Page 51 of HEARTSTORM

"Baby," her fingers brushed softly across my hair.

I kept my eyes closed. My arms still wrapped around her waist.

"Baby."

I let out a sleepy groan and buried my face into her chest.

"What time is it?" I mumbled, my voice muffled against her skin.

"8 a.m.," Maya replied, her fingers stroking the back of my neck.

"Thank god," I murmured, happily going back to sleep.

"Grace," she said, her tone coaxing but sweet. "How about we get dressed and head to the breakfast buffet? It's awesome."

"Five more minutes," I murmured, tightening my hold around her waist.

"But I've been awake for more than half an hour now," she complained.

"That's because you're crazy," I shot back.

She let out a soft laugh, brushing a few strands of hair from my face. "What happened to your sweet side from yesterday, huh?"

I bit my internal cheek to stop myself from laughing. "It's gone because you won't let me sleep in peace."

Maya fell silent on purpose—I knew that trick. I groaned sleepily and finally opened my eyes.

"I can finally see those pretty blue eyes of yours," she said with a grin.

I hummed, still half-asleep. "You're so annoying in the morning," I muttered, but I couldn't stop the smile pulling at my lips.

"You still love me?" She asked, her thumb brushing gently over my cheek, her eyes locked on mine like she really wanted to know.

"Yes, I love you," I didn't hesitate to say.

"Good, because I love you too," she said, her features softening. Then she sat up slowly, and I couldn't help but take in the sight of her beautiful bare body in the morning light.

She slipped back into her lingerie, taking her sweet time—she knew I was watching.

"Incredible," I whispered, breathless, my mouth slightly parted.

Maya turned to face me with a knowing smirk, then crawled back to me and kissed my lips softly.

"Finally awake, baby?" she teased, eyes flashing with mischief.

"Yes, stubborn head."

She laughed and handed me my lingerie, along with the bathrobe still lying on the ground. I was wrapped only in the sheets, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

I had never slept naked before. Especially not with someone else...

"I'm going to take a shower. Take your time, Grace," she said with a smile.

She understood. Of course she understood. She always does.

Maya went to the bathroom, leaving me in calm stillness. I pulled the blanket tighter around me as memories of last night flooded my mind—every kiss, every breath, every gasp still electric on my skin.

Maybe we should sleep naked more often...

I pulled my bathrobe back on, and when Maya stepped out, I brushed my teeth and got into the shower. Finally, we were both ready, dressed, and left our room.

"They need to change those sheets," she said like she really meant it, a hint of challenge in her tone.

I just raised an eyebrow and said nothing.

"Are you hungry, baby?" she asked, pressing the button on the elevator.

"Kind of," I said, resting my head on her shoulder as she gently brushed my back.

"Good, you need to eat after last night's workout," Maya said.

She just couldn't help herself—it was like she had a personal mission to remind me of everything we did last night.

"I guess I earned it..." I murmured, doing my best to keep it together after her second round of teasing.

"Oh, you do," she said with a smug grin, holding me tighter as we headed to the breakfast room.

Before entering, Maya showed her ID again. Everyone treated her like she was in charge. I could tell she liked it—but she still stayed sharp, never letting her guard down.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to stay here with you?" I whispered, glancing around at the staff with concern.

"You don't have to worry, Grace. It's the policy, nobody's gonna snitch on us," she reassured me.

I nodded, relieved as Maya piled our plates with all the good stuff from the buffet—fluffy scrambled eggs, juicy fresh fruit, croissants, and pancakes dripping with syrup. Literally everything you could want and more.

"I'm starving," she hummed. "I need some strength," she added, glancing at me.

"Yeah, you'll need it," I laughed, shaking my head despite myself.

We settled into the cozy chairs in the elegant room, mostly filled with men and women in suits, business attire, and wealthy families.

"Shit, it's really good," I said, savoring every bite of that delicious buffet.

"Told you," Maya said, watching me. "Can I try those pancakes of yours?"

I nodded immediately, holding my fork with a piece of it, as she leaned in and wrapped her lips around it, slow and deliberately seductive.

I don't know how she always keeps me on edge, but damn, she does it so well.

