Page 39

On the screen of my phone appeared his name:

NICK CRAWFORD.

Maya's gaze also locked on the screen, and her expression shifted completely.

Disappointment, hurt, anger—it was all there, written all over her face. Her torment was unmistakable.

I was now facing the seemingly insignificant fact that I forgot to block Nick Crawford on my phone.

It slipped my mind. Maya was all I could think about. There was no space for him—there never really was. I chose to erase him. I just wanted him gone.

My fingers gripped the phone so hard it hurt. It wasn't just anger. It was everything he ruined. I hated that name. I hated him.

Maya's eyes flickered beneath her steady gaze. Her jaw clenched tight, every muscle tense, as she stared at the name on the screen like a wound reopening.

I swiftly pressed the red button, the one that would end it all.

But that wasn't enough. Of course.

Maya instinctively pulled back completely, our bodies no longer touching.

"The right moment, huh?" Her voice broke the silence, sarcastic and full of frustration.

Her guard was up again.

She turned the car key, making it roar to life without even daring to look at me.

I reached for her arm, she pulled away.

"Tell me how this has anything to do with us, Maya..." I swallowed the lump burning in my throat and tried to stay calm.

Her gaze stayed fixed on the road ahead.

"Forget it, Grace," she dismissed me.

"No," I insisted.

"Then you tell me, Grace." Her eyes met mine for the briefest second before turning away, like holding my gaze might break something in her. "Why's he still calling you? Does he need to 'talk' to you? Or maybe he's calling to take you out—just you and him, huh?"

"I don't know why the hell he called me! I don't want him—I never did!" My voice burned with intensity. "And I don't give a damn about him!" I shouted again, louder than I expected.

"I do. Unfortunately," she retorted, her grip tightening on the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white.

As if she were fighting not to break down.

"Okay, Maya, I get it. I really do," I said carefully, trying to keep things from falling apart. "I genuinely forgot to block him. It wasn't my intention, I swear to you."

Her gaze never left the road as she slowly shut down, retreating into herself—her safest, most guarded place.

I reached out, hesitating for a moment.

"Or maybe you did that on purpose, Grace. Who knows, maybe you wanted to keep your options open."

My heart sank.

For the first time, I couldn't tell if she was trying to provoke me or if she truly believed it.

Even her voice didn't sound like her voice anymore. It was distant, hollow—like she'd built a wall in seconds.

"Do you really think I'm the kind of girl who wants someone like him?" I asked desperately as her words crashed down on me.

"I never said that, Grace." Her grip tightened even harder. Her face flickered with something unrecognizable—something unreadable.

"But you were implying that," my throat tightened, making it hard to breathe.

"That's not true, Grace. It feels like you're twisting my words."

I glanced at her in disbelief, every emotion threatening to burst out, but Maya just stared ahead—blank, unblinking, as if she'd already shut me out.

I turned toward the window, and a cold silence enveloped us.

Rain started to fall, light and fine.

"Why are you acting like this after everything we've been through?" I whispered, my voice barely there.

Maya shrugged nonchalantly. "I've always been like this. You noticed now?"

My eyes slowly filled with tears.

"You're hurting me right now," my voice cracked under the weight of my own words.

Maya sucked in a breath.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her immediately turn to check on me, reaching a hand toward my leg—but the moment I pulled away, she hesitated and pulled back.

I turned my face fully toward the window and ended the conversation. I couldn't take it anymore.

The rain started pouring, loud and heavy.

I refused to cry, even though I could feel the tears about to fall. I hardly fought them back.

All I could hear were our shaky breaths and the rain pounding against the windows. And, just barely, the sound of her fingers tightening around the steering wheel.

Time seemed to freeze around us. After endless, exhausting minutes—each second stretching into eternity—we finally pulled up at home.

Maya's broke the silence first and to whisper—

"I have an umbrella in the trunk, wait for me here."

And with that, she opened her door and stepped out, getting soaked by the rain.

I refused to follow her instructions, even though they were wrapped in nothing but a sweet and caring tone.

I got out of the car and the rain hit me. I looked down at the wet pavement to avoid tripping and started walking toward the porch.

Suddenly, I felt Maya's fingers wrap gently around my wrist.

"Here," she said, handing me the umbrella.

"I don't want it. You keep it," I murmured, trying to pull away—but her grip tightened, not letting me go.

"Please, stop." There was something raw in her voice now—pleading, fragile. "Grace, look at me."

I exhaled deeply, but it was stronger than me, my eyes stayed fixed on the ground, refusing to meet hers.

"Look at me," she repeated, both firm and gentle.

