Chapter 2:

Rising Heat & The Bold Dare

The lounge felt different once the others left. The golden light had faded into soft dusk, and the only sounds were the distant hum of a vacuum cleaner somewhere down the hall and the quickened beat of my own heart. I was still perched on Leo’s lap, my wrists loosely bound by the string from his hoodie. His hands rested on my hips, warm and steady, thumbs drawing lazy circles that made my skin tingle beneath my thin top.

He looked up at me, eyes darker than usual. “You okay?” he asked, voice low.

I nodded, biting my lip. The game had...