Maya inhaled sharply as her arms tightened around Rege's neck.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Their foreheads rested against each other while the soft golden glow from the rooftop lights illuminated the small space between them. Beyond the tent, Manhattan continued moving endlessly beneath the night sky, but it felt impossibly far away now.
The roses.
The wind.
The city.
None of it existed.
There was only him.
Only her.
Only the dangerous pull drawing them closer with every passing second.
Maya's pulse pounded so violently she was certain he could feel it through the hand resting against her waist.
Their eyes remained locked.
Neither willing to look away.
Neither capable of looking away.
"Breathe, Krasota."
His voice was low.
Deep.
Dangerously gentle.
The sound sent a sweet shiver down her spine.
Only then did Maya realize she had been holding her breath.
Slowly she released it.
Her body obeying him instinctively.
Her lips parted slightly.
Her eyelids lowered.
And for the first time in her life, desire felt frighteningly clear.
Not confusing.
Not overwhelming.
Just undeniable.
She wanted him to kiss her.
She wanted it so badly it almost hurt.
Rege saw everything.
Every flicker inside her eyes.
Every change in her breathing.
Every silent permission she was unknowingly giving him.
His jaw tightened painfully.
Because he wanted her too.
God.
He wanted her far more than he should.
Far more than was safe.
Maya's arms tightened around his neck again.
Their noses brushed lightly.
Their breaths mingled.
The warmth of her body beneath his hands nearly shattered the last pieces of his restraint.
For the first time in his life, Rege found himself afraid.
Not of rejection.
Not of consequences.
Afraid of wanting someone this much.
Afraid of becoming too much for her.
Afraid of rushing something that felt far too precious to risk.
Yet despite every logical thought inside his head—
he could not move away.
Could not create distance.
Did not want distance.
His lips brushed the corner of hers.
Barely.
The faintest touch.
A touch so light Maya almost wondered if she imagined it.
Her eyes fluttered shut instantly.
A shiver ran down her spine.
His scent engulfed her completely.
Agarwood.
Musk.
Warmth.
Home.
The sensation made her dizzy.
Rege closed his eyes briefly.
Summoning every ounce of control he possessed.
Then slowly he lowered his head.
His lips hovered near her ear.
His breath fanned across her skin.
Heat flooded Maya's face and neck immediately.
Every nerve in her body awakened.
"You are a beautiful siren, Krasota."
The whisper was devastating.
His lips brushed lightly against her ear.
Maya's eyes flew open.
Her arms loosened automatically.
And before she could recover—
he withdrew.
Completely.
That ridiculous smirk appeared on his face.
Maya stared.
Then shook her head.
A laugh escaped her.
"You are impossible."
The smirk deepened.
She bit her lower lip unconsciously.
The effect was immediate.
Rege's gaze dropped to her mouth.
Every trace of amusement vanished.
The intensity that replaced it stole the breath from her lungs.
Her chuckle died instantly.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks.
She lowered her eyes.
"Thank you."
His gaze softened.
"For tonight."
Maya glanced around the tent.
The roses.
The candles.
The city.
Everything.
"For the dinner. For the rooftop. For all of this."
Something shifted inside him.
A tenderness she rarely saw.
"You never have to thank me, Krasota."
The sincerity in his voice made her chest tighten unexpectedly.
Slowly she looked up.
Their eyes met again.
And somehow the moment felt even more intimate than before.
Maya smiled softly.
"Actually, today is the first day in years that I haven't watched a Chinese drama, read a novel, or written anything."
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"It feels oddly freeing."
Rege watched her carefully.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Rege lay down properly and pulled the blanket over them.
The night air had grown cooler.
Maya settled beside him naturally.
Without hesitation.
Without awkwardness.
Rege wrapped an arm around her waist.
Then pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead.
Maya's heart melted.
The gesture felt unexpectedly intimate.
Unexpectedly precious.
He buried his nose lightly in her hair and inhaled.
Vanilla.
Always vanilla.
His favourite scent.
Slowly he lowered his head until it rested against the crook of her neck.
A long breath escaped him.
For the first time in years—
he felt calm.
Maya smiled shyly.
Then wrapped her own arms around him.
Holding him close.
Neither commented on how natural it felt.
Neither wanted to examine it too closely.
"Sleep, Krasota."
His voice vibrated softly against her skin.
Maya chuckled.
Then carefully turned within his embrace until her back rested against his chest.
The movement was innocent.
The effect was not.
Rege sucked in a sharp breath.
Maya immediately knew why.
A mischievous giggle escaped her.
She shifted slightly.
Just enough.
