Business magnate's daughter, Isla Templeton (Feather), is the youngest of André Templeton's three children. And the top topic in the upper-class gossip in New York City.
Isla has always been a fighter; after losing her mother at a young age by sui...
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It had only been two days since that afternoon by the pool, but I couldn't get Claude out of my head. The way the sun had caught the drops of water on his skin, making every muscle stand out... it was impossible to forget, especially at night.
Everyone else was wrapped up in their own lives—Noah and Claude were getting ready to go to Columbia, and I was counting down the five days until my senior year of high school started. I was excited to see Julia and Luke again, but honestly, my mind kept drifting back to Claude.
As I stood on my balcony, lost in thought, I heard a familiar bang from Claude's window next door. The smell of his cigarette drifted over, mixing with memories of our last conversation; the air left my lungs.
Before I even realized what I was doing, I was out on the balcony, sitting down quietly, my eyes drawn to him through the thin veil of smoke.
"Claude," I called out, trying to sound casual, though I couldn't quite keep the teasing edge out of my voice. "You know smoking isn't good for you."
He turned to look at me, a smirk playing on his lips that made my stomach do a little flip. "Is it the cigarettes you're worried about, Feather, or something else?" His voice was low and smooth; it made my legs tremble.
My heart picked up speed, and I felt a flush creep up my cheeks, but I met his gaze head-on. "Maybe," I shot back, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Maybe I'm just tired of seeing you hide behind that Cloud of smoke."
His smirk deepened as he leaned against the window frame, eyes never leaving mine. "Still calling me 'Cloud,' huh? I always wondered if it was because of that crush you had on the Final Fantasy guy."
I felt my face get even hotter. It was true—I had called him that partly because of the character, but I wasn't about to admit it now. "Nah," I said quickly, trying to steer the conversation away.
"Why didn't you call or text me after you guys left?"
His expression shifted a little, and he looked away for a second, the smirk fading. "Noah was keeping me updated. I didn't want to bother you with my boring life."
There was something in his voice that tugged at me, making my chest feel tight. "Isla, you shouldn't be out if you feel.. cold," he said, looking back at me with a curious intensity.
I glanced down at myself, realizing I was only wearing a thin yellow tank top and comfy pants—no bra. My breath caught as I stood a little straighter, trying not to let him see how flustered I was. "I was just about to shower and get ready for a party tonight, so no, no bra. Free the nipple, Claude."
His eyes darkened just a bit before he raised his hands in mock surrender, crushing the cigarette into a glass cup. I watched him carefully as I turned to go back inside, but before I could close the door, I felt the door knob move under my fingers.
