#layla & graham 001

[gctawaygirl]

It was everything she had been missing and needing. Part of Layla always knew that it was Graham she needed but she did not want to hurt him. Not when she had lied for years about why she had ended things. She sighed before inhaling deeply, breathing him in like it was only yesterday that they had done this. Everything about him was familiar, she never forgot any of it, "I'm sorry I took so long to come," she said with a soft smile, shaking her head, "Then don't let go," she replied, pulling him in for another kiss.

He kept the kiss slow, savoring every second, every movement, but the second he felt her tongue graze his lip and heard that soft whimper, a low groan rumbled in his throat. His fingers flexed against her sides before one hand slid up her back, tangling gently in her hair. God, he had missed this—missed her. Tilting his head, he deepened the kiss in return, pouring everything into it. When he finally pulled back just enough to catch his breath, he rested his forehead against hers, his voice rough with emotion. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this." He admitted, his thumb brushing softly over her cheek. "And now that I have you here… don’t think I’ll ever let go again."

[gctawaygirl]

"I don't think I've ever been so sure of everything," Layla admitted just before he kissed her. Her hands reached up to rest on either side of his neck and deepen the kiss. She kept it slow as he had but tilted her head slightly, allowing her tongue to slide across his bottom lip. A soft, involuntary whimper moved from her mouth into his. It had been a long time since they last kissed and she cursed herself for letting it go on for this long. All she wanted was to kiss him and never stop. She was helpless under his touch now.

Graham's breath caught in his throat, the closeness between them making everything else fade into the background. His hands gently cupped her face, his thumb tracing the curve of her jaw as he leaned in just a little bit closer, their foreheads still pressed together. "Layla…" His voice was low. The tension between them felt like it had been building for far too long, and now, it was impossible to ignore. He let out a quiet sigh, the decision clear in his mind. "If you're sure…" He murmured, before closing the space between them, his lips meeting hers with a slow, almost reverent kiss.

[gctawaygirl]

Layla's eyes fluttered shut as he leaned in and she tilted forward, resting her forehead against his, "I haven't let myself have what I want for a long time," she whispered back, her tone and body language making it clear that what she wanted was him. She opened her eyes just in time to meet his gaze, "I'm done pretending I don't want this anymore," she said and leaned up, starting to close the gap between their lips. Suddenly, wine didn't seem necessary for this anymore.

"Real, huh?" He murmured, barely above a whisper, his thumb brushing lightly over her skin. His heart raced. "You’ve always known what you want, Layla. I can’t fix what’s broken, but if it’s real you want… maybe we can figure that out together." He paused, leaning in his breath warm against her cheek. "I won’t lie—this isn’t easy for me, either. But I won’t pretend anymore, not when we’re standing here like this." His eyes locked onto hers, searching, hoping she’d see the truth in his own. "If you’re done pretending, I am too."

[gctawaygirl]

Layla let out a breath, averting her gaze as she felt his burning into her, "Tell me about it," she muttered. She didn't look up again until he was standing right in front of her, lifting her head to meet his gaze. Her breath hitched in her throat when she realised just how close he was, "Nobody can fix my life," she whispered back, "Give me real any day," she added. Layla had told herself they would never be a thing again but she found herself back here easily when she realised things with Tristan would never improve. Her engagement would never be happy or fulfilling but she could be happy and fulfilled elsewhere.

Graham stared at her for a moment, the weight of her words settling heavily between them. His jaw tightened slightly, not out of anger, but something else—something unspoken. He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the counter, his eyes never leaving hers. "That’s a hell of a confession, Layla." He said quietly, his voice low and edged with something darker, something real. He let the words hang in the air for a beat before pushing off the counter, closing the space between them with slow, deliberate steps. His hand reached up, fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from her face, his touch light but lingering. "You know exactly what you’re asking for, don’t you?" His gaze searched hers, not with judgment but with something deeper—curiosity, maybe, or understanding. He leaned in, his lips a breath away from hers, his voice a husky whisper. "I’m not here to fix your life, Layla. But if you want something real—something honest—you’ll get that with me."

[gctawaygirl]

"I'm not happy," Layla admitted, "My engagement. It's fake, arranged and I'm not happy in it. I don't love Tristan, in fact I'm pretty sure I hate him," she explained, "My parents arranged it and if you tell anyone about it outside of this room, I will deny it and never speak to you again," she warned, "So... I have needs that are not being met and you... Well, I know you can meet them so I'm asking for your help," she placed the wine on the counter and stepped toward him, "Please," she whispered, trying not to sound like she was begging.

His eyes flicked to the glass in her hand, then back to her, the smirk never fully leaving but softening just a little. "I’d hate to fall behind. Wouldn’t want you holding that over me." He reached past her, grabbing his own glass from the counter, his arm brushing against hers—just barely. After taking a sip, he tilted his head slightly, studying her with that unreadable look he wore so well. "So, what’s the plan here, Layla? You show up, slightly tipsy, issuing drinking challenges… should I be worried?" His tone was teasing, but there was a question buried underneath, the one he wasn’t brave enough to ask out loud.

[gctawaygirl]

That smirk drove her mad. It was like an I told you so without saying the words and she hated it but she loved it at the same time. Why else would she be here? She let out a breath, something akin to relief, and stepped inside. She took only a few steps in so he could close the door, not really sure where she should go from there. Layla glanced back over her shoulder at him, "I'll be honest, I've had a few glasses already," she explained, "Not from this one but you may need to catch up," she teased.

Graham leaned against the doorframe, his brows raising slightly as he took in the sight of Layla—wine in hand, that familiar glint of hesitation masked by a casual smile. He didn’t say anything right away, just let the silence stretch for a beat, his gaze flicking from the bottle to her eyes, reading between the lines she wasn’t saying out loud. A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, the kind that was equal parts amused and intrigued. "Well." He finally drawled, stepping aside and gesturing her in with an easy tilt of his head. "When you put it like that, how could I say no? Of course you can." He gently says as he stepped aside.