“Private villa?”

The words left my mouth in a weak, almost disbelieving whisper. I didn’t know what else to say. I just sat there staring at him, completely thrown.

He brought his face even closer, lips nearly brushing the shell of my ear as he whispered again.

“So… what do you say?”

At that point, I genuinely didn’t know what to do.

I couldn’t afford an extra year. That truth sat heavy and cold in the bottom of my stomach. But breaking the rules I had set for myself still felt insane. I could still remember the exact night I swore I would never get involved with an older man....