Page 26 of Below the Barrel

“So…okay, wait. Let me get this straight,” Eliana starts. “You discovered that you still have feelings for him, and heveryclearly has feelings for you?—”

“I don’t know that,” I cut in.

“What’s there to know? He’s being extremely obvious about it, Mal.”

I want to believe her, with all my heart I want to, but I can’t. I thought he had feelings for me before too, only to find out he had somehow fallen out of love with me in a matter of days.

“I think he just sees me more as a comfort while on tour. Someone he knows and is familiar with, that’s why he seems affectionate,” I theorize.

“You and I both know damn well that if I were on the tour with him instead of you, he would not be trying any of that with me,” Kairi says, suddenly becoming very serious.

“Yeah, but it’s just because we have a history together, It’s a different type of comfort,” I say in defence.

“He’s a guy, he can find comfort with any girl there.” Eliana’s words reignite the ugly jealousy inside of me and I ball my hand into a fist on my lap. “But he’s choosing you. I don’t think you should write him off so easily.”

That’s easy to say when you don’t know the full story.

If they knew how Koa and I ended, how he broke my heart, they wouldn’t be trying to convince me to give him a chance right now.

“Anyway,” I say, trying to change the subject. “Today has been emotionally exhausting, helicopter ride and all, I think I’m going to call it an early night and go to bed.”

They both give me disappointed looks but neither of them fight me on it. We say our goodbyes and I quickly hang up before climbing out of bed and pacing around my room. Eliana was right about one thing, he can find comfort with any girl here.

I snatch my phone from the nightstand, my thumb hovering over his name before I finally press it, typing out a quick message.

Me:

What are you doing?

He doesn’t answer right away, the seconds ticking by, and after ten agonizing minutes of waiting for his reply, I find myself snatching my key card from my dresser and storming out of my room, crossing the hall to his door and banging my fist on it without a second thought, the sound echoing down the empty hallway.

I hear a muffled commotion behind the door—footsteps, something being knocked over—and finally, the door cracks open. Koa stands there, shirtless, a towel slung low around his hips, droplets of water glistening on his chest and dripping from the ends of his damp hair. His frown deepens as he looks down at me, confusion etched in his features.

“Maliah? Is everything okay?” he asks, stepping aside to let me in, his voice laced with concern.

But all the words I was ready to say vanish the moment I take in the sight of him—his broad shoulders, the defined lines of his abs, the way his wet hair clings to his forehead. My throat tightens and my mouth goes dry.

“I…I uh…” I stammer, unable to think of a single coherent thought.

He studies me for a moment, his gaze intense, before he reaches out and gently takes my hand. The warmth of his touch sends a jolt through me as he pulls me into his hotel room, the door clicking shut behind us. He leads me further inside, stopping at the foot of his bed before releasing my hand. I watch as he walks over to a chair, picking up a neatly folded pile of clothing and bringing it back to me.

“You left this the last time you were here,” he says softly, holding the clothes out to me.

I look down and recognize the outfit I wore to the winery—the night I spent in this room with him. Memories of that evening flood my mind as I think back to the warmth of his bodynext to mine, the way I’d woken up on top of him. I remember how close I’d come to kissing him, the tension between us thick.

But I don’t take the clothes. Instead, I raise my eyes to his, then let them drift to his lips. What would it have felt like that morning, to close the gap between us, to finally give in?

Before I can fully process the thought, the clothes slip from his hands, forgotten, and in an instant, he’s on me. I’m pressed against the wall, his body molding to mine as his hands cup my face, his touch both gentle and possessive. His breath is warm against my skin as he leans in, his voice low and rough.

“I told myself I wouldn’t hold back the next time you looked at me like that,” he murmurs, his words sending a shiver down my spine.

My heart races, pounding so hard in my chest that I’m sure he can feel it. I look up into his eyes, seeing the desire that mirrors my own. It’s clear he wants this as much as I do, the intensity between us growing with every passing second.

“Kiss me,” I whisper, the words barely escaping my lips.

Koa doesn’t hesitate. His mouth crashes into mine, and the world around us disappears. His kiss is demanding and hungry, but there’s also a tenderness beneath it. The feel of his lips on mine ignites a fire deep within me, and I melt into him, my hands sliding up his chest, feeling the firm muscles beneath his skin.

Our bodies press together, every inch of him burning against me, and I can feel his heart beating just as wildly as mine. His hands move from my face, sliding down my neck. He leaves one hand to rest there while the either continues to slide down my shoulder, until he’s gripping my waist and pulling me closer.

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