Scales and Flowers

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian leaned against the doorway of his room, a wry smile tugging at his lips as he listened to the muffled sound of Natalie’s departure. He’d heard her mention forgetting her swimsuit—again—and he chuckled softly, shaking his head. Of course she would, he thought. The irony wasn’t lost on him: a woman so meticulous with her lists and plans, yet somehow, when it came to something as simple as packing her swimsuit, she’d let it slip. And then there was that moment of playful banter earlier, the teasing about his “sunscreen duty” and the promise to hold her to having fun on the beach. It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was a clear signal that their friendship, once distant and strained, was beginning to find new life.

“Don’t worry,” he murmured to himself, voice low and sincere, “I’ll be right here waiting. And I expect nothing less than something that suits your natural beauty.”

That remark wasn’t just idle talk. Deep down, Adrian knew that what Natalie really needed wasn’t another reminder of the past—the box of mortification that still haunted their childhood memories—but a chance to see herself as he had always seen her: confident, capable, and undeniably beautiful. He recalled the way she had played down the truth of what he’d once said, that misguided comment now infamous in her mind, and it pained him to know that its echo still held sway over her self-image.

Determined to break through that barrier, he knew he had to lead by example. Slowly, he padded over to his closet. Inside, neatly hung among his tailored suits, were his swim shorts—simple, functional, with a touch of understated style. He pulled out a pair that he’d picked out the previous week, the fabric a cool navy blue with a subtle tropical pattern. “These should do the trick,” he muttered, testing the material by running his fingers over the soft fabric. With a few quick changes in the privacy of his room, he swapped his tailored trousers for the shorts, feeling the liberating comfort of casual wear.

Stepping out into the corridor, Adrian moved with purpose toward the beach. Every step brought him closer to the promise of fresh sea air, the rhythmic lapping of turquoise waters, and a chance to rebuild the trust between him and Natalie. He paused by a window overlooking the resort’s private beach, his gaze following a pair of attendants expertly preparing beach chairs and umbrellas. The resort exuded a relaxed luxury, a place where even the weight of past mistakes seemed to be washed away by the tide.

Leaning against the railing, Adrian allowed himself a moment of reflection. He remembered the first time he truly saw Natalie beyond the blur of high school anxieties—a girl who had always been more than just an afterthought in the background, a quiet force of nature whose smile could light up even the dreariest day. Over the years, as responsibilities had piled up and the sting of old wounds had temporarily sealed their connection, he had never truly forgotten her. Now, standing on this immaculate beach in Tulum, he hoped that maybe she would finally be able to shed the layers of doubt and see herself as he always had.

As the minutes ticked by, Adrian checked his watch and made a quiet decision. “Time to get serious,” he said softly to himself, before making his way down the winding path to the shoreline. Every step on the warm, powdery sand reminded him of simpler times when laughter came easy and nothing seemed impossible.

He reached the water’s edge and let the gentle surf cool his feet. The ocean was a vast, open space, full of endless possibilities—much like the new chapter he envisioned for their friendship. He knew that the next few days, perhaps even the entire duration of this trip, could be a turning point. “Maybe we can start fresh,” he mused aloud, addressing the quiet around him, “maybe I can finally show you who I truly meant to be all those years ago.”

His tone was conversational, but the words carried the weight of a promise. He remembered the many times he had wanted to mend what was broken between them. Once, in the classroom of life, he had made a single, careless remark—a remark that sent ripples through her life, ripples he’d regretted every day since. Now was his opportunity to bridge that gap. “I lost a big opportunity that day,” he admitted softly to the rhythmic crash of the waves, “and I’m not about to lose another moment.”

Adrian spotted a shaded lounge area set up near the beach, and he made his way over, casting a brief glance at the boutique where he hoped she’d soon emerge. “I hope you find something that makes you feel as brilliant as you are,” he murmured, the sincerity clear in his voice. “Because nothing should hold you back.”​

 

[asetikish]

Natalie walked to the nearest boutique, and as luck would have it, they cater to more risque and sexy designs. None of the sleeved one pieces, and rash guards. The best she could probably do was a bikini with a pair of board shorts.

As she moved to get them and begone, the creative in her saw a suit that called to her. She bit on her lips staring at it. Anyone who wore it needed to fill in or it would be loose everywhere and she knew she had the right body for it thanks to her mother's latina roots. She had never achieved the stick thin model look as much as she tried and she didn't want to be bulemic to achieve the look. Her hands hovered over it then stopped. Could she really? Adrian was there...

Well he did say he wasn't going to say anything, though she would know with his body language. Maybe she could just not look at him...which would be downright impossible since she couldn't stop looking at him since the flight.

It had been a long time since she'd picked something for herself without thinking about what anyone else thought. Maybe, this time, she should. He was only one person who would see her. The one person whose opinion mattered. Shit...