"Delicious, baby, thank you," she said, her tone sweet but serious. "I like the honey, it's—"

Her eyes suddenly shifted away, and she froze, her expression darkening instantly. I followed her gaze, but all I saw were men in suits.

"Really good," she finished, jaw clenching.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Try to stay calm, Grace," she replied, her voice low but steady. "My father is here."

My heart skipped a beat. "Where?!" I asked, my eyes frantically searching the room. "What do we do?"

"Nothing," Maya replied calmly, her eyes flicking subtly toward where he stood. I followed her gaze and saw him—tall, dark-haired, his presence alone made him stand out from the rest.

He wasn't just another man in a suit, he owned the place.

"What if he saw us?" I asked, my voice extremely low, as I glanced back at her.

Maya paused for several seconds, her expression unreadable, before letting out a sigh.

"He just saw me," she said, voice tight, her face giving nothing away.

I admire her calm under pressure—because I almost jumped out of my seat and ran away. Maya's head snapped toward me, her unwavering eyes locking me in place.

"Act normal," she said. "Nothing wrong will happen."

I gave her a small nod, keeping my eyes on hers, silently seeking reassurance. She didn't hesitate—her hand found mine under the table and gave it a soft squeeze. "Don't worry," she said. "I've got you."

"Maya," I heard Victor's surprised voice grow closer. "Grace," he called to me as well, his tone confused.

"Hi..." I simply said.

Kill me.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, glancing between us suspiciously.

I froze.

I hadn't come up with a single excuse.

"After Lily's sleepover, we came here because we were hungry. Is that a problem?"Maya lied smoothly.

Victor seemed perfectly fine with that, smiling at me. "Not at all. Do you like our breakfast choices, Grace?"

"Absolutely," I nodded three times. "Very good."

"You took a look at our hotel?" he asked again.

Maya looked at me calmly. If I wasn't already sweating from the pressure, I felt like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Yeah, it's impressive, really. The suite—" SHIT. "The breakfast room is very... big and cozy," I corrected myself.

I can't believe I almost snitched on us—just casually talking about how cozy the mattress is sleeping naked with his daughter.

I gave him an awkward smile, but Victor didn't seem to notice. He started talking about the structure of the hotel.

"I have a meeting now," he informed us. "Enjoy the rest of your breakfast," he added kindly.

"A meeting with Crawford?" Maya asked coolly, a hint of mockery slipping through her voice. She made no effort to hide her disdain.

"No," he said firmly.

"I didn't forget about the new hotel with Crawford," she remarked. She had to.

"I wasn't expecting you to forget," he replied.

Before the tension could rise any further, Victor excused himself and walked away, leaving the room.

I let out a relieved sigh, but Maya's mood had clearly shifted into something more tense. I squeezed her arm gently, trying to offer some comfort.

"It's okay, baby. Everything went fine."

Maya tilted her head, frustration tightening her jaw. "Yeah, it is—except my father is siding with the Crawfords."

I frowned, watching the flicker of hurt behind her calm facade. "I don't know..." I said, searching for the right words. "There's something going on... he seems torn."

Her eyes narrowed, her expression tightened. "He should've taken my side. If he really cared—there wouldn't even be a choice."

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We're in this together, remember? I'm not leaving you to deal with it alone, Maya."

She nodded, but I still caught that flicker—a spark rising behind her eyes, the way her face hardened when she was ready to take control.

Something told me she'd handle this on her own terms. But I had no intention of stepping back.

We finished breakfast and left. I glanced back at the hotel one last time, nostalgia already washing over me. Maya leaned in and squeezed my hand.

"We'll be back here whenever you want," she reassured me.

We got back in the car, but I still felt sad and frustrated.

"What's wrong, baby?" Maya asked, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.

"Now we have to go back home and keep everything a secret," my voice quieter, hesitant. "Going back to hide us."

Her eyes found mine, unwavering, as her fingers tightened around my hand.

"What if we just told them, Grace?" she asked, voice soft but steady.

I sighed deeply. "I... don't think it's the right moment," I whispered, finally meeting her eyes. "There's too much going on right now."

Maya sighed, her body tensing just a bit, but she didn't pull away or argue. "So, when, Grace?"

