The tension between Dana and Steven lingered in the air like a storm waiting to break. After their heated conversation earlier, Dana couldn't shake the feeling of being caught in a whirlwind. She didn't want to be angry at Steven, but the hurt was still fresh. He had been so focused on winning Melanie's heart that he had completely overlooked the one person who had always been by his side—her.
But she wasn't prepared for what happened next.
Later that evening, Dana found herself sitting in the living room, her eyes glued to her phone as she absentmindedly scrolled through emails. She couldn't stop thinking about Steven. Could she really continue to help him, knowing how much he was fixated on Melanie? She had to admit, the apology had touched her, but there was still that nagging feeling that he didn't fully see her for who she was.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see Steven standing in the doorway, looking hesitant.
"Hey," he said softly, stepping into the room, his eyes not meeting hers. "Can we talk?"
Dana closed her laptop and sat back in her chair, arms crossed. "I thought we already talked."
He nodded, taking a deep breath. "I know… I know I messed up, Dana. But I don't want to lose you as a friend. I've been selfish, and I should've been more considerate. You've been the one person who's been there for me, and I didn't appreciate that enough."
Dana's heart softened, but she remained guarded. "It's not just about being considerate, Steven. You were so caught up in Melanie, you didn't see what was right in front of you. I'm not just your backup plan."
"I know," he said, walking closer. "I've realized that now. And I want to make things right. I… I care about you, Dana."
His words hung in the air between them, charged with something more than just friendship. Dana felt her breath catch, her pulse quickening. Could it be possible that Steven cared about her the way she had started to care about him?
She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, Steven took a step closer and gently cupped her face in his hands. She froze, staring into his eyes, feeling a strange mix of excitement and fear building inside her.
"Dana, I'm sorry," he murmured, his thumb brushing across her cheek. "I don't want to hurt you anymore. You mean more to me than you know."
And then, before Dana could react, Steven leaned in and kissed her.
The kiss was soft at first, tentative, as if he was waiting for her to pull away. But Dana didn't pull away. She was frozen, caught in the whirlwind of his emotions, feeling the warmth of his lips on hers, the tenderness in his touch. Her hands rested on his chest, unsure at first, but slowly she found herself responding to him, kissing him back with a newfound intensity. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in the moment.
It was an unexpected kiss, one neither of them had seen coming, but it felt right. It felt like they were both stepping into something new, something that could change everything.
The kiss broke, but neither of them pulled away. They stood there, breathing heavily, their foreheads touching.
"I didn't expect that," Dana whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
"Neither did I," Steven admitted, his voice low. "But I'm not sorry."
Dana took a step back, trying to regain her composure. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her mind a swirl of emotions. What did this mean? Was this just a moment of weakness, or was it the start of something more?
Before she could say anything, her phone rang, cutting through the tension. She glanced at the screen and saw the name "Melanie" flashing on the display.
"I… I should take this," Dana said, her voice shaky, her thoughts still racing from the kiss.
Steven nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, go ahead."
Dana stepped away to answer the call, but her mind was still on the kiss. What was happening between her and Steven? She couldn't deny the pull she felt, but she also couldn't ignore the fact that he had been so focused on Melanie just moments ago.
---
Melanie's Call to Rhys
Meanwhile, across the room, Rhys stood by the window of his New York penthouse, looking out over the city. He had been thinking a lot about Melanie lately. It had been a few days since they'd seen each other in Sicily, and even though he was focused on his business, there was something in the back of his mind that kept pulling him back to her. The connection they had was undeniable, but there was still so much between them—so much unresolved.
The sound of his phone ringing pulled him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and saw Melanie's name.
"Melanie," he murmured to himself before answering the call. "Hey, you."
"Hey, Rhys," Melanie's voice came through the phone, soft but with a hint of something he couldn't quite place. "How are you doing?"
Rhys smiled, leaning back against the windowsill. "I'm good. Busy, but good. How about you?"
There was a pause on the other end before Melanie replied. "I'm okay. I've been thinking about you, actually."
"Really?" Rhys said, raising an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's going on?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "I guess I just miss you. It's been… a lot, you know? Everything going on with the company, with everything else in my life, and I just… I miss having you around."
Rhys's heart softened at her words. He hadn't expected her to say that. He had known that the time they spent together had meant something to both of them, but hearing her say it out loud made him realize how much he missed her, too.
"I miss you, too," he said, his voice sincere. "It's been tough without you here."
"Maybe we should fix that," she said with a playful tone, but there was a vulnerability in her voice that Rhys couldn't ignore.
"Yeah, maybe we should," he agreed, his heart racing at the thought of seeing her again. "I'll be back in Sicily soon. We'll figure things out."
Melanie smiled softly on the other end of the line. "I'm looking forward to it."