Maya's lips parted unconsciously as her breathing turned uneven.
The warmth of Rege's thumb against her lower lip had completely unraveled her thoughts. Every slow stroke of his finger against her mouth sent another dangerous wave of heat through her chest until even breathing properly became difficult.
Rege noticed immediately.
Panic crossed his face so quickly it almost startled her.
His hand withdrew at once as though he had burned himself, and he sat upright beside her, still holding her hand gently while trying to steady his own breathing. His aquamarine eyes searched her face intensely, sharp concern replacing the earlier haze of temptation.
Then he reached quickly into his pocket for his phone.
Maya blinked in confusion.
"Who are you calling?"
"Dr. Jenkins," Rege answered softly without hesitation.
Before he could unlock the screen, Maya caught his wrist.
"It's not that serious," she whispered quickly. "I'm okay. I jus...t g-got over... overwhelmed."
The last words came out shyly broken, and she immediately looked away afterward, embarrassed beyond reason.
Because overwhelmed was not even remotely enough to describe what she had just felt beneath his touch.
Rege stared at her silently for several seconds.
Then slowly, he slid the phone back into his pocket.
Relief softened the tension in his shoulders, though concern still lingered heavily inside his expression. His thumb moved across the back of her hand gently while he continued watching her far too closely.
Maya avoided his gaze stubbornly.
That only made his jaw tighten slightly.
Trying desperately to distract herself, Maya turned her head toward him again.
"I've always wanted to ask something."
Rege remained quiet.
"How is Dr. Jenkins related to you?"
"He's my uncle."
Maya nodded thoughtfully.
"He's a really good doctor."
She shifted carefully onto her left side, her hand still resting in his while his thumb continued absentmindedly caressing her skin.
"I think my hand needed this massage," she joked lightly.
A soft chuckle escaped him.
The sound immediately made her smile.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Rege spoke again.
"I want to read your book."
Maya blinked.
"My book?"
Rege nodded once.
"It's nothing special," she murmured. "Besides, I doubt someone like you would want to read something like that."
"I want to read it, Krasota."
The seriousness in his tone startled her.
There was no teasing in his voice. No casual politeness. He genuinely meant it.
Maya smiled faintly.
"Okay then. I'll send it to you."
She laughed softly beneath her breath.
"You're actually the first person outside my family who has ever asked to read it."
Her eyes lowered shyly afterward.
Rege's thumb slid slowly along the sensitive inner part of her wrist.
Maya completely lost track of her thoughts for a second.
The sensation was unfairly distracting.
"Tell me about it," Rege said quietly.
The sound of his voice pulled her back.
Maya relaxed slightly against the pillows.
"It's about a girl who moves from London to New York searching for independence and freedom," she explained softly. "But instead she slowly loses herself inside a toxic relationship."
Rege watched her intently.
Completely focused.
"And eventually," Maya continued, "she realizes love shouldn't destroy who you are. So she learns to choose herself again."
As she spoke, her eyes brightened naturally.
Passion transformed her entire face whenever she talked about writing.
Rege noticed every detail.
The warmth in her expression.
The sincerity in her voice.
The quiet strength hidden beneath her softness.
"And the inspiration?" he asked.
Maya hesitated briefly before answering.
"I wanted it to become something women could relate to," she admitted honestly. "Especially women trapped in relationships that slowly break them apart."
Her voice softened.
"I wanted it to remind them that choosing yourself isn't selfish."
Silence settled briefly between them.
Then Rege smiled.
A real smile.
Slow and devastatingly warm.
Maya immediately noticed.
"I think that means you approve."
Rege nodded once.
"But I still don't think it sounds like something you'd enjoy reading."
"It doesn't matter," he replied softly. "I want to read it."
The words settled somewhere dangerously deep inside her chest.
Maya looked away before he could notice how affected she suddenly felt.
"I think I'm getting sleepy again," she admitted quietly. "This bed is honestly dangerous."
A faint laugh escaped him.
"It feels like it was designed specifically to make people fall asleep."
She laughed softly.
"But I can't sleep properly while you're sitting there awake like some bodyguard. So lie down too, I am okay."
Rege stared at her for a moment.
Then obeyed immediately.
Because denying her anything had already become nearly impossible for him.
The moment he settled beside her, Maya smiled drowsily.
"There's something I've always wanted to try someday."
Rege turned slightly toward her.
"I've always wanted to get drunk exactly once with someone I completely trust."
His gaze sharpened.
"Not recklessly," Maya clarified quickly. "Just enough to experience it. To laugh too much and say ridiculous things and not worry about being unsafe."
Her smile softened faintly.
"I wanted to try it once with my ex."
Rege's expression darkened instantly.
"But I guess I never trusted him enough."
Something cold twisted sharply beneath Rege's ribs.
Maya continued quietly.
"I think I'd want to try it with my soulmate instead."
The word lingered heavily between them.
Soulmate.
"And today feels strangely perfect for it," she admitted sleepily. "Here with you."
Rege's chest tightened painfully.
Because her trust felt terrifyingly precious.
"Don't ask about my ex though," Maya added lightly. "That story is unpleasant."
Her voice lowered almost into a whisper.
"Let's just sleep."
Rege's jaw hardened immediately.
Unpleasant.
This was now the second time she had described that relationship that way.