Shutting her eyes, she took it and a kimono wrap and headed for the counter. Just this once. Just this once she wanted to feel like herself. And maybe, in the depths of her subconscious, finally make him admit that she did suit the lingerie. But it was a thought that never occurred in the forefront of her mind.

The walk back home was filled with thoughts of the narrative of negative self-image she had built about herself over the years, but she gripped the shopping bag handle and shook her head. It was done. Nothing more she could do about it.

As Natalie got back to the house, she quickly entered the bridesmaids' room and changed. And well, it did fit her exactly like she thought it would. Wrapping the kimono around herself she stopped at the handle, her hand visibly trembling. What would Adrian say? How would he react?

Shit...she was sure she made a mistake. She groaned and took a deep breath. The grave was dug. All she had to do was lie in it.

Opening the door, she walked out to the beach as confidently as she could but her steps faltered as she saw him looking over at the boutique a couple of blocks away, his face looking something in between wistful and...something else she couldn't place. It would be very, very hard not to look at him especially since he took very good care of himself. He was very much an eye candy moreso now than ever. Gods! Why was the man so hot? Her hands clenched on her sides as she thought how it might feel to run her hands over his chest and abs.

She was fucked!

"H-hey!" Natalie cleared her throat as she croaked. "Sorry, took a while..." She walked over to him toying with the kimono belt, pondering until she tore her gaze away from him looked at the beach, deciding to just tear it off quickly like a band aid.

"Come on! Let's not waste the day!" She untied the belt and removed the kimono dropping it on the lounge, removed her sandals and started heading toward the beach trying not to look at him fearing the worst, and as Adrian expected, completely forgetting to put on sunscreen.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian had been watching the boutique for the past several minutes, caught in that restless tension that came from wanting something but not being sure if you had the right to hope for it. He’d watched people come and go, none of them her. Every passing moment had stretched like taffy, time thick and slow. He wasn’t impatient. Just curious. Nervous in a way he hadn’t felt in years.

He’d seen that look on her face earlier—the one she got when she was in her own head, thinking a million thoughts at once. Natalie had always worn her emotions like layers. Not masks—never masks—but a carefully arranged set of internal filters. But every once in a while, there’d be a crack in the armor, and he’d catch a glimpse of the vulnerability underneath. He saw it in the way she held the shopping bag when she arrived back at the villa. Tight grip. Lowered head. The slight shift in her posture. He didn’t need to see the swimsuit to know she was fighting herself. He knew the signs. Hell, he’d memorized them once upon a time.

So when she finally approached, calling out and offering that half-laugh, half-apology, Adrian turned his head and gave her the only thing he could right now—his full attention. His eyes found hers for the briefest moment, but she looked away too fast, already heading toward the beach, already casting her robe aside like it weighed too much to carry.

He caught sight of the swimsuit as she walked ahead, and for a second—just a second—his breath caught in his chest. Adrian had imagined a lot of scenarios. He'd prepped himself to offer reassurance, something casual and nonchalant in case she came out in a safe, modest piece. He figured he'd tease her a little if she went with something sporty, or compliment her if she tried to branch out a little.

He hadn’t prepped for this.

The suit was bold. Not tasteless, not loud. Just bold in a way that said she wasn’t hiding anymore. It hugged her curves like it had been designed with her body in mind, and it didn’t just fit her—it suited her. And that kimono she dropped like a war banner? That was the real message. She didn’t want him to look. But she did. She didn’t want him to say anything. But she did. She didn’t want to care. But she really, really did. Adrian swallowed hard and tried not to let the expression on his face betray too much.

“Damn…” he murmured under his breath, so quietly even the ocean didn’t catch it.

He watched her head toward the waves, hair catching in the breeze, footsteps uneven as if every grain of sand beneath her was a question she hadn’t figured out how to answer yet. She didn’t even look back. That, more than anything, told him just how much the moment cost her.

“Okay, Adrian,” he said quietly to himself, getting up from the lounge chair. “This isn’t the time to screw this up.”

He grabbed the sunscreen she’d forgotten entirely and started after her, slow enough to give her space, quick enough to let her know he was still there—still solid, still dependable. His eyes stayed on her, not in hunger, not in awe, but in something gentler, deeper. Something real.

This wasn't about how she looked, though she looked incredible. It was about what it meant that she chose that swimsuit. That she chose it for herself. That, maybe in some quiet, subconscious way, she chose it for him too.

Adrian followed her across the sand, the bottle of sunscreen cool and smooth in his hand but feeling heavier than it had any right to be. It wasn’t the walk that made his chest feel tight—it was the war happening inside him, the sharp contrast between his easy grin and the quiet storm just behind it.

