Bound to Us (Bound Duology Book#1)

Stolen Moments

Emma lay awake in her bed, the soft sounds of the villa settling for the night muffled by the thick walls around her. Yet even in the quiet, her mind raced, replaying every word and lingering look from Ilario that day. Their near-confession, the almost-kiss under the moonlight—she couldn't shake the way he'd looked at her, so much left unsaid, yet somehow everything laid bare in that one intense gaze. She turned over, trying to will herself to sleep, but then she heard a soft knock at her door.

Her heart skipped, and she slipped out of bed, padding quietly over to the door. When she opened it, there was Ilario, his hands tucked in his pockets, his expression unreadable yet tender, his eyes dark in the dim light of the hallway.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked, a familiar crooked smile tugging at his lips.

She shook her head, matching his smile. "Nope. Too much on my mind."

He looked down the hall, as if weighing something, then turned back to her. "Mind if I come in?"

She stepped back, letting him in. Ilario moved quietly, glancing around her room with a soft chuckle, almost as if he hadn't expected to actually end up here. She closed the door softly behind him, and for a moment they stood in silence, neither quite sure how to begin, the tension between them thick but not uncomfortable. It felt electric, as if any movement might set off a spark.

"So," she began, sitting down on the bed and patting the spot beside her, "about what you said earlier..."

He took the invitation, sitting close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him, the bed sinking slightly under his weight. He paused, glancing at her with that vulnerable, half-smiling look she was starting to recognize as something he reserved only for her.

"I wasn't kidding," he said softly. "When I said I can't stop thinking about you, Emma... I meant it. You're all I think about."

Her heart pounded, her pulse quickening at his words. Ilario wasn't one to open up easily, and here he was, baring himself in a way that was raw and real. She didn't want to say the wrong thing, to shatter the fragile honesty between them, so she reached out, her hand brushing his, a quiet reassurance that she was listening.

"Sometimes," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper, "I think I have everything figured out, and then you come along and... and it all changes. You make me feel like I'm completely out of control, and for the first time... I don't mind."

Emma's breath caught, the honesty in his voice and the way he was looking at her making her feel like she was the only person in the world. The distance between them felt charged, every inch brimming with anticipation, and she could feel herself leaning closer, drawn to him in a way she couldn't resist.

"Ilario..." she murmured, her voice barely a breath. "You're all I think about, too."

His gaze softened, and with the smallest smile, he reached out, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, his hand lingering near her cheek. The warmth of his fingers sent a spark through her, her heart hammering as she held her breath, waiting, hoping. Slowly, as if testing the waters, he closed the space between them, his lips brushing hers in a soft, tentative kiss.

The world seemed to fall away. His hand slid to the back of her neck, pulling her closer as their kiss deepened, becoming less tentative and more real, both of them finally giving in to the pull that had been building between them for so long. Her hands found their way to his shoulders, clutching him as he held her, his touch sending a thrill through her that she felt down to her core.

When they finally broke apart, both of them breathless and smiling, Ilario's forehead rested against hers, his hand still cradling her face as if he didn't want to let go. "So... I guess we're really doing this," he murmured, his voice warm and teasing.

Emma let out a soft laugh, her heart racing as she looked up at him. "Yeah, looks like we are."

They spent the next few hours talking in hushed voices, lying side by side on the bed as they shared stories and laughter, their hands intertwined between them. It was as if the rest of the world had melted away, and all that mattered was this quiet, intimate space they'd carved out together. Ilario opened up in ways Emma hadn't expected, sharing stories from his childhood, moments that had shaped him, pieces of himself he usually kept guarded.

She found herself drawn deeper into him with every word, every glance, feeling a connection she hadn't thought possible. Every so often, he would lean over and steal a kiss, each one softer, deeper, as if sealing the words they'd just shared with a quiet promise.

As dawn began to peek through the window, casting a warm glow over the room, they lay there in comfortable silence, Ilario's arm wrapped around her as her head rested against his shoulder. Emma closed her eyes, savoring the moment, feeling more at peace than she had in a long time. She knew that come morning, they would have to face the realities of school, friends, and whatever challenges lay ahead, but for now, here in this stolen moment, everything felt right.

Just before sleep claimed them, Ilario brushed his lips against her forehead, his voice a soft murmur. "I don't know what's going to happen next, Emma. But I'm not letting you go."

She smiled, tightening her arms around him. "Good," she whispered back, "because I'm not going anywhere."

And as they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, Emma knew that whatever came next, they would face it together.

Guys im still learning how to write smut so i might have robbed u ,

Bisou,