybe a little more… before the world intrudes."
He kissed the top of her head. "You read my mind."
For a while, they just stayed like that laughing quietly, touching, holding each other, enjoying a calm that felt stolen from the chaos outside. The battle against Claudia could wait. This....this closeness, this stolen morning was theirs.
Finally, Ava sat up, tousled hair falling over her shoulders, eyes bright with playful defiance. "Next time," she said, smirking, "I'm picking the weapons."
"Weapons?" Ethan asked, mock horror. "I like my odds with this one," he added, gesturing to her mischievous smile.
Ava leaned forward, brushing her lips against his, whispering, "Then you better be ready, baby."
Ethan grinned, heart full. "Always. Because I'm yours. And you… are mine. No one else."
The sunlight caught in their hair, their laughter, their fingers intertwined. Outside, the city was waking. Inside, they were unstoppable.
For once, love didn't have to fight. It just existed, strong and unbroken.