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As the last notes fade away, Roxe jumps up and hugs her brother tightly. “Are you going to release this?”
Kaan’s eyes are fixed on the floor, lost in thought. The weight of his recent career setback is palpable, and bitterness drips from his voice as he speaks. “This is just for Nutmeg and me. Anyway, I was dropped by the label, remember?”
Roxe leans forward with a reassuring smile, her gaze fixed on her brother. “That’s just a minor setback. You don’t need a label to make great music, in fact I’d go so far as to say you can’t make great music with a label. Just release it yourself.”
I nod emphatically, adding my own voice to the conversation. “I told Kaan the exact same thing. No more compromising on his creative vision to meet commercial expectations. He should release the music thathewants to.”
Kaan’s bronze eyes lock onto mine, filled with uncertainty, hope and, perhaps, a hint of fear. His gaze is intense, as if searching for something within me. “You really like it, Nutmeg?”
“I do,” I reply softly. “It’s the best you’ve ever written.”
It’s a moment that lingers in the air, a tangible tension between us. Zeki mumbles something unintelligible to Roxe, who shuffles in her seat, looking up at him expectantly.
“It’s getting late,” Roxe stands up from her chair. “I think we’re going to have to leave you guys to it. I’ve got workers arriving at six tomorrow to start on the tiling and you two have a wedding to get back to.”
I glance at my phone and realise that she’s right. It’s much later than I thought. “Good night, Roxe, and thanks… for everything.”
“I hope our little chat helps you make up your mind… about Istanbul.”
I grin back at her. “It has, I promise you.”
As Roxe leaves, the tension between Kaan and I grow palpable. We sit in silence for a few moments, each waiting for the other to break the ice. Finally, Kaan speaks, his voice husky. “You and Roxe were discussing Istanbul, were you?”
“It came up.”
“And what was your decision about this great city?”
“It has good and bad. So far, I’ve experienced more of the latter but it’s growing on me, I think.” I cough lightly and change the subject. “That song really was good, you know?”
“I wasn’t sure if you would like it,” he admits, his expression lighting up with pleasure. “It’s not quite there yet.”
“Oh?”
Kaan’s eyes meet mine again, and for a moment, I feel like I’m falling into them. “I’m not sure how it ends.”
The silence stretches out between us and I shift in my seat, trying to come up with something to say. Kaan remains silent, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that makes my heart race.
Finally, he stands up and makes his way towards me, his footsteps heavy against the tiled floor. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me close to him. For a moment, I forget where I am and everything else fades away except for the two of us, locked in this embrace. “I need you to know that there isn’t a moment when I’m around you that I’m not hard, that I don’t want to be inside you. From that morning I barrelled into you at Brazen, you are all I think about.”
Kaan bends his head, nuzzling my neck and inhaling deeply. “Not being with you isn’t an option for me, it just isn’t. Ever. I know you’re scared but I promise that I will never hurt you. I can’t and I won’t. You are it for me, Nutmeg. I love you.”
My heart swells with emotions that I can no longer keep bottled up inside. The warmth of his arms around me only intensifies my feelings. I know he’s broken, struggling with his demons, but he’s so much more than that.
It hasn’t been an easy journey for me, this realisation of my own feelings. I’ve been denying them for so long, trying to convince myself that it’s just business, just the desire to do my job well. But it’s so much more than that. I want Kaan in a way that I’ve never wanted anyone before, and I’m not afraid to admit it anymore.
As the silence between us stretches, I see a flicker of uncertainty in Kaan’s eyes. He’s waiting for my response. I take a deep breath and summon all the courage I have.
“Kaan, I… I feel the same way.” My voice is trembling. “I want to be there for you, to help you heal, to show you how strong you are. I love you, so much.”
The words spill out of me, raw and honest, and I feel like an enormous weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
He exhales a breath I didn’t know he was holding, smiles and kisses me, slow and tender. His kiss tells me everything I need to know. My mouth opens and his tongue searches for mine. I welcome it and our tongues swirl, both of our voices humming with desire. He bites my lip and the pain draws a moan from my throat. Heat pools between my legs.
We both breathe heavily as our kiss becomes urgent. His hands tighten around my waist. “I want you… NOW.”
I give him a knowing grin and take his hand, leading him up the stairs.
ChapterTwenty-Eight
