A Rose Between Shadows...
The soft purring of my kitten nestled in Adrian's lap filled,, the quiet room with an oddly calming presence,. I sat beside him on the velvet sofa,, my shoulder barely brushing his as I reached out to gently stroke her snowy fur. Adrian chuckled lowly,, his fingers dancing beneath her chin,, and for a brief moment,, the world felt slow and peaceful.
Then,, the dining room door creaked open.
My gaze instinctively drifted toward the sound.. A man stepped inside,, tall and composed,, his aura pulling the atmosphere taut like a drawn bowstring... He looked around with the ease of someone who belonged,, yet my breath caught when his eyes locked onto mine..
I blinked...
Something about him tugged at,, my memory—like a half-remembered dream from years ago. His face,, his posture,, even the casual confidence in his stride,, felt eerily familiar.
"That's Luka,," Lily's voice rang out,, pulling me back. "My older brother..."
I barely registered the rest of her words.. My eyes remained on Luka as he smiled warmly—at me.
I turned to glance behind me,, thinking surely he must be looking at someone else... But there was no one,. My breath hitched as I realized: the smile was for me,.
Reflexively, I returned the smile,, unsure and yet unable not to. Then,, as if compelled by some invisible force,, I turned toward Adrian...
His gaze was already locked on mine—intense,, unreadable. His jaw clenched slightly,, and though he said nothing,, the question in his eyes was unmistakable: Why did you smile at him??
I swallowed hard and turned away,, choosing not to answer the question that lingered in the air like perfume...
Luka walked toward the table with easy grace and,, to my surprise,, settled right beside me. Adrian tensed at my other side...
Luka's eyes held mine,, and his smile never faltered. "Hello,, Rimi. Long time no see..."
I blinked again. "You remember me??"
"How could I forget such a beautiful lady??" he said,, his voice smooth as silk,, tinged with something deeper—something that sent a shiver down my spine...
I flushed,, unsure whether from flattery or discomfort. "Thank you,, Luka. That's kind of you to say."
He chuckled,, leaning back slightly,, as if enjoying the moment...
Adrian,, however,, was far from amused... His gaze had darkened,, his hand gripping the edge of the table like it might splinter beneath his fingers...
Dinner began,, but tension simmered in the room like a storm cloud... Luka and Adrian barely touched their food,, their attention swinging between each other—and me...
I tried to focus on my plate,, tried to act like I didn't notice the silent war waging over me... But it was impossible to ignore.
Then,, my kitten,, as if sensing the need for a distraction,, suddenly leapt from Adrian's lap onto mine. I gasped,, steadying her with both hands as she nestled against me..
Adrian leaned close,, his breath brushing my ear. "Looks like she prefers her mom over her dad now.."
My heart thudded... I wasn't sure if it was his words,, or how close he was—his voice low and teasing,, the warmth of his breath too intimate.
Before I could reply,, a strange tightness gripped my throat,, and I reached for my water.
Luka,, noticing,, gently placed a hand on my back. "Are you okay??" he asked softly.
Before I could nod,, Adrian's hand shot out, brushing Luka's away—not gently. His arm slipped possessively around my waist,, pulling me closer,, almost as if marking territory.
Both men extended their glasses of water toward me simultaneously.
I hesitated—then ignored both offers,, opting for the glass already on the table.. I took a few sips,, feeling my pulse slowly ease.
Then I turned to Adrian,, gently but firmly removing his arm from my waist...
From across the table,, Lily and Mike exchanged knowing glances,, their smiles mischievous and amused... My cheeks burned...
Dinner ended in awkward silence,, and I excused myself,, clutching my kitten to my chest like a fragile lifeline.
The night air welcomed me as I stepped into the garden... The moonlight glimmered on the petals of blooming roses,, and I inhaled the scent of earth and greenery,, hoping to clear my head...
Then I felt it—a gentle tap on my shoulder.
I turned and saw Luka,, holding a single red rose in his hand,, its petals dark and velvety in the moonlight.
