The house was quiet. The only sound was the soft hum of the ceiling fan and the occasional creak of the floor as Natalia moved through the living room. Jey sat on the couch, watching her as she picked up a stray toy, setting it back in Malakai's basket.

He wasn't in a rush to leave.

And she wasn't asking him to go.

Something had shifted between them tonight. Maybe it was the way she had looked at him at the BBQ, seeing him truly step into Malakai's life. Maybe it was the way he had held their son so naturally, like he had been there all along. Or maybe it had been shifting for a while now, ever since she showed up on his doorstep and turned his world upside down.

Either way, neither of them could ignore it anymore.

Jey stood, crossing the small space between them. Natalia turned just as he reached her, and for a second, they just stared at each other. The air between them crackled, thick with tension, history, and something deeper-something they had been running from for years.

Jey lifted a hand, tracing his fingers lightly along her jaw. "Nati..."

She closed her eyes at the contact, exhaling shakily. "Don't."

But she didn't pull away.

Jey tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. "You want me to stop?"

Her lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, she reached for him, gripping his shirt in her hands, and that was all the answer he needed.

Jey crashed his lips against hers, and everything else faded away.

The kiss was deep, hungry, years of longing pouring into it. Natalia melted against him, her body pressing into his as his hands slid down her back, pulling her even closer. He could feel her heartbeat racing against his own, feel the way her fingers trembled as they gripped his shoulders.

Jey walked her backward until her back hit the wall, his mouth trailing down her neck, tasting the warmth of her skin. Natalia gasped, her hands slipping under his shirt, nails digging into his skin as she pulled it over his head.

"Bedroom," she whispered breathlessly.

Jey didn't hesitate. He lifted her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as he carried her down the hall.

They barely made it to the bed before clothes were lost, hands roaming, lips claiming. It wasn't just lust-it was something deeper, something raw.

This wasn't just about the past.

This was about now.

And neither of them wanted to hold back anymore.

As they gave in completely, Jey knew one thing for sure-he wasn't letting her go this time.