"Lena, didn't you say you had something to discuss with me?" Nate broke the silence first.Lena quickly pulled herself together. "Yes, this is Keira, the friend I mentioned earlier. The girl, Yuna, who needs the surgery is her sister-in-law."Wow. With that statement, Lena basically confirmed my relationship with Hayden, like it was already set in stone.Nate nodded at me, so I handed over Yuna's medical records.He glanced through them for a moment, then nodded again. "I've reviewed her case before, and what's in the records matches."The surgery is feasible, and the sooner, the better. I've already submitted a heart donor request. "Once a donor becomes available, we can proceed with the transplant.""You mean we should admit Yuna to the hospital now and be ready for the transplant anytime?" Lena asked, shifting into professional mode."Yes, the sooner, the better," Nate replied, his gaze lingering on Lena.Was it just my imagination, or was there a softness in his eyes? And w
"It's nothing, just thought we could grab dinner," Nate said, totally straightforward.Lena looked a little stunned and didn't reply right away.Just when I thought she was going to blow it again, probably to be all polite or whatever, she surprised me with a simple, "Okay."Yes!She wasn't completely clueless. At least she wasn't about to push away a hot guy like Nate.I mentally high-fived Lena, already imagining how amazing her night would be with her long-time crush.But then Retta chimed in, "It's been ages since we all hung out after graduation. We should definitely have a proper reunion."Wait, what?!Talk about an overenthusiastic third wheel.I'd been there before; it was obvious Retta didn't want Lena and Nate to have any alone time.Lena was finally being brave, and now this uninvited guest was trying to weasel her way in. Even if Lena wanted to go along with it, I wasn't about to let that happen.I was just about to jump in when Lena beat me to it. "Retta, Nate a
"What are you even saying? I'm SURE Nate likes you," I said, totally convinced.I could see it in the way he looked at Lena—there was definitely a spark. But she just couldn't see it. Probably because she'd been crushing on him forever and convinced herself he was way out of her league.Honestly, that was just her self-doubt talking.The only way she was going to believe it was if Nate made a move himself. I could hype her up all day, but it wouldn't matter unless he did something obvious."Alright, I'm heading out. But listen, you have to look amazing tonight. And make sure you switch your shift, okay? No excuses. You can't bail," I said, sounding more like her mom than I meant to.She rolled her eyes, laughing. "My mom doesn't even stress over me this much."Yeah, probably because her mom had no clue how hard she'd been crushing on this guy."Good luck, Lena." I gave her a fist bump. "I'm out.""Wait, don't go just yet. Come with me to my office first," Lena said, grabbing my
Hearing the same words now just felt like he was mocking me."I know," I said, then added, "I'm not a kid anymore."Jace seemed to catch what I meant and gave me a tight smile. "I guess I'm just overthinking things."I stayed quiet as he went on, "Just be careful, okay? Don't walk around distracted."I nodded, but the image from my dream flashed through my mind—Jace, covered in blood. Seeing him here at the hospital made my heart clench, and before I could stop myself, I asked, "What are you doing here?"His lips moved like he was about to answer, but nothing came out."Aren't you—" I started, wanting to ask if he was okay.But before I could finish, someone called out from down the hall. "Jace, hurry up."It was Tanya.Jace's tall frame blocked my view, but I recognized her voice instantly.It all made sense now. He wasn't here because he was unwell—he was here with Tanya.I didn't need to ask why. It was probably just a prenatal checkup.And here I was, stressing over him
My heart raced. Oh no, is he planning to go for it again?It's human nature to crave what feels good, and once someone's had a taste, they want more.I guess even the most put-together people can't resist temptation. No wonder those characters in dramas risk everything just to fall in love.Love really is the biggest weakness the universe gave us.As Hayden's kisses deepened, I found my mind wandering off, caught up in a random swirl of thoughts.But when he gently nipped my lip, I snapped back to reality. That's when I realized he'd already laid me down on the bed, his body pressing against mine.His eyes were dark with desire, his Adam's apple bobbing in a way that made my breath catch. His strong arms were braced on either side of me, his muscles flexing, and I felt my mouth go dry.He was a living, breathing temptation, and I could feel a tingling warmth spread through me, like a slow, gentle current buzzing under my skin.I knew exactly what this feeling was. I was getting
Even though I'd moved on from Jace, the sting of what he did was still there, like an old bruise that hadn't quite faded."Rea, you poor thing," Lindey said, her eyes blazing with that fierce protectiveness she was known for. "You went through all that and didn't say a word? That place was supposed to be yours. You should've kicked her out! I wouldn't let a stray cat stay there, let alone her!"No wonder Matthew always tiptoed around her. Besides loving her, he was probably scared out of his mind to get on her bad side.But Jace and I were history, so what was the point of dragging this up again?I tried to calm her down. "It's over, Lindey. Let it go.""Maybe you're over it, but I'm not. I'm getting that place back today," she declared.I couldn't help but smile a little. "Even if you boot her out of that penthouse, Jace can just buy her another one."Tanya might've been the one in the middle, but it was Jace who put her there in the first place.He was the real problem, not h
Guys can't handle it when a girl cries, and girls freak out when a guy shows he's vulnerable.And let's be real, when it comes to sex, it's not surprising if he was a little rough the first time. It's all new, right?Plus, Lena texted me this really sweet message, saying it's totally normal to feel a bit sore the first time and not to blame Hayden.Honestly, Hayden owes Lena a big thank you. She not only calmed me down without even trying, but she also helped his sister by hooking her up with Nate for that surgery.I was still healing, so no matter how much Hayden wanted me, he had to chill.I thought he'd be good and go back to his own room, but instead, he stayed and wrapped me up in his arms."Hayden, isn't this driving you crazy?" I teased, leaning against his chest.He just muttered, "Don't talk. Go to sleep."I giggled. "But can you really fall asleep like this?""Kiki," he groaned, his voice all gravelly, "don't push it."He was totally uncomfortable, struggling to kee
In the morning, I woke up to the smell of breakfast, and there was Hayden, already in the kitchen.He'd changed into a short-sleeve shirt and cargo pants.Apparently, he really liked this look. It gave off major special agent vibes, and honestly, it fit him perfectly.It wasn't just his build but all that training he did. I remembered him doing push-ups last night.I had to admit, his form was seriously on point."Why are you staring at me? Eat," Hayden said, catching me in the act.I grabbed a bite of the beef macaroni soup he'd made and, curious, asked, "Do you hit the gym a lot?"He scooped some more side dish into my bowl. "Nah, I work out on my own.""No wonder your push-up form is so perfect," I blurted out before I could stop myself.He paused, then looked down. I thought he was embarrassed or something, but then he just asked casually, "You saw me?"Now it was my turn to feel awkward, so I just focused on my pasta and nodded like I'd suddenly forgotten how to talk.H