"What if..." I mumbled, suddenly landing on something. "We tell them after the new hotel opening?" My voice trailed off, unsure if it would actually help.

Maya nodded, relief softening her face. "That's good. Once that's done, we'll deal with everything else. Together."

"I really don't want them to catch us before we tell them, Maya," I said firmly.

She gave me a confident smile. "They won't. Don't worry."

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Her words, her gaze—they wrapped around me like a shield.

But there was still something I needed reassurance about.

"Maya," I began, tightening my grip on her hand. "Promise me you're not going to do anything too reckless in the meantime."

She tilted her head, a laugh escaping. "What about the trust, Grace?"

"I do trust you, Maya," I said immediately. "But I need to know you're thinking about the bigger picture—not just the moment."

Something in her expression shifted as if she understood how important it was to me. "I promise you, baby," she said, locking eyes with me before kissing my lips to seal the promise.

For her own good, I was too caught up in her to think about what could go wrong.

I didn't even want to overthink it—I was so happy and in love.

Maya started her car, her fingers tapping against the steering wheel, her other hand on my thigh.

"Can I ask you something?" she said.

"Go ahead," I replied.

"I know we said not to tell anyone, but... what would you say if we told Lily and James about us?"

I turned to look at her, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "I'd say... finally. Yeah. Let's tell them."

"Really?" A hint of surprise flickered in her expression.

"Really. I trust them," I said, smiling.

"One hundred percent, baby. They're on our side," Maya replied firmly.

I caught the slight curve of her lips into a smirk as she laced our fingers together—clear signs she was up to something.

She stayed quiet until we stopped in front of Lily's house, texting her to come down. Then she turned to me with that glint in her eyes I was learning to both fear and adore.

"Okay, hear me out. What if we mess with her a little?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of mess?"

"We pretend we're fighting. Like, full-on drama. Then boom—we kiss in front of her."

"You are actually evil."

"And you love it."

I burst into a laugh. "Fine. Let's do it."

Lily appeared at the gate a moment later, slipped into the back seat, and greeted us cheerfully.

"Where are we headed, girls?"

"The cafè," Maya said flatly as she started the engine.

Let the show begin.

I glanced at the radio, finding the perfect excuse to start this fake fight. "Change the song, Maya. I swear, I can't listen to that anymore."

Her eyes narrowed. "At least it's better than your shallow pop playlist."

I snorted. "That's because you have no taste in music."

"Wow, okay. Someone's sensitive," Maya retorted, turning up the volume a notch.

From the back seat Lily sighed loudly. "Holy shit! Things haven't changed here."

"Maybe if someone didn't act so untouchable," I said, folding my arms.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Grace, did I forget to dim my attitude so you could catch up?" Maya shot back with just enough venom to sound real.

I had to hold back a laugh. It actually sounded just like one of our fights back in the day.

Lily let out a dramatic groan. "I swear to God, I'm gonna sign you two up for therapy. It's been fucking years."

I turned away, pretending to fume. Maya slammed the brakes just as we reached the parking lot.

"You're exhausting, Maya," I said, eyeing her to catch some sort of cue.

"Shut up, Grace," she said, and before I could react, her hand slipped behind my neck and pulled me closer, kissing me—sweet, deep, and completely unapologetic.

Silence.

Then—

"OH MY GOD!" Lily shrieked from the backseat. "You two idiots! You're together! Finally!"

We nodded and burst out laughing loudly.

Lily punched the seat excitedly. "You got me—but I freaking knew it from the beginning, bitches!"

Maya pulled back with a grin, her thumb brushing my jaw. "Told you it'd work."

Lily groaned. "You're both annoying. But like, the cute kind."

I smiled towards her. "Ehm, thank you... I guess. We're keeping it low-key for now."

Lily nodded. "I won't say a word," she said, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

We all stepped out and headed toward the cafè. Maya glanced down at her phone with a playful smile. "Told James to meet us here. Ready for round two?"

"Absolutely," I said.

But before we could even start the act, Lily rushed ahead and grabbed James by the sleeve the moment he showed up.

