The word slipped out before he could stop it. Not loud. Just reflexive, like his mouth knew something his brain was still processing.
'Why the hell did I say that? Why does seeing her name make my chest tighten like I got caught doing something?'
He rubbed his face, thumb hovering over the keyboard. Three dots appeared before he could type anything.
~Tasha: I'm outside your place right now. Step out.
His stomach dropped.
'Tasha 's what?'
He typed fast.
~Liam: Not around. Still on campus. Be there soon.
He didn't wait for a response. He shoved his phone in his pocket and broke into a jog, sneakers hitting pavement in steady rhythm.
The streetlights flickered as he cut through the parking lot. Every stride felt urgent, like he was racing against some invisible clock. His mind kept looping the same question.
'Why the hell is Tasha here? It's almost midnight and Tasha didn't even warn me.'
He rounded the corner to his building and slowed to a stop.
There it was. Her car. Black Honda Civic parked right in front of his building, engine off, headlights dark. And there Tasha was.
Leaning against the driver's side door, arms crossed, one ankle hooked over the other. Her head was tilted slightly, watching him approach with an expression he couldn't quite read.
The number floated above her head.
[60/100]
'Sixty. Last time it was thirty. That kind of jump doesn't happen from just thinking.'
He walked closer, shoes scraping asphalt. Tasha didn't move. Just watched him with those dark eyes.
And damn.
Tasha wore tight black yoga pants that clung to her like a second skin, outlining every curve from her thighs to the perfect round of her ass.
The fabric caught the streetlight, glossy and sinful.
Her black crop top was cut short, stopping inches above her navel, stretched tight over her chest. Her tits filled it out completely, nipples faintly visible through the thin fabric. No bra. Just smooth bare skin and a body made to distract.
'Jesus Christ. Tasha drove here dressed like that?'
"Hey," Tasha said, voice casual, like showing up unannounced at eleven PM was normal.
Liam stopped a few feet away, hands shoved in his pockets to keep from staring too obviously. "What are you doing here this late?"
Tasha shrugged, pushing off the car. "Couldn't sleep. Figured I'd come see you."
'At least Tasha 's not lying about ramen or some bullshit excuse.'
"You could've texted first," he said.
"I did. You weren't home." Tasha tilted her head. "Where were you?"
"Went to see a friend."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Guy or girl?"
'I've seen this play out before. Telling a girl you were with another girl never ends well. But it's not like Tasha cares about that stuff.'
"Girl."
The air shifted. Her jaw tightened, and Tasha looked away, arms crossing tighter over her chest.
"So you left me waiting outside for another girl," Tasha said, voice flat but sharp.
'Well, fuck. Guess she does care.'
"It's not like that"
"Sure it's not." Tasha turned back to her car, hand reaching for the door handle. "You know what? I'm just gonna go. This was stupid."
Time froze.
Everything went still. Tasha's hand stopped mid-reach for the handle. The distant sound of a car outside hung in the air, suspended
[Option 1: Let her leave. Say nothing. +0 Lust Points]
[Option 2: Stop her. Don't let her walk away like this. +10 Lust Points]
'Can't let her walk out like this.'
He made his choice.
Time craTasha d back.
Liam moved fast, catching her wrist before Tasha could pull the door open.
"Tasha. Stop."
Tasha looked down at his hand on her wrist, then back up at him. "Why?"
"Because it's not what you think."
"I don't care what it is." Tasha pulled her wrist free, but Tasha didn't get in the car. Just stood there, staring at him. "Why should I believe you?"
"Because I'm not bullshitting you." He ran a hand through his hair, frustration bleeding into his voice. "You want proof? Fine. Come with me."
Tasha blinked. "What?"
"There's a place I go when I need to clear my head. When I need to be honest with myself." He nodded toward the building. "I'll show you. Then you can decide if I'm full of shit or not."
Tasha studied him for a long moment, arms still crossed. "Where?"
"The roof."
Her eyebrows rose. "The roof?"
"Yeah. I know it sounds weird, but just... trust me. Five minutes. If you still think I'm lying after that, you can leave."
Tasha's jaw worked like Tasha was chewing on the decision. Then Tasha sighed. "Fine. Five minutes."
They walked side by side toward the building entrance. Neither of them spoke. The tension hung between them like a live wire, buzzing but not quite sparking.
Liam pulled out his keys when they reached the door, fumbling slightly before sliding the key into the lock. The door clicked open, and he held it for her.
Tasha bruTasha d past him, close enough that he caught the scent of her perfume, something sweet and warm.
They didn't stop at his apartment. He led her straight to the stairwell at the end of the hall.
"Up here," he said, pushing open the metal door.
The stairwell was narrow and dim, the kind of space that smelled like old paint and dust. Tasha walked ahead without a word, hips swaying with each step, the yoga pants hugging her ass with every movement.
The fabric stretched tight, showing the curve of her cheeks, the way they shifted as Tasha climbed.