“Hey,” he called out with that low, familiar ease in his voice, “don’t think you’re getting away that easy.”

The ocean breeze picked up, flaring gently against them, but his voice carried just fine.

“You forgot this.” He held up the bottle and gave it a small shake, the plastic cap rattling like punctuation. “Again.”

A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Teasing was easier than saying what he was really thinking—that she was stunning, that this whole day felt like one long, unexpected shift in gravity. He had to keep it light, for both their sakes.

“You really want a sunburn on day one?” he said, raising a brow. “Because I promise you, I’m not rubbing aloe on your back if you end up looking like a lobster. That's where I draw the line.”

His tone softened just a bit, enough to hint at the layers beneath. “But… if you want a hand with it, I got you. No funny business. Just making good on my promises.” He held up his free hand like a scout’s oath. “Sunscreen duty. Still on the list.”

He chuckled, but the sound was quiet, more exhale than laugh. Because deep down, he wasn’t sure if his voice would stay steady if he let it carry too much weight. She was right there—really right there—and it was taking everything he had not to stare, not to say the things that had been sitting heavy on his chest since the flight.

Not to confess that even back then, before all the mess, before the slip-up that wrecked everything… he’d seen her. Not just the way she looked in a dress, not just the witty comments or the brain behind every project she ever killed it with. He’d seen her. And right now, she was standing in front of him in the open, probably second-guessing every inch of herself, and all he wanted to do was anchor her to the truth of what he saw.

But not yet. This wasn’t the time.​

 

[asetikish]

Natalie stopped as he called out to her. His voice cascaded over her skin in that low, rolling rumble that soothed her. Bit she didn't look back, part of her was still dreading his reaction, while another part told her that things have changed. That nothing in his voice betrayed a hint of disdain.

"You forgot this. Again."

Natalie looked back at Adrian, her eyes widening at the bottle in his hand. She pinched the bridge of her nose nostalgia hitting her like a wave. "I swear I've been past this stage..."

Adrian talked about not spreading aloe on her skin and she huffed. "Hey, it's not like you haven't before."

And just like that, she was ten again. Finally going on her first trip with her friends at Adrian's family's summer home. She shouldn't have been there. Sara had given up trying to convince her parents, but Adrian was relentless, until they finally gave in telling him over and over until the last moment to make sure their daughter was safe.

She and Andrew had been so excited they ran to the beach as soon as they got there despite Adrian's parents' warning to put on sunscreen first. It wasn't until Natalie felt pain on her shoulders and Sara tried to ride on her back did she realize she was sunburnt. And even then, it was Adrian who took care of her and Andrew rubbing aloe on their red patches of skin.

She couldn't help but smile at the memory and back up at Andrew. He was there, a playful grin at his mouth and...something she couldn't place in his eyes. It wasn't judging or negative. In fact, it sent her stomach fluttering.

"Of course I'm still holding you to sunscreen duty!" She said trudging back to the safety of the umbrella and sat on the lounge. "You have to get my back though. I can't reach." She reached around the other side of her head, down the back of her ear to swipe her hair off to one side over her shoulder exposing her neck and back to him.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian swallowed hard, trying to play it cool even as something deep in his chest stirred. The bottle of sunscreen in his hand suddenly felt heavier, like it held more weight than it had any right to. He took in the sight before him—Natalie, backlit by the late afternoon sun, her silhouette outlined in soft gold. Her back was bare, smooth, her hair swept to one side as if trusting him with something delicate. And somehow, that one simple gesture—“You have to get my back though. I can’t reach”—unraveled him more than any flirtation ever could.

“Yeah,” he murmured, a half-smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, “I remember.”

It had been years, but that memory hadn’t dulled. Ten years old, scraped knees, sunburned shoulders. That summer trip to his family’s beach house when Natalie had almost missed it because her parents were too strict. Adrian hadn’t taken no for an answer. He’d called, visited, pleaded until they finally gave in. He hadn’t even known why it mattered so much back then, just that it did. And later, when she ended up sunburned after racing into the ocean with Andrew, he’d been the one helping her, rubbing aloe on her shoulders while she tried to pretend it didn’t hurt. She’d laughed then too, always trying to cover up pain with a joke.

That hadn’t changed.

But a lot else had. She had grown into herself in ways she probably didn’t even see. The way she moved now, her confidence quiet but present. And he could see the nerves—he always could—but also the strength in how she walked back to him anyway, handed him the bottle like it was a peace offering. Or a test.

He flipped the cap open and squeezed the lotion into his hand. “I take my duties seriously,” he said, tone light but laced with something deeper, steadier. “Always have.”

