All Chapters of Bouquet Of Deception : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

31 Riley I didn’t sleep after that incident. Neither did Ethan, but he at least pretended to. I could hear him shifting under the blankets, the tension in his breathing giving him away. I lay still, staring at the ceiling, every muscle in my body tight. That sound in the hallway—it hadn’t been nothing. Someone had been there. Watching. Waiting. And I had a damn good idea who. By the time evening rolled around, I was done waiting for answers to come to us. If someone wanted to play games, I was going to beat them at it. Ethan was still half-asleep when I slipped out of the apartment, pulling on my jacket. I didn’t tell him where I was going—he’d only try to stop me. I needed to check my apartment again. Alone. The place was just as trashed as I’d left it. Papers still littered the floor, furniture overturned, the scent of dust and old whiskey lingering in the air. But as I stepped inside, something else hit me. A scent that didn’t belong. It was faint. Almost buried under every

33 Ethan I stared at the door like it might explode. The knocking came again—louder this time, more insistent. Whoever it was, they weren’t leaving anytime soon. Riley let out a slow breath, tilting his head toward me. “You look nervous.” I scoffed, sitting up. “You’re the one who just got caught making out on my couch.” “Caught?” He smirked. “We don’t even know who it is yet. For all we know, it could be a salesman. Maybe I’ll get lucky and it’s a free vacation scam.” I rolled my eyes and pushed off the couch, straightening my hoodie. “Yeah, I doubt that.” Riley stretched, completely unbothered, then leaned against the wall with his arms crossed like he was about to watch a show. “Well? Aren’t you gonna answer it?” I shot him a look but didn’t argue. The knocking had turned into full-on pounding, and at this rate, the door might just come off its hinges. “Alright, alright, I’m coming!” I grumbled, making my way over. My fingers hesitated on the lock for a split second befo

35 Riley Ethan was avoiding me. Not obviously—not in a way that anyone else would notice—but I knew. He was quieter than usual. Fidgety. Kept his eyes on the TV but wasn’t actually watching. His fingers tapped against his knee like his thoughts were running too fast, like he couldn’t settle. And most importantly? He wasn’t looking at me. Not really. Which was funny, considering how, just minutes ago, he’d been pulling me down on top of him like he wanted me to ruin him. I smirked at the thought, shifting on the couch, letting my arm drape over the back of it—casual, easy. Ethan didn’t move away, but he didn’t lean into it, either. Interesting. “You’re thinking too much again,” I murmured, voice low. He tensed, a flicker of something crossing his face. “Am not.” I chuckled. “Liar.” That got me a glare, but it was half-hearted at best. His lips parted like he wanted to say something else, but then he stopped himself, shaking his head and focusing back on the screen. Right. Th

37 Riley’s POV I woke up to the feeling of warmth pressed against my chest, Ethan’s body curled into mine, his breath steady and slow. For a second, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to process everything. Holy shit. Last night was… intense. Incredible. Better than I ever could’ve imagined. I glanced down at him. His face was peaceful in sleep, his lips slightly parted, his dark hair a mess from my fingers running through it. God, he was beautiful. I felt a grin creep onto my face. Careful not to wake him, I ran my fingers lightly down his arm, enjoying the way his skin felt beneath my touch. His body shifted slightly, and I heard a sleepy groan escape him. “Mmm… what time is it?” he muttered, his voice raspy from sleep. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. “Almost ten.” He groaned again, burying his face into my chest. “Too early.” I laughed softly. “Too early? After everything we did last night, I’d say we got plenty of rest.” He peeked up at me, his

39 Riley’s POV I was at the studio, camera in hand, adjusting the lighting for a couple’s photoshoot, but my mind was somewhere else—on Ethan. His shy smile. The way his cheeks flushed when I teased him. And last night… damn. He had been so shy, so hesitant at first, but once he let go? Fuck. It had been incredible. I smirked to myself, adjusting my lens, but I wasn’t even focusing on the clients in front of me. “Riley!” I snapped out of it, blinking. My boss, Thomas, stood nearby, arms crossed, watching me with an amused expression. “You good, man? You’ve been spacing out for the last ten minutes.” Shit. I cleared my throat, forcing a sheepish smile. “Uh… yeah. Just didn’t sleep well.” Thomas snorted. “Right. You’ve got that ‘thinking about someone in a very inappropriate way’ look on your face.” I coughed, trying not to look guilty. “What? No, I—” He raised a brow. “Dude. I’ve been married for twelve years. I know that look.” I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Okay