Chapter 4: The Room with No Locks
Part 1: The Temptation Hour
The silence between them wasn't empty—it was charged. Bea stood at the threshold of Nova's penthouse, the door clicking shut behind her like a secret sealed. She was out of breath, not from running, but from wanting—wanting everything Nova's eyes promised and everything her body was beginning to crave.
The lights were dim, the city glowing behind the glass like a witness. Nova turned slowly, her figure cast in gold shadows. "I told myself I'd wait," she said softly, her voice low and dark like velvet. "But you… you make patience feel like punishment."
Bea didn't move. She couldn't—not when her legs felt like jelly and her heartbeat was a hammer inside her chest. "Then don't wait."
Nova stepped forward once. Bea could smell her—spiced, warm, dangerous. "Are you sure, Bea?"
Bea's lips parted, no longer trembling but hungry. "I've never been more sure."
In a blink, Nova was there—close, firm, and radiating heat. Her hands didn't rush. They slid to Bea's waist, pulling her gently, claiming without taking. "Say it again," Nova whispered against her neck. "Say you want me."
"I want you," Bea breathed, "Nova, I want everything."
That's when restraint shattered.
Nova kissed her like she'd been holding back for lifetimes. It wasn't just lips—it was soul and fire and hands that knew how to make someone forget their name. Bea's fingers twisted into Nova's shirt, pulling, tugging, begging for more. Nova lifted her effortlessly, setting her on the marble kitchen counter as if Bea belonged there, as if she was the centerpiece of everything.
Nova leaned in, nose brushing Bea's. "No one touches you like I do. Say it."
Bea's body trembled under her grip. "No one," she whispered. "Only you."
Nova's lips traveled—neck, collarbone, slow trails of heat and promise. Her fingers slid up Bea's thighs, teasing the hem of her dress with a patience that screamed power. Bea's hips lifted instinctively, craving that release only Nova could give.
And then—
Nova stopped.
Bea blinked, breathless. "Why?"
Nova's voice was fire and steel. "Because I need you to feel it, Bea. I need to know you're not here for the rush—you're here for the us."
Bea met her eyes, and for a moment, it was raw. Everything peeled back—lust, fear, longing. "I'm here for all of it," she said. "The burn and the beauty."
Nova smiled slowly. "Then come with me."
She took Bea's hand and led her through a door—into a room with no locks, no rules. Just soft lighting, warm sheets, and space to fall apart.