A knock on the door

I had just closed the journal when there was a sudden knock at the door.

I blinked, heart skipping. Weird timing. I wasn’t expecting anyone.

Wiping my palms on my shorts, I padded barefoot to the door and cracked it open.

Standing there — like some fucking wish I didn’t even know I’d made — was Ethan Moore.

Tall, messy dark hair, lazy green eyes that sparkled like he was permanently laughing at a joke only he knew. He wore a plain t-shirt stretched perfectly over his broad chest, and jeans slung low on his hips like he didn’t even realize how sinful he looked.

He smiled down at me, casual and warm.

"Hey, what up?" he said, voice deep, a little raspy.

I opened my mouth to say something normal — something sane — but what came out instead was:

"Hi, I'm Lila Hart. Can I sit in your lap and have your babies?"

The words hung there between us. Thick. Ridiculous. Unfiltered.

My face burned so hot I thought I might combust right there on the threshold.

Ethan stared at me for half a second.

Then — like it was the most natural thing in the world — he grinned wider and said,

"Yeah. Sounds good."

And before I could even react, he brushed past me into the apartment, his arm brushing against mine, warm and strong.

He dropped onto the couch like he owned it, spreading his legs wide, the denim of his jeans stretching tight across his thighs.

He patted his lap invitingly, smirking.

"Come on then, Lila Hart. I'm all yours."

I stood there, frozen, journal still clutched in my hand, feeling the heat between my thighs blossom at the way he looked at me — like he was daring me to take what I wanted.

The journal's cover seemed to pulse faintly in my hand.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized:

This wasn't normal.

This was magic.

And I wanted it.

I tossed the journal onto the coffee table, kicked the door shut with my heel, and walked toward him — hips swaying a little more than they usually did, every nerve ending buzzing.

I climbed onto his lap, straddling him.

Ethan's hands immediately settled on my hips, fingers squeezing gently, his thumbs brushing bare skin where my tank top rode up.

His eyes burned into mine.

"So, babies, huh?" he teased, voice low.

"We'll get there," I whispered back, my lips hovering over his.

And then he crushed his mouth to mine, and everything exploded in heat and hunger.