thea_keith_

Thea never thought she would return here. Not after everything that had happened. But life had a way of circling back, dragging her into familiar halls, familiar faces—and him.

Professor Adrian Carter.

The past was supposed to be buried beneath the diamond Andrew had slipped onto her finger, beneath whispered promises of a future that was stable, predictable. But now, standing in Adrian’s office once more, she knew some ghosts never truly left.

And neither did certain desires.

The Shadow of Past desires

Thea sat at her desk in the dimly lit library, the glow of the lamp casting soft shadows against the bookshelves. The quiet hum of academia surrounded her, but her mind refused to focus. Instead, it wandered to him.

She had told herself this was just a professional pursuit, that pursuing her PhD under his guidance was purely about her future. But the weight of their past pressed against her, like an unseen force that refused to loosen its grip.

The sound of slow footsteps approaching made her back straighten. Before she even turned, she knew.

"Avoiding me already?" Adrian's voice was smooth, teasing, yet laced with something darker.

She took a slow breath and met his gaze. He was watching her with that same intensity, the one that used to unravel her so effortlessly.

"I'm working," she replied, keeping her voice neutral.

"Of course." He stepped closer, too close, his fingers brushing the edge of her desk. "I wouldn't dream of distracting you."

But he was already a distraction. He always had been.

Thea shifted in her chair, resisting the warmth pooling low in her stomach. "We agreed to keep things professional."

Adrian chuckled, leaning down just enough that his breath ghosted over her cheek. "Did we? I don't remember agreeing to ignore what's still there."

Her pulse quickened. His words hung between them, dangerously close to something neither of them should acknowledge. But the way his fingers lightly trailed the curve of her wrist, the way his eyes darkened as he studied her—it all felt like a temptation she wasn't ready to resist.

"I'm engaged, Adrian," she whispered, as if reminding herself.

His fingers brushed against her palm, a fleeting, barely-there touch that sent a shiver through her. "And yet, here we are."

She should move, put distance between them, but her body betrayed her. The way his eyes flickered to her lips, the tension between them—it was all too familiar. Too intoxicating.

"This isn't right," she said, but her voice lacked conviction.

Adrian tilted his head slightly, his smirk deepening. "No, Thea. This isn't saaway

And yet, neither of them pulled away.

The Return