Chapter 68

Serena's POV That night, we didn't make it back to our separate rooms. The kiss on the terrace had melted something inside me—a wall I'd built to protect myself from Ryan and the heartbreak he could cause. His lips, gentle at first, became more insistent as I responded, my body remembering what my mind had tried so hard to forget. "Are you sure?" Ryan whispered against my mouth, his hands cradling my face with a tenderness that made my heart ache. "We can stop." I answered by taking his hand and leading him to my suite, my heart hammering against my ribs. The ocean breeze followed us through the open French doors, billowing the sheer curtains like ghosts dancing in the moonlight. "It's been so long," I murmured as Ryan's fingers traced the curve of my cheek, down my neck, hovering at the strap of my sundress. His eyes asked permission, and I nodded, suddenly shy despite our history. "You're even more beautiful now," he said, his voice rough with emotion as the dress slipped from my sho