Chapter 2 – Rooftop Tension
The night air on the rooftop was cooler than Helena expected, but it did nothing to chill the fire simmering beneath her skin. The city lights stretched endlessly below them, glittering like stars that had fallen to Earth. The hum of distant traffic was a faint backdrop to the tension crackling between her and the stranger — this man she didn't even know by name.
He led her to the edge, where a glass railing gave them a panoramic view of the skyline. His hand brushed hers — not by accident. She didn't move away.
"So," he murmured, his voice close to her ear, "what brought you here tonight?"
"I needed to get away," she said, eyes on the horizon. "Clear my head. Remind myself I'm not just… surviving."
He nodded slowly, watching her profile.
"And are you remembering now?"
She turned to look at him, their faces closer than they'd been in the elevator. His scent — clean, masculine, warm — teased her senses. Her lips parted slightly, the answer hanging in the air.
"I think I'm getting there," she said softly.
For a beat, they stood like that — not touching, but too close not to feel the magnetic pull. Her chest rose and fell just a little quicker, and his eyes lingered on her mouth.
"I'm Luca," he said, finally offering his name.
"Helena."
"Helena," he repeated, like he was tasting it.
The way he said her name made her shiver, and not from the breeze. He reached out, slowly, and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. His fingers barely grazed her skin, but the effect was immediate — like a current traveling through her.
"I don't want to rush this," he said, voice low and rich, "but if I don't kiss you soon…"
She smiled, heart hammering.
"Then don't rush. Just… stay right here."
And he did.
They stood together, city lights glowing below, heat building between them — not with haste, but with purpose. It wasn't a kiss yet, but it was coming. And when it did, it wouldn't be innocent.