Chapter 16: The poisoned taste of desire

The morning light crept into the suite through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the interior in warm, golden tones. Olivia stretched lazily, feeling the softness of the silk sheets against her skin. The night had been eventful, full of sensuality and passion, and now, in the quiet of the morning, she felt a mixture of contentment and slight anxiety.

Lying on her side, she looked at Noah, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in a bathrobe, with a mug of coffee in his hand. He was engrossed in the view unfolding outside the window - the Manhattan skyline with its soaring skyscrapers was drowning in the morning mist.

- Do you always get up so early? - She asked, stretching with a smile. Her voice was slightly hoarse from a night full of excitement.

He looked over his shoulder at her, his lips twisted in a slight smile.

- Habits that are hard to get rid of. You start the day earlier, you can achieve more. - He tilted his head and added with a gleam in his eye: - Besides, mornings have their own charm.

She sat up, pulling the quilt close to her, while feeling a slight ache in her muscles - a reminder of their night together. She brushed her hair and looked at him with amusement.

- I don't know if I quite buy this "charm" of mornings. But... - reached for the cup he handed her with an almost chivalrous gesture - coffee definitely makes things better.

They sat in silence for a while, just a few steps away from each other, yet it seemed as if they were on two different planets. He looked at the city as if it were his private kingdom, while she began to analyze the events of the past hours.

- What do you actually do for a living, Noah? - She asked, breaking the silence.

Her voice was light, but there was curiosity in her gaze.

He turned to her, leaning nonchalantly against the windowsill.

- Let's just say I invest in people and projects that interest me. - He smiled with a mysterious note that made Olivia raise an eyebrow. - And you? What are your plans for today, Ms. Sterling?

She tilted her head, looking at the ceiling, as if trying to find an answer.

- Just to survive another day in this.... - she hesitated for a moment - a game of appearances. Noah, do you know that you are one of the few people with whom I can just be myself?

He came closer, sat on the edge of the bed and looked into her eyes.

- Maybe it's because I see something in you that others don't see. - His voice was low, almost a whisper, and his gaze was filled with intensity. - You are stronger than you think.

She felt her heart begin to beat faster. For a moment she wanted to respond, but something in his gaze stopped her. He stood up, heading toward the kitchen.

- I have something that might interest you," he threw over his shoulder. - Come on, I'll show you.

Olivia jumped off the bed, quickly covering herself with a bathrobe that lay on the armchair. She followed him into the spacious kitchen, where a folder of documents lay open on the counter. Noah pointed to it with a gesture.

- This is something I found during one of my "investments." - His voice had a more serious tone now. - I wondered if it might interest you.

She came closer and looked at the documents. There were photos, charts, and fragments of email correspondence. Everything pointed to links between Heart Investments and suspicious financial transactions in various parts of the world.

- Noah, where did you get the documents? - she asked, her voice quiet, almost a whisper.

He looked at her, and his smile disappeared.

- Let's say I know the right people and ask the right questions. But what you see here is just a piece of a larger puzzle. And you, you are one of the key pieces.

She looked at him in disbelief, feeling the questions begin to swirl in her head. She felt that the night they spent together was just a prelude to something much more complicated and dangerous.

She closed the folder and took a deep breath. The documents she had just seen had a weight to them that began to weigh on her with each passing second. She felt the tension squeeze her chest, as if the space around her was shrinking. She needed a moment to shake herself off, collect her thoughts and analyze what she had just discovered.

- I'm going to take a shower," she said briefly, rising from her chair.

Noah raised an eyebrow, but did not comment. Only his slight smile suggested that he knew more than he wanted to admit.

The bathroom was the embodiment of modern luxury. Black and white art deco tiles formed geometric patterns that gave the interior an elegant but austere feel. A huge mirror occupied one entire wall, reflecting the light gently oozing from designer wall sconces. On the other side was a spacious walk-in shower, open and frameless, lined with black tiles with a shiny surface.

She stepped inside, closing the door behind her, as if trying to wall herself off from everything that was going on outside. She threw off her bathrobe, which fell softly to the floor, and the cool air touched her skin, making her feel more aware of her body. She slipped into the shower and turned on the water.

Water flowed from a rain shower head built into the ceiling, and its hot stream looked like a subtle, almost hypnotic waterfall. It flowed over her, relaxing her tense muscles. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth envelop her. The water mixed with the thoughts in her head, washing away the tension, though she still couldn't get rid of the image of the documents and Noah's gaze.

The delicate scent of essential oils released from the automatic dispenser floated in the air, mixing with the steam. She felt the hot water run down her neck, shoulders and back, the droplets collecting on her skin as if to escape gravity. She rested her hand against the cold, smooth wall of the shower, with her eyes closed, trying to catch her breath.

Suddenly she heard the quiet sound of a door opening. Her heart beat faster. She turned toward the bathroom entrance, and through the steam and fuzzy light she saw Noah's silhouette.

He entered the bathroom with a confidence that was as magnetic as it was disturbing. His body, slender and worked out, glistened in the light of the chrome lamps. He had broad shoulders, clearly defined abdominal muscles that seemed to be carved as if made of marble. His skin was a warm golden hue, and his gaze held a mixture of curiosity and challenge.

She turned abruptly as soon as she spotted him. Water was still running down her back, bouncing off the tiles in geometric patterns. The shower, surrounded by black and white tiles, created the impression of a luxurious theater stage. Steam floated in the air, giving the entire room an atmosphere of sensual intimacy.

- Noah? - she asked, her voice slightly hoarse, a mixture of surprise and slightly suppressed amusement. - You didn't knock," she added, brushing her wet hair away from her face.

He took a step toward her, his gaze sliding over her, stopping at every detail. He said nothing, but his presence was overwhelming.

