He looked down at her, cheeks flushed from wine and laughter, and thought to himself that if he had to paddle through every reef break on the planet to keep her looking at him like that?
He’d do it. A thousand times over.
37
SOFIA
La Salvaje – Paula Mattheus
Alejandra and Sofialingered on the couch in the villa, heads tipped back, eyes on the stars scattered across the sky. They were quiet, both dazed with sleep and nostalgia, wrapped in a cocoon of memories. It reminded Sofia of their younger days, wild, messy, free.
Alejandra had stayed that way. Sofia was only just now finding her way back after years in the academic cage.
“How’s Antonio?” Alejandra asked sleepily, eyes fluttering as she leaned into the cushions.
“Papà’s fine… or so they say. You know how it is. I don’t know if they’re sugarcoating the truth, or if he really is doing well.”
“Did you tell them about Ilias?” Her voice dropped with curiosity. “That the whole fake boyfriend thing isn’t so fake anymore?”
“I sent them a message,” Sofia replied, stretching. “Surprisingly, they weren’t shocked at all.”
“Jamie’s going to be ecstatic.” Alejandra snorted. “More clicks. More brand deals. More TerraVive sales when you two inevitably get caught having sex in public.”
Sofia flipped her off. “Don’t curse us.”
“I’m just extremely happy for you.” Alejandra smiled. “You deserve someone that cares about you, Sofi. And he does.”
Sofia nodded. “He does.”
It was crazy how much time, and how much convincing, it had taken to believe she was worthy of love again. Thomas had wrecked more than just her trust; he’d hollowed out the parts of her that once felt confident, wanted, alive. But piece by piece, she’d built herself back. And now that she’d found the strength to be wholly herself again, she wasn’t about to lose Ilias. Not now. Not ever.
Sofia headed to her room after escorting a sleepy Alejandra and a chatty Carlos to the door, and found Ilias lounging on the bed, watching surf videos on his phone.
The second she flopped beside him; his attention shifted completely. He reached for her, lifting her easily into his lap so she straddled him sideways, her legs draped over his thigh.
“Come here,” he murmured, holding her close, brushing her hair off her neck and kissing it gently.
His lips were soft, tender. She melted into his touch like it was second nature.
Her arms slid around his neck, fingers playing in the curls at his nape. They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in quiet, warm stillness, something unspoken passing between them.
This was real.
This was them.
“Are you nervous about the event?” she asked quietly, pulling back to look at his face, those hazel eyes, slightly red from the salt water.
“Not at all,” he replied, his hands tracing the arch of her back. “Just annoyed you’ll be leaving after it ends.”
She smiled softly, then leaned in close. “Then maybe… we shouldn’t waste time.”
With a mischievous glint, Sofia slipped from his lap and knelt between his legs.
Everything in him shifted. His easy warmth turned molten. His gaze darkened, his chest rising with slow, measured breaths.
“Yeah,” he rasped, voice low. “We shouldn’t.”
The bulge in his grey sweats said everything he didn’t need to. Sofia ran her hand along it through the fabric, slow and teasing, pressing just enough to feel his shape. She’d never loved going down on a man.
