Stirring Up His Heart

Maya had always been good at fighting and she knew some basic self-defense. How else would she have beaten up her bullies growing up?

So she raised her fists and got into a fighting stance as she carefully stepped out of her room. The hotel suite was dark and no lights were on, so she could only see shadows and rough outlines of furniture at first, but from the corners of her eyes, she suddenly spotted something moving. She glanced towards Lucas' bedroom door and saw a shadow standing just outside his room. 

Adrenaline immediately kicked in. Was someone after Lucas? Could it be Nova Thomas? That woman had been stalking him for 4 years and Maya just found out earlier that she had escaped from the psychiatric hospital. Did she know that Noah was arrested and finally decided to make a move?

Without another thought, Maya pounced towards the shadow, grabbed the person's arms, pinned them behind their back, and pushed them onto the floor. She then climbed on top of the person's back and sat on top of them so they couldn't move "Lucas, someone broke into the suite. Hurry, call the police," she screamed anxiously towards Lucas' bedroom.

However, she didn't hear any response from inside. Instead, she heard a man's voice say in front of her, "Where are you screaming? I'm right in front of you."

Maya blinked her eyes a few times and looked carefully at the person she was restraining. That was when she realized she was sitting on top of Lucas Lee! Wasn't he sleeping? What was he doing sneaking around in the middle of the night?

"I told you before...if you want to be on top, you should just tell me," the man teased. Maya quickly let go and blushed. 

Ever since the man pushed her away at the masquerade ball and she decided to leave Vegas, there had been an awkward vibe between them, but suddenly, the man was teasing her again and it made her heart race a little.

"S-sorry, I thought someone broke in..." she said as she climbed off the man's back.

Lucas chuckled and stood up. He then turned around and looked at her.

Even though the room was dark, Maya could feel that the man's gaze was focused on her.

All of a sudden, his gentle voice said beside her ear, "I thought I was protecting you, but it appears as though you've been protecting me all along..."

Maya's heart almost beat out of her chest when she heard this. For some reason, it felt as though there was an underlying meaning to the man's words.

"It...was a natural response. Anyone would have done the same," Maya replied.

As she stood there nervously in the dark, she suddenly felt a pair of hands grab onto her arms. The man's touch made her stomach flutter.

"You know I didn't mean what I said last night, right?" he said. He had wanted to ask her this all day. She had clearly sent him a message saying that she understood. Was it really her? Or was it Delilah?

"Yes, I know you didn't mean it," Maya replied. Her voice also made the man's stomach flutter. [So that message really was from her.]

"Then, why were you planning to leave Vegas?" he asked. Ever since he heard her mention this earlier, it had been playing in his mind.

Maya bit her lower lip. She didn't know how to reply.

But, in the darkness, the man smirked. He already knew the answer. A moment ago, he had snuck out of his room to check on the woman because he was worried that she couldn't sleep in this unfamiliar place. That was when he overheard her conversation with her sister. Ever since he discovered Maya's identity, he had been worried about how genuine she was and whether everything was just an act. But after he heard her conversation, he realized she actually cared about him and wanted to protect him. He also found out that she wanted to tell him the truth.

So, he didn't wait for a reply. 

Instead, he leaned forward and said, "I thought you wanted to marry me. It hasn't even been a week. Are you giving up already? Are you running away...after stirring up my heart?"

Maya held her breath as her whole body tingled. Stirring up his heart? Did she stir up his heart?

Did he...have feelings for her?

But she had stopped acting like Delilah a long time ago...

Did that mean...this man was actually attracted to her...?

"I..."

The man heard her stutter and he felt his heart melt. She was genuinely nervous. Unable to control himself, he leaned over to steal a kiss.

Before she could respond, Maya suddenly felt something soft press against her lips. It was warm and gentle. Maya's eyes opened wide and she gasped in surprise. Even though it was dark, she knew...the man was kissing her. But unlike the passionate kiss in the helicopter, this kiss was soft, loving, and tender. It was like she was precious and he didn't want to hurt her.

The kiss didn't last long before the man slowly moved away. Gently caressing her cheek, he whispered, "Stay. Don't go..."

That was the third time that day that this man had told her to stay. Maya didn't notice it earlier, but now that she heard the tone in the man's voice, she realized he didn't just want her to stay in this hotel suite because she was in danger or she needed protection. He wanted her to stay...

...with him...

...by his side...

Backing away shyly, Maya cleared her throat. She didn't know how to respond to this. Touching her lips, she quickly tried to run back to her room. As she did so, she said, "I think it's time to go to sleep..."

Just as she reached her doorway, she realized her words could create a misunderstanding, and quickly added, "In our own separate beds..."

She then closed the door and leaned against it as she held onto her thumping heart. This was not what she expected. Did Lucas Lee actually like her? He wasn't just teasing her, right?

Outside, Lucas also held onto his thumping heart. "Goodnight, Maya..." he whispered.