One bed. No rules survive the night.
The problem revealed itself at exactly 11:47 p.m.
Maya stood in the doorway of the guest room, staring at the bed that wasn't there.
The sheets were stripped. The mattress is gone.
She turned slowly and walked back into the hallway, heart beginning to race.
"Adrian?" she called.
He emerged from the study, sleeves rolled up, phone still in hand. "Yes?"
"There's no bed in the guest room."
"I know."
Her brows knit together. "Why do you know?"
He hesitated—just a fraction of a second. "Maintenance issue. They needed to replace the frame."
"And where am I supposed to sleep tonight?" she asked carefully.
Adrian looked past her, down the hallway. Then back at her.
"My room."
Silence fell between them like something fragile.
"That's… not an option," Maya said.
"There's no other bed," he replied evenly.
"I'll take the couch."
"It's being reupholstered," he said.
She stared at him. "You're telling me the entire penthouse has one usable bed tonight?"
"Yes."
"That feels intentional."
"It isn't," he said, too quickly.
They both knew that was a lie.
Adrian's bedroom was immaculate. Minimal. Controlled.
And suddenly very, very small.
The bed sat at the center—king-sized, dark sheets pulled tight. One pillow was already disturbed. One side is clearly his.
Maya stood frozen near the door.
"We can set boundaries," Adrian said, breaking the silence. "Strict ones."
Her laugh was nervous. "You mean like the ones we already broke?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he walked to the dresser and pulled out a spare pillow and blanket, placing them neatly on the far edge of the bed.
"I'll stay on my side," he said. "You take the other."
"That's not the issue," she replied quietly.
"What is?"
She met his eyes. "The issue is that I don't trust myself anymore."
Something unreadable crossed his face.
"Neither do I," he admitted.
They changed in silence.
Maya slipped into the bathroom, locking the door, heart pounding. She changed slowly, deliberately—long shirt, pajama pants, nothing revealing.
Still, when she stepped back into the room, Adrian looked up.
And forgot how to breathe.
She caught the flicker in his eyes.
Just for a second.
It was enough.
He turned away immediately, clearing his throat. "Lights?"
"Dim," she said.
The room softened.
The city lights outside painted everything silver and blue.
They climbed into bed from opposite sides, careful not to touch.
There was space between them.
Too much space.
The mattress dipped slightly as Adrian shifted. Maya lay stiffly, staring at the ceiling, acutely aware of his presence—his warmth, his breathing, the faint scent of his cologne.
"Are you awake?" he asked quietly.
"Yes."
"So am I."
A pause.
"This is a bad idea," she murmured.
"Yes."
Neither moved.
Minutes passed.
Then—
Thunder cracked outside.
Maya flinched before she could stop herself.
The lights flickered.
The city went dark.
Blackout.
Her breath hitched.
Adrian turned toward her instantly. "Maya?"
"I'm fine," she lied.
Another thunderclap.
She curled in on herself, fingers gripping the sheets.
Adrian didn't hesitate this time.
He shifted closer.
Not touching.
Just close enough to be felt.
"You don't like storms," he said softly.
She swallowed. "I didn't say that."
"You don't have to."
Another flash of lightning illuminated the room—and his face.
Concern. Focus. No teasing. No distance.
Just him.
"I won't touch you unless you ask," he said. "But I'm here."
Her defenses cracked.
"Stay," she whispered.
He did.
Sleep didn't come.
Instead, awareness grew.
The way their breaths slowly synced. The way her shoulder brushed his arm when she shifted. The way he stilled every time she moved, as if afraid to scare her away.
Eventually, her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt.
Unconscious.
Instinctive.
Adrian froze.
"Maya," he whispered.
She didn't pull away.
"Tell me to stop," he said, voice tight.
She didn't.
Her head tilted slightly toward him.
An invitation.
A mistake.
He slid his arm around her—slow, deliberate, giving her every chance to pull back.
She didn't.
She moved closer instead, her forehead resting against his chest.
The sound of his heartbeat filled her ears.
Strong.
Unsteady.
Real.
"This breaks the rules," she whispered.
"I know."
"We shouldn't—"
"I know."
He didn't kiss her.
Didn't touch her beyond the curve of her shoulder, the protective hold of his arm.
But the intimacy was louder than any kiss could have been.
They stayed like that, wrapped in silence and shared warmth, until the storm faded and the city lights blinked back to life.
Maya fell asleep first.
Adrian didn't sleep at all.
He stared at the ceiling, one truth burning through every rule he'd written—
This wasn't just a contract anymore.
And tonight…
None of them survived.
Next: Chapter 16 - Feelings Denied
They woke up pretending it was just sleep—while their hearts knew it was never just that.
Tonight | 11:30 PM – 12:30 AM