For a long time, we didn't talk. Just the occasional glance, the subtle shift of movement as we drifted in the warm water. I knew Bryan was keeping an eye on me even when he wasn't looking directly at me. I could feel it—his presence, the way his body was always positioned just slightly in my direction, how his gaze flickered toward me every so often.

It was... different.

Not the sharp-edged tension that usually simmered between us, but something quieter. Something I didn't know what to do with.

I turned slightly, hesitating before breaking the silence. "How's Lily?"

Bryan blinked at me, his expression unreadable. Then, something in his eyes softened, just barely.

"She's good," he said after a pause. "She keeps asking when you're coming back."

A warmth spread through me, curling in my chest. "Really?"

He nodded, his lips twitching slightly. "She said Fridays are boring without you."

I smiled, sinking a little deeper into the water. "I miss her too."

He studied me for a moment, then exhaled, running a hand through his damp hair. "I told her I'd bring her something back from the trip. She told me to make sure you bring something too."

I huffed out a laugh. "She's got you wrapped around her little finger."

Bryan's smirk was small but real. "Yeah. She does."

A comfortable silence settled between us again, the steam curling in the air around us. For once, we weren't biting at each other, weren't throwing jabs or challenging every word. It was... easy.

And maybe that's what made the next moment all the more intense.

Because when I turned back toward him, he was already watching me.

Not just looking—watching. Like he was studying every inch of me, like he was committing me to memory in a way I didn't understand.

My stomach clenched.

The air between us shifted, heavy with something I wasn't ready to name.

I should have looked away.

I didn't.

Instead, I let my gaze trace the lines of his tattoos, the way the ink stretched over muscle, how the water made his skin gleam under the dim lantern light.

"You're staring, Ballerina."

His voice was low, teasing.

I snapped my eyes up to his, cheeks heating. "No, I'm not."

Bryan tilted his head, amusement flickering in his gaze. "Then what were you doing?"

I hesitated, searching for an excuse, but my mind was blank.

His smirk deepened. "That's what I thought."

I rolled my eyes, sinking lower into the water. "You're stupid."

"And you're a terrible liar."

I don't know who moved first.

All I know is one second, we were just talking. And the next, his hand was brushing against my waist under the water, and my breath hitched.

I stilled, pulse hammering in my throat.

Bryan's eyes darkened, his fingers flexing slightly where they rested against my hip.

"You're warm," he murmured, voice quiet but rough.

"It's the water," I whispered back, though the slight shake in my voice betrayed me.

His lips twitched, but his gaze stayed locked on mine.

"Yeah?"

I swallowed hard. "Yeah."

He hummed, his thumb tracing lazy circles against my skin under the water.

"Liar."

Before I could react, his lips were on mine.

And it wasn't soft.

It was heat and desperation, a clash of want and restraint unraveling with each second.

I gasped against his mouth, and he took advantage of it, deepening the kiss, tilting my head back slightly with his grip on my waist. My fingers clutched at his shoulders, nails biting into damp skin as I tried to hold onto something—anything—to keep myself grounded.

His hands moved, sliding from my waist to my lower back, pressing me flush against him.

I felt everything. The solid heat of his chest against mine, the firm grip of his fingers, the deep, quiet groan he let out when I tugged lightly at the strands of his wet hair.

He pulled back just enough to whisper against my lips, his voice husky.

"Don't make any sound."

A shiver ran down my spine, but I barely had a second to process it before he was kissing me again.

And this time, it wasn't just a kiss.

His hands wandered lower, teasing along my thighs, his fingers skimming the edges of my bikini.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my body tensing slightly.

Bryan noticed.

He always noticed.

His touch softened just slightly, his lips slowing as if reminding me that I was in control.

But the teasing gleam in his eyes told me he wasn't planning on stopping.

At least, not yet.

I should have stopped this.

But I didn't.

Because Bryan's hands were still on me. His mouth was still moving against mine, slow and unhurried, like he had all the time in the world to unravel me. Like he wanted to take his time.