And every instinct inside him wanted to find the man responsible and destroy him for whatever pain he had caused her.
But Maya looked tired now.
Fragile.
So he swallowed the darkness down silently.
She glanced at him again after a while.
"It's really been nice knowing you."
Something vulnerable flickered inside her eyes.
"I just wish I knew more about you too."
Rege smiled faintly.
Then gently caressed her hand again.
Maya's lashes fluttered slowly.
Within minutes, sleep claimed her completely.
Rege watched her sleeping face quietly.
And thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Carefully, he used his free hand to send several quick messages arranging dinner for later that evening.
Then eventually, sleep claimed him too, almost instantly.
—
Around five-thirty in the evening, Maya woke slowly.
Her lashes fluttered open lazily.
For a second she forgot where she was.
Then she saw Rege's face inches from hers.
And immediately smiled.
He looked unfairly beautiful asleep.
The severe sharpness usually carried inside his expression had softened completely now beneath the golden evening light filtering through the tent fabric. His dark hair had fallen slightly across his forehead, and his breathing remained slow and peaceful beside her.
Then his forehead creased faintly.
Without thinking, Maya reached up instinctively and smoothed the crease gently with her fingertips.
The tension disappeared immediately.
Her smile widened triumphantly.
Satisfied with herself, she carefully slipped out from beneath the blankets.
Her messy bun had completely loosened during sleep, leaving her long dirty blonde hair cascading freely down her back in soft waves.
And unfortunately—
she really needed to pee.
Maya quietly left the tent.
The rooftop had transformed beautifully beneath the evening sky. The sunlight now carried warm golden undertones while soft wind drifted across the roses surrounding the rooftop edges.
Meanwhile, inside the tent—
Rege woke almost instantly.
His body reacted before his mind fully did.
The absence beside him registered immediately.
His eyes opened sharply.
He sat upright at once and scanned the tent.
Empty.
His chest tightened violently.
Rege exited the tent quickly, searching the rooftop with rising alarm.
When he didn't see her immediately, genuine fear crossed his face.
Worst-case scenarios flashed through his mind instantly.
Then movement caught his attention near the far side of the rooftop.
Relief crashed through him so strongly he nearly felt dizzy.
Maya emerged from the washroom beside the rooftop pool house.
"You're awake," she said brightly after spotting him.
Rege walked toward her immediately before taking her hand gently.
Maya smiled.
"I didn't know you had a pool house up here."
Her eyes sparkled while she looked around curiously.
"It's beautiful."
The evening light reflected softly across the rooftop pool nearby while pale roses swayed gently around them.
"It would actually be nice spending time here."
"Everything here is yours too," Rege said quietly.
Maya beamed instantly before shaking her head.
"I really don't want to impose."
Her smile softened.
"Still," she laughed quietly, "I think you're very sweet."
That earned another rare smile from him.
When they returned toward the tent, Maya moved to sit down again—
only for Rege to suddenly lift her effortlessly by the waist.
A startled squeal almost escaped her.
He placed her carefully atop the flower-covered seating arrangement like she weighed absolutely nothing.
Maya laughed immediately.
"You're always doing this."
Rege looked unapologetic.
Then his phone beeped.
He checked the message briefly.
"I'll be back in a few minutes."
Maya nodded easily.
"Okay. I've got you."
He turned to leave.
But paused.
Then returned to her again.
Maya looked up curiously as he bent slightly toward her.
Carefully, he tucked a loose strand of dirty blonde hair behind her ear before letting his fingers linger softly against her cheek.
His gaze locked onto hers completely.
And once again—
Maya forgot how to breathe properly.
Her eyes were impossibly bright beneath the evening light.
Radiant.
Warm.
Alive.
Rege genuinely did not understand how someone like her could exist.
How someone could unknowingly become the center of another person's entire existence this quickly.
He wanted desperately to explain what she had become to him already.
But the feelings inside him were too large for language.
So instead, his jaw tightened slightly before he said quietly:
"Everything is yours. Do as you please."
Then before Maya could recover enough to respond—
he walked away.
Maya blinked repeatedly afterward.
Then burst into helpless laughter.
Because no human being should have been capable of speaking like that with such terrifying sincerity.
Still smiling to herself, she uncovered the desserts again before serving herself a slice of red velvet cake.
The moment she tasted it—
her eyes widened immediately.
"Oh my God."
The cake was heavenly.
Soft.
Rich.
Perfectly sweet.
Maya made several completely unintelligible sounds of happiness while eating.
After finishing half the slice, she carefully replaced the protective covering before wandering slowly toward the rooftop railing.
The Manhattan skyline stretched endlessly before her beneath the deepening evening sky. Golden sunset light reflected across skyscraper windows while soft wind moved gently through the surrounding roses.
Maya leaned lightly against the railing, cake plate still in hand.
And thought about Rege.
About everything he had said.
Everything he had done.
Everything he had looked at her without saying.
She didn't want to overthink things.
Didn't want to become one of those women who mistook kindness for something deeper.
But deep down—
she already knew.
She and Rege had crossed into something irreversible.
And the terrifying part was that she had fallen into it willingly.
Long before truly knowing him.
Long before understanding the dangerous intensity beneath his quiet eyes.
She was already far too deep.
And somewhere inside her chest—
she no longer wanted to escape it at all.