"For you,," he said,, his voice soft. "You look like someone who should always have flowers..."
I hesitated,, then took it. "It's beautiful… thank you."
He smiled,, clearly pleased. "Just like you..."
I blushed,, fiddling with the edge of the rose's stem. "You really like compliments,, don't you??"
"Only when they're true..."
He glanced at the kitten in my arms.. "She's beautiful too. What's her name??"
I looked down at her. "Actually… we haven't decided yet.."
His brow arched. "We??"
"Oh… Adrian and I,," I replied without thinking.
Luka's smile faded slightly. "What's your relationship with Adrian??"
I paused,, looking away. "We're… friends.."
"Friends?" he repeated,, his tone disbelieving.
I didn't meet his eyes. "Anyway… thanks for reminding me. We really should name her,, I should go. Adrian's waiting..."
I turned before he could reply and walked briskly back inside,, heart pounding.
Just as I reached the elevator,, Lily intercepted me with a grin. "So… what were you two talking about??"
"Who??"
"Luka and you,," she teased. "You were standing awfully close."
"It wasn't anything important.."
"Mmhmm." Her eyes sparkled,. "Your prince charming wasn't too happy.. He was staring like he wanted to set Luka on fire."
"He saw us??" I asked,, startled.
"Oh yes., Very much so.."
"I have to go..." I fled toward the elevator,, her laughter trailing behind me.
Seventeenth floor.. My heart beat faster with every step as I approached Adrian's door...
I hesitated before knocking..
"It's me,," I said softly.
He opened the door almost instantly,, stepping aside to let me in..
His room,, like mine,, was bathed in warm lighting and soft textures. But unlike mine,, it felt heavier—denser with unspoken feelings.
I sat on his couch,, my kitten curling at my side.
"Let's name her,," I said,, trying to lighten the mood. "She deserves something cute.."
He didn't answer right away. Instead,, he stood in front of me,, arms crossed..
"Why don't you ask Luka??" he said,, voice clipped.
I looked up,, surprised. "Are you jealous??"
He moved closer,, slowly,, purposefully. "Yes... I am..."
I froze as he knelt before me,, one hand gently lifting my chin until our eyes met...
"Adrian—"
"Shh,," he murmured. His gaze dropped to my lips.
"You're drunk,," I whispered...
"I'm not.."
Then,, before I could speak again,, his lips pressed against mine.
The kiss was slow and possessive,, filled with all the things he hadn't said over the past few days. His hand slid behind my neck,, holding me gently but firmly in place...
My body froze,, yet I didn't pull away. I didn't stop him...
When he finally broke the kiss,, I gasped,, breathless,, stunned.
I stood abruptly,, touching my lips,, still warm from his...
"You are definitely drunk,," I whispered,, backing away.
"Rimi—"
But I didn't wait to hear more... I fled down the hallway, heart pounding,, fingers trembling.
I burst into my room,, locking the door behind me.
Then I collapsed onto my bed,, breath shaky,, heart aching.
I touched my lips again,, over and over.
Why didn't I stop him?? Why did it feel so real??
Why did part of me want him to kiss me again??
I curled into the covers,, trying to shake the emotions clinging to me like shadows... But it was no use...
Adrian... That kiss..
My lips still tingled with the memory...
I couldn't fall for him... I didn't know who he truly was. I didn't even know if this was real—if any of it was..
And yet…
I sighed and forced myself up,, heading to the bathroom. A long shower,, I told myself.. That's what I needed., Just rinse it all away.
The hot water soothed my nerves,, but it couldn't rinse the memory from my mind. His hands,, his voice,, his kiss—it haunted me...
When I finally slipped into my nightclothes and crawled back into bed,, keep thinking about him....
"I should sleep,," I said aloud. "Stop thinking about him."
But even as my eyes drifted shut,, the last thing I saw behind my lids was Adrian's face.
And the last thing I felt was the ghost of his lips on mine...
To be continue...