SUNBURN | JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

51

As Pope and JJ left the Chateau, their laughter fading into the distance, Kiara headed home, leaving the place quiet and still. Gabriella approached the house just as the last of the group disappeared from view. "Everyone's gone?" she asked, glancing at John B, who stood by the door.

"Yeah," he replied, his voice calm as he watched her walk inside.

Gabriella made her way to the kitchen, not noticing that John B had followed her. She reached for a glass on the top shelf, standing on her tiptoes to grab it. Her denim shorts rode up slightly, hugging her waist, while her crop top revealed the top half of her midriff. John B couldn't help but notice, his eyes tracing the curve of her body. Without a word, he stepped beside her, towering over her with his height, and easily grabbed the glass.

"Thank you," she said, taking the glass from his hand. As their fingertips touched, a sudden electric spark seemed to pass between them, making her heart race. She turned to fill the glass with water, but she could feel his presence behind her, close and intense.

"You know, I meant what I said earlier. In front of all of them," John B said, his voice low and earnest.

She turned to face him, leaning against the counter, her eyes searching his. "Did you?" she asked, her tone challenging yet vulnerable.

John B stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "What I feel for you is real, sunshine," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He reached up, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "So real."

His words sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt as if she was melting under his touch. "I only want you." He whispered. She took a small sip from her water, before placing it in the sink. The world seemed to blur around them, leaving just the two of them in that moment, completely lost in each other.

Gabriella's breath caught in her throat as John B's words lingered in the air. The warmth of his body so close to hers made her feel lightheaded, as if the ground beneath her feet was slipping away. She looked up into his eyes, searching for any hint of doubt but finding only sincerity and something deeper—something that made her heart race.

Without thinking, she placed the glass on the counter behind her, her hand trembling slightly. John B noticed and took her hand in his, steadying it. His touch was firm but gentle, grounding her in the moment.

Gabriella's heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts, but only one mattered—how much she wanted to close the distance between them. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin, the anticipation building between them.

"John B, please." She whispered, almost begging.

"Please what?" He smirked, teasing her as he ran his fingertips over the side of her exposed stomach.

Without another word, another second, as if by some unspoken agreement, they both moved at the same time. John B's lips met hers in a kiss that was soft at first, testing, but quickly deepened as they both gave in to the pull that had been drawing them together for so long. Her hands found their way to his chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt as she lost herself in the sensation. His hands were running up and down her body.

The world outside the Chateau faded away, leaving only the two of them wrapped up in each other. The kiss was everything she had imagined and more—full of passion, tenderness, and the promise of something real.

Pulling away, John B devoured herewith his eyes, taking in every detail and imprinting it in his mind. Her skin glowed intoned beneath the dim lights of the Chateau. Her chest rose and fell with every breath, and she stared at him with nothing but list in those big, brown eyes.