Chapter 2

"Couldn't find the beer? It's at the bottom of the fridge," Neal said casually.

When he noticed my flushed face, he frowned. "What's wrong with you? Why are you so red?"

Lowering my gaze, I avoided his eyes. "Maybe it's just the heat," I replied.

Without missing a beat, Neal thoughtfully turned on the air conditioning and walked off with Daley, who had finally grabbed the beer. As Daley passed me, he brushed against me deliberately, flashing a mischievous smirk right in front of Neal.

My heart skipped a beat at his boldness. How could he act like this in front of his brother? I stole a glance at Neal, relieved to see he hadn't noticed. The two of them left together, chatting as if nothing had happened.

During dinner, I intentionally chose the seat farthest from Daley, hoping to avoid any more of his antics.

But he didn't seem to care. Under the table, I felt his foot brushing against my leg, sliding up the fabric of my skirt. I glared at him, but he just grinned smugly, completely unfazed.

His foot continued its journey upward.

"Ah!" I yelped involuntarily.

Neal looked at me in concern. "What's wrong?"

My cheeks flushed deep red. I stammered, unsure how to explain.

"Could be a mouse," Daley interjected with a teasing grin. "You'd better be careful, Maia. Mice have a knack for crawling up skirts."

I glared at him in disbelief, my face burning hotter.

Neal, oblivious, nodded seriously. "The house looks clean enough, but maybe we should hire someone to check for pests."

"There's no need," Daley said, his tone layered with implication. "I'll take care of it. After all, I'm great at catching mice. I'll help you out, Maia."

His gaze lingered on me meaningfully, making me lower my head to avoid Neal's suspicion. I ate quickly, excused myself, and escaped to the bedroom.

Once inside, I leaned against the door, trying to steady my breathing. My face was burning, my heart racing.

It had been months since Neal and I had been intimate. How was I supposed to resist Daley's relentless teasing?

This couldn't go on.

My lack of physical intimacy was weakening my resolve, and I was determined to make love to Neal before I did anything I would regret.

Sitting at the vanity, I slipped into a sheer, seductive nightgown and carefully applied makeup. As I reached for a bracelet from my jewelry box, I noticed the crystal bracelet Neal had given me years ago was broken. It wasn't expensive, but it was significant—a symbol of our relationship.

I called a friend, asking if it could be repaired.

Neal emerged from the bathroom, toweling off his hair. When he saw my distress over the bracelet, he barely glanced at it before lying down on the bed. "It's just a bracelet," he said indifferently. "If it's broken, we can always buy a new one. It's not that expensive anyway."

His dismissive attitude pierced me. I even lost the mood to dress up and seduce him.

"Don't you remember where this bracelet came from?" I asked accusingly while holding it up.

He blinked, startled, and fumbled for a response. "You have so many things, Maia. How could I possibly remember them all?"

I couldn't believe it. He had really forgotten.

Grabbing a pillow, I hurled it at him. "This was the gift that marked the start of our relationship, Neal! How could you forget? Do you even care anymore? Is there someone else?"

His eyes flickered briefly before he sighed and pulled me into his arms. "I'm sorry, Maia. Work has been overwhelming. I didn't mean to forget. But I swear, there's no one else."

He comforted me for a long time, apologizing and promising to have the bracelet repaired. Slowly, my anger subsided.

But when I leaned closer, hoping for more, he gently pushed me away, claiming exhaustion from work.

I lay there, staring at the ceiling, frustrated. It felt like ages since we'd shared any intimacy. Was it me? Had I lost my allure?

Yet Daley's fiery gaze told a different story.

Images of our earlier encounter flashed in my mind, sending a shiver down my spine. Shaking off the thought, I decided to step outside for air.

Pouring myself a glass of red wine, I settled onto the balcony, letting the moonlight cool my skin.

"You're drinking alone? That's no fun," came Daley's voice. He appeared with another glass of wine and sat beside me.

Raising his glass, he clinked it against mine, his smile playful. For reasons I couldn't explain, I didn't push him away.