The steam curled around us, masking us in thick warmth, but it wasn't the water making me lightheaded—it was him. It was the way his fingers traced my waist under the water, teasing, barely touching, but setting every inch of me on fire.

My body had already betrayed me. Heat coiled low in my stomach, the anticipation winding tighter with every deliberate, agonizing movement of his hands. Every touch, every slow brush of his fingers against my damp skin sent shivers rippling through me, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps.

Then his fingers dipped lower.

A sharp inhale left me as his fingertips ghosted over the sensitive skin of my inner thigh, just beneath the water. The contact was fleeting, barely there, but it sent a jolt of electricity racing up my spine. Instinctively, my grip on his shoulders tightened, my nails pressing into his skin as my body reacted to him, to the slow, calculated tease.

Bryan made a low, approving sound against my lips, deepening the kiss as his fingers trailed further, exploring with deliberate patience. He knew exactly what he was doing—every touch was measured, every movement designed to unravel me one piece at a time.

"You're shaking," he murmured, his lips brushing against mine, amusement thick in his voice.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to steady my breathing. "It's the water," I whispered, though we both knew better. The unsteadiness in my voice gave me away.

His smirk was lazy, knowing. "Liar."

Then his fingers actually moved.

Slow, deliberate strokes along the inside of my thigh, tracing featherlight patterns that inched closer and closer to where I needed him most. His teasing was calculated, cruel in its restraint, dragging out the anticipation until my body was wound so tightly I could barely think.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my nails digging into his shoulders, the need simmering beneath my skin almost unbearable.

His fingers slid higher, just barely grazing the thin fabric of my bikini bottom. He let them rest there for a moment, applying no pressure, doing nothing but making me feel the weight of his touch, the unspoken promise lingering between us. He wanted me to squirm. To break. To ask for it.

His mouth left mine, trailing lower—down my jaw, my neck—his breath hot against my damp skin.

"Tell me to stop," he murmured, his voice rough, his fingers still just barely touching me. "Tell me to stop, Amber."

I should.

I should tell him to stop.

But I didn't.

Instead, I exhaled shakily, my head tipping back against the cool rocks, exposing my throat to him in silent surrender.

Bryan let out a low, satisfied exhale, his lips grazing the sensitive skin along my neck. His fingers pressed slightly against the fabric of my bikini, just enough pressure to make my hips jerk involuntarily. A soft, desperate sound escaped my lips before I could stop it.

His grip on my waist tightened. "Amber," he warned, his breath scalding against my skin.

"I don't want you to stop," I whispered, my voice trembling with need.

His body tensed. The heat between us grew unbearable.

"Say it again," he demanded, his tone rough, almost desperate.

I swallowed, my lips parting as I met his intense gaze. "Please don't stop."

A slow, wicked smile curled at his lips, something dark flickering in his eyes. He leaned in, his mouth brushing against my ear as he murmured, "You look so pretty when you beg."

Then—he moved.

His fingers slipped beneath the fabric, brushing against me with an excruciating gentleness that made my entire body lock up. My breath hitched sharply, and he felt it—he loved it.

His fingers pressed deeper, slow and teasing, sliding between my folds with a practiced ease. He took his time, mapping out every reaction, every shudder, every shaky exhale.

I bit my lip, my body strung tight, my hips moving instinctively toward his touch.

Bryan felt that too.

His lips trailed back up to my ear, his breath thick with amusement. "You're so sensitive," he whispered, his voice smug, satisfied.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

His mouth brushed against my ear again, his fingers still working at a maddeningly slow pace.

"You always this quiet?"

I turned my head, glaring at him through the haze of pleasure. "Shut up."

He chuckled, dark and amused.

And then he pushed a finger inside me.

My breath caught, my thighs clenching around his wrist, my nails digging into his shoulders as my entire body arched into him.

Bryan groaned, deep and satisfied, his mouth brushing against my temple. "That's more like it," he murmured.

He started moving, slow at first, curling his finger just right, testing, teasing, dragging the pleasure out until I was panting against his neck, my body trembling.

And then he added another.

A broken sound escaped my lips before I could stop it, and Bryan immediately tightened his grip on my waist, his lips hovering just over my own.

