“You feel incredible,” he breathed as I nuzzled the hollow of his neck.

An announcement came over the speakers, signalling the next stop.

“I hate that we’re stuck on this train,” Trev ground out. “Want to get off here and find a hotel?”

I let out a soft, surprisingly breathy laugh. “I think that would be pretty obvious. Everybody’s probably already wondering where we’ve disappeared to.”

“Fuck them. Let them think what they want. I need you now.”

His gruff, manly tone turned me on. I wanted the same thing, but it was too much. How quickly he could make me come seemed to match how fast I lost my head with him. I’d do anything just to sate the hunger I felt, but for now, I had to be restrained.

My tone was flirtatious when I replied, “Trev, I’m not getting off this train just to go have sex with you in some random hotel in”—I paused to look out the window at the station we were stopped in—“Burgos. Besides, we have to get off to change trains in a little bit anyway.”

“You’re a cruel mistress.”

My lips curved. “The cruellest.”

He dipped down for another kiss. “But I love you anyway.”

Twenty-Four.

My body stilled at his declaration, but instead of waiting for a reply, he kissed me again.

I hugged him tight, trying to convey my feelings physically because I couldn’t yet express them verbally. When we broke apart for air we just stood there, holding one another. His hands roamed my body, like he’d been starved of me for too long.

Still, I felt awkward as we made our way back to our seats. Why did I feel so conflicted when he said he loved me? Why was I so afraid of saying it back?

Paul shot the two of us a knowing grin on our return, but everyone else seemed wrapped up in their own activities. Leanne, James and Isaac played a game of travel Scrabble, while Callum had his earphones on, arms folded and eyes closed. I couldn’t tell if he was sleeping or just trying to ignore everyone.

I settled into my seat and quietly resumed watching episodes on my phone. Trev didn’t take an earbud this time, but I was overly aware of his attention. Glancing to the side, I sent him a warning look, but he only grinned and palmed my thigh. His fingers brushed back and forth over the fabric of my jeans, and I couldn’t stop fixating on how those same fingers just brought me to orgasm.

I think that was his intention.

I tried my best to concentrate but it was a little hard when he bent to whisper, “I need to kiss you again.” And then he licked my neck, like it was the most normal thing in the world. Arousal fizzled beneath my skin. I quickly glanced around, relieved to find no one had seen.

My eyes held a barrel full of warning, but that didn’t deter him.

“Meet me in the bathroom,” he went on.

I arched a brow and whispered back, “Number one, no, train bathrooms are gross, and two, leave me alone. You’ve gotten all you’re going to get from me today.”

“Don’t you mean, you got all you’re going to get from me?”

I narrowed my eyes and held back a smile. “You’re relentless.”

“Only with you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

His answering smile was brazen. “Yeah, it was.”

I shook my head and endeavoured to ignore him. Cocky bastard. One I love.

I managed to survive the remainder of the journey without too much more flirtation from Trev. Although he wouldn’t stop grinning like the cat that got the cream the whole time. It’d bother me if it wasn’t so adorable.

Was this it?

Were Trev and I finally going to have our time?

I felt like I was floating on air for the rest of our journey. When we arrived in Madrid, I was so preoccupied with my fluttering heart that I didn’t have time to focus on my memories or the date on the calendar.

Our apartment was smack dab in the middle of the city, the top floor of an impressively renovated period building. There was a rooftop garden that boasted a stunning view over the city as well as a state-of-the-art hot tub.

Since it was late and the group had an early start in the morning, we all hit the hay pretty much as soon as we got in.

I’d just settled into bed when my phone buzzed.

Trev: I can’t stop thinking about you.

My pulse thrummed in my ears. He was just down the hall. I could go to him if I wanted, but then again, he was sharing a room with Callum. There were too many people in the apartment and nowhere to go for privacy. My phone buzzed with another message.

Trev: I need you.

Trev: Come meet me on the roof.

I stilled, having forgotten about the roof. And the hot tub. Should I go? The rooftop garden would afford us some privacy, but was that what I wanted? Once we took this next step there was no going back. Hell, there was already no going back, but having sex would seal it. I’d be lost to him, no hope of clawing my way back to reality.

Reya: I can’t.

Trev: You can. I just want to hold you. That’s all.

I huffed a laugh at his blatant lie while my phone vibrated in my hand.

Trev: Also, I found champagne and strawberries in the fridge ;-)

Trev: Okay, I tell a fib. I made Neil go out to get them.

Reya: I can’t believe you made him do that. It’s eleven o’clock at night.

Trev: Hey! It’s his job.

I put my phone down and glanced across the room. Leanne was fast asleep in her bed, only a thin sheet covering her body. I pulled up my suitcase and rummaged through for a cardigan, since it might be chilly up on the roof. I really needed to find time to do laundry tomorrow, because most of my clothes were too dirty to wear.

Eventually, I found a long navy cardigan. Pulling it on, I quietly crept from the room. I climbed the stairs that led to the roof and found Trev sitting on a large patio sofa. He looked out at the view of the city, full of twinkling lights and pointy rooftops. I stood there for a long moment, just watching him.

My heart felt too full. I loved him so much it made my entire body ache. Shouldn’t love be more pleasurable? Shouldn’t it fill you with a sense of joyous hope and possibility? Because this felt more like addiction. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was too scarred by past experiences to realise that something good was happening, that Trev and I were entering a new era in our relationship.

“Hey,” I finally greeted, and he turned around with a heart-stopping smile, flashing those dimples that I loved. The champagne chilled in a bucket of ice, a carton of strawberries next to it. Behind me, I could hear the hot tub bubbling away. The entire scene was so cheesy it was almost romantic.