- I figured knocking would only deepen the distance," he finally replied, his voice low, almost quiet, but with a certain severity that made her heart quicken. - You looked like you needed company," he said with a smile.

He slipped off his bathrobe, which fell to the floor as softly as her own had earlier. He stood before her confidently, but there was some elusive tenderness in his eyes.

She felt the hot water stop being the only source of heat in this bathroom.

- You don't always have to be alone with what overwhelms you," he said quietly, and his voice, deep and calm, seemed to harmonize with the rhythm of the falling water.

He stepped into the shower, and the space suddenly seemed much smaller. Steam settled on his shoulders, and drops of water ran down his body, glistening in the muffled light. His gaze never left hers, and she, though surprised, did not take a step back.

The water ran down his hair, which fell lightly over his forehead, giving him an even more unkempt look. He stepped under the stream of water, and his hand gently but firmly rested on her shoulder. She felt the warmth of his skin, which contrasted with the cool water running down their bodies.

- Noah," she began, but aborted when he lightly turned her back to him.

His hands moved to her hips, drawing her closer. His breath brushed the nape of her neck, and the closeness made all the thoughts that were supposed to hold her back dissolve into clouds of steam.

- I just wanted to be sure you weren't afraid of what you saw," he whispered, his voice full of concern and something more hidden, almost primal.

He turned her around with her back to him. Olivia struggled to catch her breath. His closeness was electrifying, his touch strong and yet full of gentleness. Her hands rested on the cool tiles, and the stream of water continued to wash over them both, as if he were the only witness to this moment.

Every movement, every look was measured, almost theatrical, but true in its intimacy.

He leaned over her, his breath gently brushing her neck. Water from the shower ran down their bodies, mixing the warmth of their skin with the coolness of the surrounding tiles. His lips touched her neck first - softly, with a slight pressure, as if he was trying to sense her reaction. The kisses slowly moved down along the line of her neck, leaving a trail of moist heat behind.

She twitched slightly as she felt his hands, warm and sure, slide down to her shoulders and then lower, stopping at her hips. His lips explored every inch of her skin with patience and attention, as if he were an artist and she a work whose beauty could only be admired up close.

When he crouched down behind her, his hands were still resting on her hips, steady but unhurried. She felt him move the stream of water away to make his movements more pronounced, and his lips found their way to her skin again. Their contact was intense, but at the same time full of sensitivity, as if each gesture was a response to her subtle signals.

He gently spread her buttocks apart. After a while, she felt the warmth of his tongue between them. He began to taste her lips. He savored her like a forbidden fruit. He licked and sucked her clitoris alternately, passionately and slowly, trying to suck all the juice out of her.

He stopped for a moment to take a breath.

- You're beautiful," he whispered, his voice warm and full of sincerity, before continuing downward, exploring the line of her back and hips.

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, letting the moment consume them completely - every caress, every gentle pressure of his lips on her skin. The water from the shower continued to flow over them, creating an aura of intimacy and oblivion.

He pulled Olivia closer, and their bodies fit together perfectly. His hand gently moved over her hip, pausing for a moment, as if to make sure that whatever was happening was what they both wanted. The water from the shower ran down their bodies, and its warmth seemed to intensify the intensity of the moment.

His hands tightened on her hips with a certainty that spoke of need, but also of respect. Her breathing became faster, and the hand that had until then rested on the wall moved behind her, finding his hip. She felt the intensity of his presence, every line and muscle tension, as if his whole body was telling the story of this moment. She moved it further feeling the downright stony hardness of his penis. She embraced him.

- I want you to trust me," he whispered, his voice infused with warmth, but also with something primal and raw that made her heart speed up even more.

Olivia trembled, feeling each second becoming more and more inescapable, as if everything around them was losing its meaning, and all that mattered was him and this moment. He entered her intensely. She felt his warmth inside her.

Water cascaded down the black and white tiles, creating a backdrop that heightened the atmosphere. She moved her hand back, mussing his neck, and her fingers involuntarily tightened on his skin. Noah responded by leaning even closer to mousse her ear, leaving a soft, wet trail of kisses.

At one point, he moved his hands along her hips, leaning her gently forward. She felt him deeper. His movements were smooth and decisive, but still tender, as if he wanted this moment to be more than just gratification. The warmth of his breath on her neck caused a shiver to run through her entire body.

Her heart was beating hard, and each successive moment was more intense than the previous one. Their connection was full of tenderness but also passion, an expressive tension that seemed to stretch into infinity. Every gesture, every touch said more than any words.

The water kept running down their bodies, and steam surrounded them, creating an almost mystical atmosphere. When their gazes met, Olivia felt that it wasn't just physical closeness - it was a connection that had its own deeper meaning.

He gently slid out of her. For a moment, he drew her to him, gently placing a kiss on her forehead, as if to indicate that this moment was more than a mere moment of sensual intimacy.

After a moment of silence, he slowly stepped back, allowing her to relax. With a determined step, he stepped out of the shower, putting on his bathrobe. His gestures were calm, as if everything that had happened had taken place, but now it was time for a moment of peace. Seeing that she needed time, he left the bathroom, leaving her alone to soak in the silence for a while and sort out what was going on in her head.

Olivia stood in the bathroom for a while longer, waiting for her heart to slow down. The water slowly stopped running, and the smell of hot steam and sex remained in the air, which still surrounded her like a fine mist. She closed her eyes, trying to sort out the thoughts and feelings that were constantly swirling in her head.

In the solitude of this space, she felt like never before - on the one hand surrounded by warmth, on the other full of anxiety that still refused to leave her. She felt that every moment spent with Noah brought her closer to discovering things that could change her life forever.