'God, Tasha looks incredible.'
He forced his eyes up before Tasha caught him staring.
The door to the roof was at the top. He puTasha d it open, and cool night air hit them immediately, sharp and clean. The city stretched out below, lights scattered like broken glass across dark streets.
Tasha stepped out onto the gravel, and for the first time since he'd seen her tonight, her expression softened.
"Wow," Tasha said quietly.
Liam followed, hands in his pockets. "Yeah. It's better up here. Quieter. You can actually think."
Tasha walked to the edge, leaning against the low concrete barrier that lined the roof. Her arms rested on top, and Tasha looked out over the city, shoulders dropping slightly like some of the tension was bleeding out of her.
"You come up here a lot?" Tasha asked.
"Sometimes. When I need to figure shit out."
"Like what?"
He shrugged. "Like why I say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Or why I can't just be honest when it matters."
Tasha glanced at him, something shifting in her eyes. "So be honest now."
He met her gaze. "The girl I went to see? It was for a school thing. Environmental group meeting. Nothing happened. Nothing's going to happen."
"Then why didn't you just say that?"
"Because I didn't think you'd care."
Tasha turned fully to face him now, arms still crossed. "Well, I do." Tasha paused, then added with a slight edge to her voice, "Also, I was standing outside for like twenty minutes in the cold. Obviously I care."
The words came out joking, but there was something real underneath them.
"I noticed," Liam said quietly.
Tasha's lips curved into a faint smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You're an idiot, you know that?"
"Yeah. I'm getting that."
Tasha shook her head, then turned back to the view. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Tasha did something he didn't expect.
Tasha climbed up onto the barrier.
"Tasha"
"Relax," Tasha said, balancing on the narrow concrete edge. Her arms stretched out to her sides like a tightrope walker, and the wind puTasha d her hair back. "I'm not gonna fall."
'Tasha 's insane. That's a three-story drop.'
"Get down," Liam said, voice tight.
"I'm fine." Tasha took a step, then another, moving along the edge with surprising grace. Her laugh was light, almost carefree. "See? Perfectly fine."
He watched her, heart pounding, hands ready to grab her if Tasha so much as wobbled.
Tasha spun on one foot, grinning at him. "You worry too much."
Then Tasha leaned forward dramatically, arms windmilling like Tasha was about to tip over the edge.
"Whoa—!" Tasha said, voice teasing.
Time froze.
Tasha was frozen mid-stumble, her body tilted at an impossible angle, one foot lifted off the concrete. Her eyes were wide but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. Tasha 'd been playing with him.
[Option 1: Do nothing. Call her bluff. +0 Lust Points]
[Option 2: Grab her. Pull her back to safety. +15 Lust Points]
'Tasha wants me to grab her? Done.'
He made his selection.
Time snapped back.
Liam lunged forward, grabbing her around the waist and yanking her back hard. Her weight hit him full force, and they both went down, his back slamming into the gravel roof with her on top of him.
Tasha burst out laughing the second they hit the ground.
"You should've seen your face!" Tasha said between laughs, breathless and genuine.
"You were faking?" he said, playing dumb, still catching his breath.
"Obviously." Tasha was still laughing, her chest shaking against his. Her tits pressed against him, soft and heavy through the thin crop top. Her hair fell around his face, and he could feel her breath warm against his neck.
"You're insane," he said.
"Maybe." Her laughter faded, and suddenly Tasha was looking at him differently. Her face was inches from his. He could see the faint gloss on her lips, the way her pupils dilated in the dim light.
"You always wait for permission, don't you?" Tasha whispered. "You never just take what you want."
The air between them shifted.
Time froze again.
[Option 1: Say nothing. Let the moment pass. +0 Lust Points]
[Option 2: Kiss her. +15 Lust Points]
'Fuck it'
He chose.
Time resumed.
He leaned up and kissed her.
Her lips were soft, warm, and for half a second, Tasha didn't move. Then Tasha kissed him back, her hand sliding up to his shoulder, fingers curling into his shirt.
It wasn't slow. Wasn't gentle. It was the kind of kiss that tasted like adrenaline and bad decisions.
When Tasha pulled back, her eyes searched his face, lips parted, breathing uneven.
[+15 Lust Points Earned]
[Current Lust Level: 100/100]
Tasha bit her bottom lip, then smiled slow and dangerous. "You know what's funny?"
"What?" His hand was still on her waist.
She bit her bottom lip, eyes dark. "I want to punish you right now for leaving me outside. Make you feel exactly what you put me through."
He swallowed hard, throat working as the air between them turned thick. His palm still rested on her waist, thumb twitching against her skin.
"How are you planning to do that?" he asked, his voice low and rough around the edges.
She smiled slow, the kind that said she'd already decided what he deserved. Her hand slid down, fingers curling around his wrist until she guided his palm lower.
"I'll show you," she whispered, lips curving in a sly grin that promised trouble.