"I-I can't, Maya..." I blurted out, not even thinking about what I was saying. "It's all so complicated, I—" My tears finally fell, mixing with the rain.

Suddenly, Maya stepped toward me—one step, then another. Her body barely an inch from mine.

She placed her hand on my cheek as the rain soaked us—one palm, warm, soft, grounding.

My eyes unconsciously drifted to her jumpsuit, now drenched in the rain, clinging to every perfect curve.

She looked unreal.

I finally found the courage to look into her eyes. They were so full of longing and regret, no longer empty but showing a raw vulnerability.

She was herself again.

"Stop," she repeated more firmly.

And then—

She kissed me.

It was like a storm hit me straight in the heart. Everything poured down harder on us, just like our kiss deepened.

I could taste the mix of rain and something unmistakably her—something addicting.

Every movement, every brush of her lips, sent a rush of heat through me, making my whole body ache for more.

The kiss was everything we felt but hadn't said.

It was tender, consuming.

"You think this is the right moment, Grace?" she whispered against my lips, a soft smile forming. "In the middle of a storm?"

"It's the perfect moment," I said without hesitation, wrapping my arms tighter around her waist as we exchanged another kiss.

Our lips brushed softly at first, then deepened into an unhurried passion. Our bodies fit together like we were always meant to belong this way.

We looked into each other's eyes before resting our foreheads together.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me," Maya burst out. Her sorrow clear in the way she begged my forgiveness.

Her hands cradled my face with desperate tenderness, pulling me even closer, like she was trying to make all the hurt disappear with that kiss. She did.

"I wasn't myself, Grace. It was the pain talking—I didn't mean any of it. I swear—" Her breath came out in sharp, uneven gasps.

"Hey, it's okay. I forgive you, Maya. Just breathe," I whispered, my fingers brushing her cheek. "We both said things we didn't mean."

"I never wanted to hurt you. I just wanted you to want me," she breathed, voice fragile.

"Maya, I've always wanted you," I admitted without fear.

I smiled, barely catching my breath before Maya cupped my face and kissed me—both fierce and tender.

Her eyes kept searching mine, still worried. "Are you okay, Grace? Are you sure you're okay?"

I leaned in closer and whispered, softer this time, "I'm okay, Maya. Really. Nothing matters except us."

She finally looked at me like the storm inside her had quieted. Like, for the first time, she believed she deserved forgiveness.

"Us," Maya repeated with a firm nod, her voice steady and warm. "Come with me."

She squeezed my hand and pulled me along, our laughter echoing through the rain like we were two little girls, completely soaked.

Turns out she was leading me to the horse stable near the house.

"Romantic..." I chuckled.

"At least it's indoors," Maya said with a smirk, raising a brow. "Now, where were we?"

I didn't hesitate to wrap my arms around her shoulders. Maya leaned in, her warm breath grazing my neck as her mouth lingered, teasing. Slowly, she pressed harder, leaving soft kisses trailing up to my earlobe.

"You're all I want," she murmured.

"You're the only one I want," I whispered.

We were already soaked from the rain, but her mouth was warm and wet against the hollow of my neck, sucking gently. I couldn't help but moan.

"I've been losing my mind over you, Grace. Every damn day. I wanted you so, so much," she said, her voice raw with desire.

I blushed. "I've been wanting you just as much, Maya... more than I ever dared to admit."

I brushed her long hair, trailing my fingers through the strands, then started kissing her jaw.

Her skin was so soft and kissable, every touch sent goosebumps across my body.

"God, you feel amazing," I whispered.

"Then don't stop," she said, urgent.

I obeyed, and the softest moan escaped her lips when I kissed the spot between her jaw and her ear.

"You have no idea what you do to me, Grace," she said, her fingers tightening around my waist, pulling me closer.

That sent a shiver down my spine as I could feel myself heating up. I looked away for a second, embarrassed—but Maya leaned in, brushing her lips against my ear.

"Kiss me again," she said. "I don't want this moment to end."

"I'm right here." I smiled.

Our lips parted, tongues eagerly intertwining. A wave of warmth surged through me, that kiss setting our soaked bodies on fire.

I pressed my forehead against neck, smiling uncontrollably.

"This feels unreal, Maya."

"It's real, sweetheart," she said, her fingers tracing slow circles on my back, her gaze trailing over my body. She smirked. "So real... if we don't dry off, we'll be shivering for more reasons than the cold."

I chuckled, but then my own eyes drifted to her wet jumpsuit, clinging even more tightly to her body.

So gorgeous, so tempting.

"Let's go home," she whispered.

A/N

After all that waiting, I hope this chapter made it worth it ??

P.S. I have no intention of finishing this story YET—I'm writing more, so... see you in the next ones ????