My fingers curled into his shoulders, my nails digging into his inked skin. "Bryan," I whispered, my voice barely a breath.

"You gotta keep quiet, preciosa," he murmured, teasing. "Unless you want everyone to hear you."

I clenched my jaw, swallowing back another sound that definitely would have given us away.

He exhaled slowly, pressing his forehead to mine, his dark eyes watching every little reaction I gave him.

"Good girl," he murmured, his voice dripping with approval.

Heat flooded through me.

Then he curled his fingers, pressing against that spot that made my vision blur.

I gasped, my fingers scraping lightly down his back, and he groaned against my skin.

I was unraveling.

The pleasure built, curling tighter and tighter, my body tensing with anticipation. My hips rolled into his hand, and he met my movements, matching my pace with slow, deliberate strokes.

His lips traced my throat, kissing just beneath my jaw, his voice soft but wrecking me all the same. "You like this?" he murmured, his fingers still working me, coaxing me closer and closer to the edge.

I nodded, my body trembling.

Bryan kissed my jaw. "Say it."

I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering. "I—I like it."

His fingers moved just right, and my back arched, my grip tightening on him as my breathing turned shallow.

"I know," he murmured, his voice thick with something dangerous.

I was unraveling.

And then, just as I was about to lose myself in the feeling, he stopped moving entirely.

I let out a choked breath, my body frozen in anticipation, desperate for the friction again.

Bryan hummed, his lips ghosting over my jaw. "Look at me," he murmured, his voice edged with command.

I hesitated, my entire body trembling.

His grip tightened on my thigh. "I said, look at me, or I stop."

I swallowed hard, pulse racing, and finally met his gaze.

His dark eyes flickered with something raw—something possessive, something dangerous. His fingers teased me again, so slow it was unbearable.

"Just like that," he whispered, his voice dripping with approval, and my breath caught all over again.

I was barely holding myself together. My nails dug into his skin, my body aching for release, but Bryan was in no rush.

I hated him.

I hated how easy this was for him.

How effortless he made it seem to completely wreck me without even trying.

Bryan kissed me again, slow and deep, dragging it out until I was melting into him.

"Let go, cariño." he whispered, his fingers not stopping, his lips brushing against my ear. "I got you."

And that was all it took.

The tension snapped, pleasure crashing over me in waves, my breath catching as my body tightened, then released all at once.

Bryan felt it.

He watched it.

His fingers slowed, working me through the aftershocks, his lips brushing over my jaw, my cheek, my temple, grounding me.

When I finally caught my breath, my body still tingling, Bryan pulled back just slightly, his dark eyes drinking me in like he had never seen anything more intoxicating.

His smirk returned, lazy and satisfied.

"You're so pretty when you fall apart," he murmured, his voice rough.

I glared at him, my face burning. "Shut up."

Bryan just chuckled, brushing his lips against mine in a teasing, almost sweet kiss.

And then, just like that, we heard voices approaching again.

I shoved him back, my heart still racing, my entire body still buzzing.

Bryan grinned like he had just won something.

And honestly?

I think he had.

—-------

The walk back to the hotel was anything but peaceful.

Bryan couldn't just let things go—of course he couldn't. Instead, he had to make sure I suffered through every second of remembering what had happened at the hot springs.

"You were real quiet back there, Ballerina," he mused, voice thick with amusement. "Did I wear you out?"

I froze mid-step, turning to him so fast I nearly twisted my ankle. My body heated instantly, and I hated the way my stomach flipped at the sound of his voice.

"Excuse me?" I hissed.

Bryan shoved his hands into his pockets, walking at an annoyingly casual pace, his smirk wide and unapologetic. "You heard me."

Heat flooded my face.

"You're an asshole," I muttered, gripping the strap of my bag tighter as I practically speed-walked toward the hotel entrance.

I heard his low chuckle behind me, the sound curling around my spine in a way I refused to acknowledge.

"Don't be mad, Lee," he drawled. "You looked real relaxed after—"

I whipped around so fast he barely had time to react before I slapped a hand over his mouth.

