Chapter 225
CHAPTER20
She hadn’t even thought about it. The moment his grip loosened and
his lips stopped moving, she scrambled to her feet. He was still dazed,
his expression almost dreamlike as he tried to process what had just
happened. She seized the opportunity, bolting from his lap as if her
life depended on it.
Her heart had been pounding so loudly she could barely hear
anything else, but she caught the sound of her name–his voice low,
hoarse, and full of frustration as it carried after her.
“Isla.”
The way he had said it, with such raw hunger and impatience, sent a
shiver racing down her spine. But she didn’t stop. She didn’t dare.
2
Her face was flaming, every nerve in her body still alive and buzzing
from his touch. She had barely made it to the door when Maggie–of
all people–appeared, holding a tray of dessert. Isla nearly collided
with her, stumbling in her rush to escape.
Maggie had paused, blinking in confusion as Isla mumbled a hurried
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apology and slipped past her. She could only imagine what Maggie
must have thought, seeing her with her face as red as a beetroot, her
breath coming in uneven gasps. Isla couldn’t bear to look back,
couldn’t bring herself to explain.
Instead, she had fled to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind
her and locking it for good measure. She threw herself onto the bed,
burrowed beneath the covers, and stayed there, hiding from the
world.
The most shameful part of it all? It wasn’t just the memory of his
kiss, or the way her body had melted under his touch. It was the fact
that, even now, with no one there but her, she still felt that same
heat. That same inexplicable need.
A few minutes later, the silence in her room was broken by the sound
of heavy, deliberate footsteps heading toward her door. Isla’s heart
leapt into her throat, her body freezing beneath the blankets. She
huddled deeper, clutching the fabric like it could somehow shield her
from the inevitable.
His room–the master bedroom–was on the opposite side of the
house. He had no reason to be here. No reason, except her.
He was coming for her.
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Chapter 225
Her breath hitched as the footsteps stopped just outside her door.
The knock that followed was firm but unhurried, the kind that left no
doubt who was on the other side.
“Isla.”
Her name rolled off his tongue slowly, deliberately, his voice low and
muted through the door. It sent a shiver racing down her spine. She
squeezed her eyes shut, willing him to leave, willing herself to
disappear.
“Open the door, darling. We need to talk.”
The word darling made her chest tighten, both soothing and unsettling in equal measure. She bit her lip, her pulse roaring in her
ears. But she didn’t move, didn’t reply.
2
When the silence stretched between them, he spoke again, his voice
softer now.
the
“Things got out of hand a little there,” he admitted after a pause, words tinged with something she couldn’t quite place. Regret? Frustration? Guilt? “I didn’t mean for it to happen like that. I didn’t
mean to hurt you.”
Her breath caught at his words. Hurt her? He thought he’d hurt her?
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Another pause. She thought she heard him sigh, the sound heavy and
resigned.
“But I realize I scared you,” he said, quieter now, as though he were
speaking more to himself than to her.
And then, just like that, his presence faded. She heard the sound of his footsteps retreating, growing softer until the house swallowed
them completely.
Isla remained motionless under the blankets, her body rigid as her
mind replayed his words.
Scared her?
She scoffed silently, her lips twisting in self–directed disbelief.
She wasn’t scared of him. She was scared of herself.
The truth was, she’d always known she was… different. Strange, even.
At her age, most people had already been through these rites of passage. They’d had steady boyfriends, shared stolen kisses in the backseats of cars, explored their desires. Some had even crossed that
ultimate threshold, giving themselves fully to another person.
But not Isla.
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She had held herself apart, not out of fear or prudishness, but out of
sheer ignorance. She hadn’t known what she was missing, hadn’t felt
the pull that others seemed to feel so effortlessly. Even when she was
alone, the idea of touching herself the way some of her friends had
whispered about had seemed alien. Unnecessary.
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when will a new chapter come loving
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
