Pain shot through my arm, and I cursed under my breath. As I struggled to sit up, a vision of concern appeared before me—Kendra.
“Antonio! Oh my god, are you okay?” she exclaimed, rushing to my side.
Her hands cradled my face, her touch warm and gentle. The scent of vanilla and caramel wafted from her hair, intoxicating me.
“I’m fine,” I muttered, wincing as I stood.
Kendra’s grip on my arm tightened. “You’re bleeding.”
I glanced down to see a crimson trickle running down my elbow. Her fingers brushed lightly against mine as she led me to her apartment.
“Let me get you cleaned up,” Kendra whispered, her voice soothing my frayed nerves.
She guided me to her bathroom. “Sit,” she instructed, pointing to the edge of the tub.
I obeyed, gritting my teeth as she gently cleaned the cut on my elbow.
“You’re lucky it’s not too deep,” she murmured, her fingers lingering against mine.
“Thanks to you, I’m lucky, period,” I replied, smiling.
Kendra’s eyes met mine, warmth sparkling within. “What were you thinking? That puddle was hard to miss. How did you not see it?”
“I needed to see you. I wasn’t thinking about anything else,” I admitted, my voice low.
Her gaze softened. “That’s the cringiest thing I’ve heard in a long time.”
I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. I had been so torn about pursuing my feelings for Kendra, especially after learning Elon was her husband. But the more I tried to stay away, the more my heart yearned for her.
“Well, it’s the truth.”
Kendra’s cheeks flushed as she applied antibiotic ointment to the cut.
“So, billionaire,” she teased. “Why didn’t you mention it?”
I chuckled. “Would it have scared you off?”
“Maybe,” she replied with a grin. “But seriously, why live next door instead of in some mansion?”
“I wanted peace and quiet,” I explained. “I don’t really get that at home.”
Kendra nodded thoughtfully. “I get it. You wanted a place to just be Antonio, not the Michaelson heir.”
“Yes.” Our eyes locked for a long moment… My gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. I wanted to kiss her, but I couldn’t be sure it wouldn’t be misinterpreted. So I pulled back, offering my gratitude instead. “Thanks for patching me up.”
“Anytime,” Kendra replied softly, her voice carrying a hint of disappointment.
She stood to put away the first aid kit but paused and, in a split second, dropped it and pulled me into a kiss. She started to pull away almost immediately, but I stopped her with an arm around her waist.
I deepened the kiss, wrapping both my arms around her.
Time stood still as our lips moved together. The bathroom faded into the background, leaving only the two of us, lost in that intimate moment.
When we finally broke apart for air, Kendra’s eyes shone with warmth.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a while,” she whispered.
I grinned, pulling her close.