Bryan stopped walking, eyes widening slightly in surprise as I glared at him. His lips twitched under my palm, and suddenly, I realized—way too late—what a terrible idea this was.

His skin was warm. His breath fanned against my palm.

I snatched my hand away like I'd been burned and spun on my heel, practically running inside the hotel. Bryan kept pace with me easily, his amusement palpable.

"Speechless?" he teased. "Didn't think that was possible."

I stepped into the elevator, stabbing the button for our floor. "I hate you."

"Uh-huh," he murmured, leaning against the wall, watching me with dark, unreadable eyes.

The doors slid closed, and suddenly, it was just the two of us in the small, quiet space. The air between us wasn't uncomfortable, but it was thick, like neither of us knew what to do with whatever the hell had been happening between us.

I exhaled, rolling my ankle slightly to ease the dull ache creeping back in.

"You good?" Bryan asked, his voice less teasing now.

I nodded quickly. "Just tired."

His gaze flicked to my boot, then back to my face. He hesitated for half a second, like he wanted to say something, but then the elevator doors opened, and we stepped into the hallway.

By the time we reached our room, I was already reaching down to unstrap my boot, eager to get it off and finally lie down.

"Let me," Bryan said, dropping his bag onto the bed.

I hesitated. "What?"

He stepped forward, crouching in front of me, already undoing the straps before I could argue.

"You really don't have to—"

"I know," he muttered, loosening the velcro carefully. "But if I leave it to you, you'll probably make it worse."

"Rude," I muttered, crossing my arms.

"Accurate," he corrected without missing a beat.

I opened my mouth to fire something back, but the second his hands wrapped around my ankle, his fingers pressing into the sore muscle, all words vanished.

His touch was careful but firm, the warmth of his hands sinking into my skin. He worked methodically, applying the perfect amount of pressure, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from making any sound.

Bryan noticed.

His gaze flicked up, eyes narrowing slightly. "Relax, Ballerina."

I huffed, looking away. "I am relaxed."

His lips quirked, but he didn't push it.

His fingers pressed a little deeper, rolling over the tension, and I had to fight the full-body shiver that threatened to crawl up my spine.

After a few minutes, he sat back on his heels, arms resting on his knees. "Try not to make it worse tomorrow."

I scoffed. "You keep saying that like I want to make it worse."

"You do," he said flatly.

I narrowed my eyes. "Bryan."

"Amber," he mimicked, smirking.

I wanted to throw something at him. Instead, I shifted my foot slightly now that it wasn't throbbing as much.

"The whole class is going to the food market tomorrow, right?" I asked, steering the conversation away from my injuries.

Bryan nodded. "Yeah. Should be fun."

I raised a brow. "Do you even like food markets?"

He smirked. "What's not to like? I get to eat."

I rolled my eyes. "I meant the experience."

He exhaled dramatically. "Guess I'll find out tomorrow."

I shook my head, stretching my arms. "You better be nice to me. It's my birthday."

His smirk widened. "Ohh, right. Almost forgot."

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't make it a thing."

He pressed a hand to his chest, mockingly offended. "Me? Make it a thing? Never."

I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "I swear to God, Bryan—"

He chuckled, stepping away and pulling his shirt over his head like it was nothing. And before I could stop myself, my eyes dropped.

Tattoos. So many tattoos.

Dark ink wrapped around his ribs, stretching over defined muscles, dipping beneath the waistband of his shorts. My gaze lingered—just for a second—and then I snapped my head away, mortified.

Bryan noticed immediately.

His smirk deepened. "See something you like?"

I pointed at the bathroom. "Go to bed, Bryan."

His laugh was low, rough, as he walked toward the bathroom, pausing in the doorway.

"Happy almost birthday, Ballerina," he murmured.

And then he shut the door behind him, leaving me standing there, heart pounding, way too aware of the fact that sharing a room with him was getting dangerous.

-------

Thank You for Reading Chapter Forty-Nine!

That was definitely a spicy one. 🔥 I'd love to hear what you think!! Let me know if you enjoyed it, and stay tuned... because there's still so much more to come.