"You're enjoying this far too much."
His voice sounded strained.
Maya laughed softly.
"Maybe."
Rege shook his head.
Then tightened his arms around her waist.
His face disappeared into the crook of her neck once more.
Her vanilla scent wrapped around him completely.
Destroying every coherent thought.
Maya reached down and covered his hands with hers.
The simple touch affected him more than she realized.
Gradually her breathing slowed.
Her body relaxed.
The tension left her muscles.
Sleep arrived quickly.
Rege felt the exact moment it happened.
Felt her melt against him.
Felt her trust him completely.
His chest tightened.
Carefully he pressed a lingering kiss against her neck.
Even asleep, she shivered slightly.
A small smile touched his lips.
Not long afterward, sleep found him too.
Deep.
Peaceful.
Uninterrupted.
The third peaceful sleep he had experienced in years.
Outside the tent, roses drifted through the night air.
Below them, Manhattan continued moving endlessly.
But high above the city—
peace finally found them both.
The next morning, the first thing Rege became aware of was Maya.
The second was a very serious problem.
His eyes opened slowly.
Morning sunlight filtered through the tent walls.
Maya shifted slightly against him.
Directly against him.
Rege closed his eyes briefly.
"Fuck."
The curse came out low and rough.
He dragged a hand through his hair.
This was becoming increasingly dangerous.
Maya sighed softly in her sleep.
Then moved closer.
As though searching for his warmth.
His entire body tensed.
"Krasota..."
She pouted slightly.
Even asleep.
The sight nearly destroyed him.
One of her hands wandered across the blanket.
Searching blindly.
Eventually landing somewhere that made him nearly groan.
Rege immediately caught her hand.
Very carefully.
Very gently.
And relocated it elsewhere.
His self-control deserved recognition.
Eventually Maya began waking.
Slowly.
Her lashes fluttered.
Her eyes opened.
And the very first thing she saw was Rege smiling down at her.
A real smile.
Warm.
Beautiful.
Rare.
The sight stole her breath completely.
For one irrational moment, she imagined waking up to that smile every morning for the rest of her life.
The thought arrived unexpectedly.
And terrified her slightly.
Because she liked it far too much.
Her own smile appeared instantly.
Bright.
Soft.
Unfiltered.
And Rege forgot how to breathe.
Her smile in the morning sunlight was devastating.
Her eyes sparkled even half-asleep.
God.
Those eyes would destroy him one day.
And he welcomed the destruction.
Slowly Maya sat upright.
Still sleepy.
Still wrapped in blankets.
Still beautiful.
Rege reached up and cupped her face gently.
Then pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.
Maya blinked repeatedly.
Trying—and failing—to process it.
"Good morning, Krasota."
His voice was rough from sleep.
Maya smiled immediately.
Her entire body lighting up at the familiar nickname.
"Good morning, Rege."
The sound of his name on her lips affected him far more than he intended to admit.
And judging by the faint smile that appeared on his face—
Maya suspected she wasn't the only one struggling anymore.
Maya stepped out of the tent with Rege following a few steps behind.
The first thing that greeted her was the sunrise.
She stopped immediately.
The morning sky stretched endlessly above Manhattan in shades of gold, pink, and pale orange. Sunlight spilled across the glass skyscrapers, turning entire buildings into mirrors that reflected the awakening city. Far below, traffic had already begun moving through the streets, but from up there the noise felt distant, softened by height and morning air.
The rooftop looked completely different in daylight.
Less magical.
More real.
Yet somehow no less beautiful.
Maya's eyes sparkled as she stared at the horizon.
For a few seconds she forgot everything else.
Forgot Rege.
Forgot the tent.
Forgot the complicated emotions currently taking up residence inside her chest.
She simply watched the sunrise.
A genuine smile spread across her face.
"I would stay here and admire this all morning," she admitted softly.
Then she wrinkled her nose dramatically.
"But I really need to use the washroom and shower. I probably stink."
Rege's gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he answered.
"There's a washroom in the pool house."
Maya turned immediately.
"There is?"
He nodded.
"And fresh clothes."
Her eyebrows rose.
"Fresh clothes?"
"My clothes."
That made her pause.
For a second she considered refusing.
Her penthouse was literally one floor below his.
It would be easy enough to return home.
Reasonable.
Normal.
Then again...
The idea of wearing Rege's clothes unexpectedly appealed to her far more than it should have.
A smile appeared on her lips.
"I could just go downstairs."
Maya narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.
"But..."
Her smile widened.
"I'll take the billionaire convenience package."
A soft chuckle escaped Rege.
