His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 183: Too Close

Steam still clung to her skin as Iris stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her and the door barely cracked open as she spoke, her voice low and hesitant. "Julian... where are my clothes?"

From the other side, his answer came easy, like nothing about this situation was unusual. "I threw them in the wash. Dryer's still running, so give it a minute. You can come out for now."

Iris glanced down at herself, the towel doing very little to cover her, and even with the heat on, the idea of walking out like that in front of him made her instinctively tense. After a moment's hesitation, she grabbed the blanket she had brought in earlier and wrapped it tightly around her shoulders before finally opening the door.

Julian sat on the lounge chair like he had all the time in the world, fully dressed, composed, but the second she stepped out, his eyes found her and didn't move. There was warmth in his gaze, something steady and unmistakably soft, like he wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.

He patted the spot beside him, his tone dropping just enough to feel personal. "Breakfast's ready. Come sit."

Iris didn't understand why something as simple as looking at him now made her heart trip over itself. Every glance felt charged, her nerves tightening for no clear reason, a mix of embarrassment and something quieter she didn't want to name.

Keeping her eyes down, she walked over and sat beside him, reaching for the milk just to steady herself. "You already ate?" she asked, trying to sound unaffected.

"I'm good," Julian said, still watching her, his attention unwavering in a way that made it impossible to ignore.

She didn't respond, just picked up a sandwich and took a bite, and maybe it was the hunger or everything else tangled up inside her, but it tasted better than anything she could remember. She ate quickly without thinking, until her cheeks were full, and that was when Julian let out a quiet laugh and reached over, brushing his thumb lightly across the corner of her mouth.

The contact hit her like a spark.

Iris froze for a beat before turning her head to look at him, and the second their eyes met, something unspoken flickered between them, a reminder of the night before, of how close they had been, how far they had gone.

Heat rushed up her neck, her face flushing as she dropped her gaze again, taking another bite just to hide it.

Julian didn't look away. If anything, his gaze softened further, lingering like he was taking his time, like every small reaction mattered.

"Slow down," he said quietly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "You're gonna choke."

She nodded, forcing herself to slow down, but it didn't help the awareness sitting just under her skin. She could still feel him looking at her, and that strange mix of tension and warmth made it hard to think straight, so she focused on finishing her food, on anything that would settle her racing thoughts.

When breakfast was over, she didn't stay.

Wrapped tightly in the blanket, Iris stepped out onto the deck, the ocean stretching endlessly around her, and only then did she notice how slowly the yacht was moving, cutting through the water at an almost lazy pace. Her phone and luggage were still back on the island, and with the holidays only two days away, a flicker of anxiety tightened in her chest.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned, spotting Julian walking toward her, and the urgency slipped out before she could stop it. "Can we pick up the speed a little? I really need to get back."

He didn't answer her question.

Instead, he closed the distance and pulled her into his arms in one smooth motion, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

The sudden contact made her whole body tense, her breath catching as her heart kicked up again.

"We'll make it back on New Year," he murmured near her ear, his voice low and warm, and before she could respond, he leaned in and pressed a light kiss to her lips. "I just want a little more time with you."

The heat rushed to her face instantly, and she pulled back, flustered, her hands pressing against his chest as she put a little space between them. "Julian, don't do that. What I said last night, I meant it."

A faint crease formed between his brows. "What part?"

"There's no future for us," she said, forcing herself to stay steady. "We're not even right as friends..."

She didn't get any further.

"So last night meant nothing to you?" Julian cut in, his tone dropping, sharper now, the warmth from moments ago gone.

The words hit harder than she expected.

Her face burned, embarrassment rising fast and unforgiving, leaving her momentarily speechless.

I'm not like that.

But the truth sat there anyway, impossible to ignore.

Last night hadn't come from love, it had come from curiosity, from a moment of weakness, from wanting to understand something she had never allowed herself to feel before.

Before she could explain, Julian stepped closer again, his hand coming up to the back of her neck, fingers firm but not rough as he tilted his head down, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"I gave you every chance to stop," he said, his voice quieter now but far more serious. "You didn't. I don't care what you call it, I meant it."

Her pulse raced under his touch, her thoughts scattering as she tried to hold his gaze.

"That was our first time," he continued, each word deliberate, leaving no room to misunderstand, "and it's not going to be the last."

"I'm sorry," she said finally, because it was the only thing she had that didn't feel like a lie.

Julian shook his head slowly. "I don't want an apology. And I'm not someone you get to treat like a one-time thing."

She let out a quiet breath, but before she could move, his arm slid around her waist and pulled her back against him again, firm and unyielding.

Her fingers tightened instinctively around the blanket between them, using it like a barrier.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked, his voice dropping, rough but gentle at the same time.

Her face flushed all over again.

She knew exactly what he meant.