"Don't even try it. Those two dumbasses are together. They were gonna fake a fight and kiss to mess with you. You're welcome."

James blinked, then broke into a wide grin. "About damn time."

We all burst into laughter that could just keep going forever. Inside the café, the vibe didn't change—jokes flying around, Lily teasing us without mercy, James adding fuel to the fire.

"So, what are your cute pet names?" James teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

Maya ignored him, only tugging my chair closer to hers.

Lily giggled. "I might need some air here. You two don't leave space for oxygen."

Maya remained completely unbothered. "What are you going to order, baby?" she said, eyeing the menu.

My heart did the fluttering thing, and I didn't even try to hide the smile that followed.

Lily and James mocked the way she called me baby. It felt like being back in kindergarten. Still, it felt stupidly fun.

"Why don't you two start trying out pet names already?" Maya asked sweetly.

Lily and James went completely silent, both almost blushing.

Figures.

It's pretty obvious they like each other. They literally flirt all the time and don't even realize it...

We stayed at the café for a little while, laughing, messing around. Then we drove Lily back home and gave her a hug.

Once we were alone, I asked Maya why Lily and James hadn't confessed yet.

Her face hardened instantly. "Because Lily's still carrying what Nick Crawford did to her. Even if she won't admit it, she's scared to trust again. Scared to let herself feel."

I hate Nick Crawford with everything in me. He literally ruined so many lives.

Lily always put on a brave face, but I know that some wounds don't show on the surface.

I'd make sure to talk to her. She needed to know she didn't have to be scared—not of love. I used to be too. But love isn't supposed to feel like fear.

After delaying it as much as we could, we had to go back home. Maya parked and met my gaze.

"You know we'll always be together, right?" She said, giving me the reassurance I needed.

"I feel like we're on a spy mission," I replied, finding it funny somehow.

"That would be a good roleplay," she kissed me, making me burn with embarrassment and excitement all at once.

The rest of the day went normally, just comfortable and cozy. We had dinner with Nelly—burgers and fries. Later, we were in my bed. Maya was in her black silk pajamas, the kind that felt so damn smooth against her skin. We cuddled and watched a random movie until it was already midnight.

Her hands slid around my waist, pulling me in. "Get some sleep, Grace," she whispered. "We both know mornings aren't your thing, so you need to rest for tomorrow."

I just nodded, trying not to overthink tomorrow—my first day working at the museum.

I'd been looking forward to this for so long, but now that it was finally here, the pressure was starting to sink in.

"Do you... want a little help calming your nerves?" Maya offered, her fingers trailing lightly over the fabric of my pajamas.

"Maybe," I murmured, sinking back with a tiny smirk.

She hummed as her fingers slipped slowly beneath the waistband of my shorts—soft, deliberate—pausing just enough to make me ache.

"Maybe?" Maya echoed, brow rising.

"Don't stop," I said.

Her touch deepened, fingers gliding between my folds with intent—exploring, teasing in slow, small circles. A soft moan escaped me as my body arched toward her.

Her lips grazed my neck as she smiled against my skin. "You feel so good like this."

"Ma-Maya..." I whimpered, voice trembling.

Her fingers moved faster, circling, stroking, building a steady rhythm that left me gasping and whimpering.

"You're perfect," she praised, voice husky as she kissed my neck. "So perfect for me."

"Please..." I begged, clinging to her.

"Please what, Grace?" Her eyes burned into mine.

"Please, I—I can't—" My breath hitched, every nerve lit up under her touch.

With one last fast, deep stroke, my body trembled, the tension breaking in a rush of heat and pleasure. I moaned her name as waves of bliss washed over me.

I tried miserably to keep myself together as I watched her dark, satisfied eyes locked on me.

"Better now?" she just had to ask.

"Mmh... yes, thanks," I murmured, still catching my breath after the afterglow.

Maya smirked. "Come here." She pulled me into her arms. My legs barely worked as I nestled into her.

That "little help to relax" thing she gave me actually did the trick. I'm all over it.

The rest can wait until tomorrow.

For now, there was only this—her, me. Nothing else.

A/N

Hii! I hope you liked this one. ??

There's a lot more coming up—so see you sooon! ????