The sound was still unfairly attractive.
Maya laughed and hurried toward the pool house.
Rege watched her disappear through the doors before shaking his head slightly.
There she goes.
His smile lingered longer than he intended.
Inside, Maya immediately understood why Rege had offered.
The bathroom was enormous.
Absolutely enormous.
She stopped just inside the doorway and slowly turned in a circle.
"This is bigger than my entire bathroom."
The space looked more like a luxury spa than a rooftop bathroom.
Marble surfaces.
Soft lighting.
Heated floors.
Floor-to-ceiling mirrors.
A shower large enough for several people.
And a bathtub that looked suspiciously close to a private jacuzzi.
Everything smelled clean.
Fresh.
Expensive.
Comfortable.
Very comfortable.
Dangerously comfortable.
Comfortable enough that she could genuinely imagine falling asleep there.
Maya finished in the washroom before brushing her teeth with a brand-new toothbrush still sealed in its packaging.
Afterward she stood beneath the shower longer than necessary.
The hot water washed away the previous night's exhaustion.
The stress.
The emotional overload.
The lingering sadness she carried more often than she admitted.
By the time she climbed into the oversized bathtub afterward, she nearly groaned in contentment.
"I could live here."
She rested her head against the edge.
Then sighed.
"No. Back to reality."
Eventually she forced herself out.
Wrapped in a towel, she entered the connected closet.
And immediately froze.
The closet was filled almost entirely with Rege's clothes.
Not suits.
Not business attire.
Casual clothes.
The version of Rege few people probably ever saw.
Sweatshirts.
Hoodies.
Joggers.
T-shirts.
Simple clothes.
Human clothes.
For some reason that affected her more than the expensive bathroom had.
It felt personal.
Intimate.
Like she had stepped into a piece of his life usually hidden from everyone else.
After several minutes of searching, she finally chose a navy-blue sweatshirt.
The moment she pulled it on she burst into laughter.
It absolutely swallowed her.
The hem reached almost to her knees.
The sleeves covered her hands completely.
She had to fold them several times before her fingers reappeared.
It smelled faintly like him too.
Agarwood.
Musk.
Something uniquely Rege.
Her cheeks warmed slightly.
She paired it with a pair of navy shorts before brushing out her long dirty blonde hair and leaving it loose.
The waves cascaded down her back naturally.
Comfortable.
Simple.
Exactly what she needed.
By the time she finally emerged from the pool house, she realized she must have taken far longer than intended.
The rooftop had transformed completely.
Everything from the previous night was gone.
The trays.
The flowers arranged around dinner.
The candles.
The evidence of their date.
All of it had disappeared.
The rooftop looked pristine.
As though nothing had happened there at all.
Only the city remained.
Only the sunrise.
Only Rege.
He stood several feet away near the railing.
Fresh clothes.
Dark joggers.
A hoodie.
His hands tucked casually into his pockets.
The morning sunlight caught against his dark hair.
And for one ridiculous moment Maya simply stared.
God.
He was handsome.
Not model handsome.
Not celebrity handsome.
Dangerously handsome.
The kind of handsome that made logical thought impossible.
Then his eyes found hers.
Immediately.
The effect was instantaneous.
Maya smiled.
Brightly.
Without hesitation.
And before she realized what she was doing—
she practically ran toward him.
Not walked.
Ran.
The sight hit Rege harder than he expected.
Because she was smiling.
Because she was wearing his clothes.
Because she was running toward him.
Toward him.
As though he was exactly where she wanted to be.
Something tightened painfully inside his chest.
His gaze moved over her slowly.
The oversized sweatshirt hanging off one shoulder slightly.
The absurd amount of bare legs now visible.
The sleepy morning softness still lingering in her expression.
The way her hair flowed freely around her.
The way her eyes sparkled when they landed on him.
Beautiful.
God.
She was beautiful.
And somehow wearing his clothes only made it worse.
Much worse.
Rege tightened his jaw slightly.
Because entirely inappropriate thoughts suddenly threatened his peace of mind.
Meanwhile Maya stopped directly in front of him.
Still smiling.
Still looking up at him.
Neither spoke.
Neither seemed capable of speaking.
The city stretched endlessly behind them.
Morning sunlight wrapped around them both.
The wind moved softly through Maya's hair.
And for several seconds they simply stood there.
Looking at each other.
Smiling.
Existing inside a moment neither wanted to break.
Because somewhere between friendship and longing...
Between comfort and desire...
Between stolen smiles and quiet conversations...
Something irreversible had happened.
Neither of them could deny it anymore.
And neither of them seemed interested in trying.