Selena sat across from Nolan at the little bistro he had insisted on taking her to. The midday rush buzzed around them—clinking glasses, chatter, footsteps—but all she could hear was the steady thrum of her own heartbeat.
Nolan had this way of making the world blur at the edges. The way he leaned back casually in his chair, shirt sleeves rolled up, exposing the veins that ran down his forearms. The way his gaze lingered on her lips as though he could still taste her from last night.
"You're staring," he teased, voice low and warm.
Her cheeks flushed, and she busied herself with her fork. "I wasn't."
"Yes, you were." His smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with that dangerous playfulness that always undid her. "And you're thinking about last night."
Her hand trembled slightly as she lifted her glass of water. He wasn't wrong. Every inch of her body still remembered him—his touch, his whispers, the way he made her feel like she was the only woman in the world.
Selena cleared her throat. "Maybe I was thinking about work."
"Liar." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His hand slid across, brushing against hers, and she inhaled sharply at the contact. "You taste like sin, Selena. And once isn't enough."
Heat flooded her cheeks. She tried to hide it by stabbing at her salad, but his fingers curled around hers, pinning her hand in place. The bistro was full of people, yet Nolan's touch made her feel like they were alone, hidden in some intimate corner of the universe.
"You're reckless," she whispered.
"And you like it," he countered smoothly, squeezing her hand.
Her lips parted to argue, but the truth silenced her. She did like it. Maybe too much.
---
The server came to refill their drinks, and Selena took the chance to pull her hand back. She needed distance, even if it was only an inch.
"Tell me something real, Nolan," she said suddenly.
His brow lifted. "Something real?"
"Yes." She forced herself to meet his gaze. "We've… connected. But I barely know you. What do you do, really? Where were you before all this? Who are you, Nolan?"
For the first time, his confident smile faltered. His jaw tightened, and his eyes flickered with something she couldn't name.
"I already told you, I run my own business," he said carefully.
Selena tilted her head. "That's vague."
"It's complicated."
The air between them shifted, tension curling like smoke. She searched his face, looking for cracks in his armor, but he hid them too well.
"Nolan," she said softly, "if we're going to keep… whatever this is… you can't just give me half-truths."
His hand tightened around his glass. He looked at her for a long moment, the kind of stare that stripped her bare and made her ache. But then he leaned back, his smile returning like a mask.
"Some stories aren't ready to be told," he said finally.
Disappointment settled heavy in her chest. She wanted to push, but the part of her that feared breaking this fragile thing between them held her back.
---
They walked together after lunch, side by side down the busy street. Nolan slipped his hand into hers, ignoring the curious stares of passersby. His thumb brushed lazy circles across her skin, sending shivers up her arm.
At one point, he pulled her into a shadowed alley, pressing her back against the brick wall.
"Nolan—" she gasped, startled.
"Shh." His lips captured hers before she could protest, a deep, hungry kiss that stole her breath. His body pressed against hers, firm and possessive, and she melted despite herself.
She clutched at his shirt as his mouth moved from her lips to her jaw, down to the sensitive skin of her neck. Her knees weakened, and only his grip kept her upright.
"You drive me insane," he murmured against her skin. "I can't keep my hands off you."
Selena's pulse raced, her mind screaming at her to stop—but her body betrayed her, arching into him, craving more.
When he finally pulled back, her lips were swollen, her breath shallow.
"We're in public," she managed.
"Exactly," he said with a wicked grin. "And you loved every second of it."
She glared, but her blush gave her away.
---
Hours later, back in her apartment, Selena collapsed on the couch. Her phone buzzed on the coffee table. Expecting it to be Nolan, she grabbed it—only to see an unfamiliar number.
Frowning, she answered. "Hello?"
Silence. Then a low, distorted voice:
"You don't know who he really is, do you?"
Her blood ran cold. "Who is this?"
The line went dead.
Selena sat frozen, the phone slipping from her fingers.
The cracks in the glass were spreading.
Chapter 12 peels back another layer. Nolan's passion is undeniable, but his silence about his past raises questions Selena can't ignore. And now… a mysterious voice adds fuel to the fire.
NisotWrites
Next chapter, passion collides with confession. Selena and Nolan give in to another heated encounter—but in the aftermath, his walls begin to crack, and the first truths slip out.