He stepped behind her, heart pounding far too hard for how casually he was trying to play this. It was just sunscreen. Just helping out. Just friends, right? Except his hand hovered for half a second before he touched her. Because this wasn’t ten years ago. This wasn’t aloe and awkward kids who didn’t know how to name the things they felt. This was now. This was the curve of her spine and the trust she gave him in something as small—and as intimate—as this.

He pressed his palm gently to her back, spreading the lotion over her skin, careful, slow. Like it mattered. Because it did. He didn’t say anything else for a moment, letting the quiet settle in again, broken only by the waves rolling in. But inside, his thoughts were anything but still.

Don’t screw this up again, he thought. Don’t look at her like she’s just anyone. Because she never has been. And if there was even the smallest chance to show her that—he was going to take it. One small moment at a time.​

 

[asetikish]

It was supposed to something innocuous. It was just sunscreen. But as Adrian spoke and heard the movements behind her, Natalie started to feel self-conscious. Not of her body or how she looked but at the situation. At her waiting for him to touch her as she asked.

Natalie took a deep breath. Calm down. It's just sunscreen on your back...with his hands. She bit her lower lip. It wasn't the sunscreen. It was him touching her. And she realised the gesture was still one of trust that she had for him over the years. She felt like a dog exposing her belly to it's owner.

The first touch of his hand on her back felt like she waited ages for it, and as skin finally came into contact with skin, her spine tingled and her heart raced. No, Natalie was not over her crush on Adrian. Now that they have gotten older, it had become much worse. His hand felt large and warm on her, feeling it echo inside her. Caressing her with soft strokes like a lover would.

It felt so good that she couldn't help but let out a sigh with a small moan. And as soon as she heard herself, she cleared her throat and wracked her brains for anything to cover her stupid noise and the silence between them.

"So..." She cleared her throat. "You uh...got anything you want to get out of the way after swimming? I just have to make calls today for the decor I asked and make sure they're delivered."

Yeah. That's it. Think about the wedding. Think about why you're here in the first place. Not at how his hand feels on you or your unextinguished crush for him or how this feels so vulnerable and right. No! Stop!

But even as she berated herself, she felt his hands go down ever so slowly down her back and she had to bite her lip lest another unbidden sound come out from her. It had been years and she had been hurt but she was still not over him. It was just supposed to be a childish crush!

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian heard the small, unexpected sound Natalie made—a quiet, breathy sigh that carried far more meaning than she probably intended—and something shifted in him. His hand hesitated for a split second, caught between the motion of rubbing in the lotion and the realization that this wasn’t just sunscreen anymore. Not for either of them.

He didn’t let his touch change, didn’t make it obvious that he noticed, but his jaw tensed slightly, his thoughts spinning faster than he could keep up with. He was touching her. He’d done this before, years ago, when they were kids and innocence still buffered every gesture. But this? This wasn’t a kid’s game anymore. Her skin was soft and warm beneath his fingers, and the way her body responded—tense, then relaxing into him—told him more than her words ever could.

And still, she tried to fill the air with small talk. Of course she did.

“So…” Her voice wavered, clearing halfway through like she needed to drag it back to neutral. “You uh… got anything you want to get out of the way after swimming? I just have to make calls today for the decor I asked and make sure they're delivered.”

Adrian didn’t answer right away. Not because he didn’t have something to say, but because his mind was too busy fighting itself. He needed to keep this casual. Light. Friendly. They were here for Andrew and Sara, not to revisit old feelings or make new mistakes. That was what he told himself before the trip, what he kept repeating on the plane, what he’d promised when she smiled at him like no time had passed. But his body wasn’t listening. His hand knew hers too well, her skin, the memory of her laughter in summer sunlight. And now, every slow stroke down her back felt too intimate, too natural.

Still, he managed a small smile, even if she couldn’t see it. “After swimming?” he echoed, keeping his tone easy. “Maybe scope out the rest of the property. Make sure your wedding checklist doesn’t include a zipline over the pool or something.”

He chuckled under his breath, forcing himself to focus on the joke. That was safer.

“But yeah,” he added a beat later, more quietly. “I’ve got time. Whatever you need. You’re running this show, right?”

His hand moved lower—only slightly—but even that felt like a line he was toeing. He hadn’t meant for this to turn into anything. It was just sunscreen. But now, with her sitting in front of him like this, trusting him like always, he couldn’t help the way he felt.

And that was the problem.

He wanted more than this moment. Had wanted more, probably, for longer than he’d admitted even to himself. But what scared him most wasn’t how much he felt—it was how much he could lose if he did something about it. So he stayed quiet, finishing the task she asked him to do, all while his pulse pounded and his thoughts raced. Just sunscreen, he told himself again.

But his heart wouldn’t listen.​

 

[asetikish]

Natalie tried to smile through the easy way he tried to banter but the feeling of his hand on her was a constant distraction, she almost didn't hear what he said. In the end, she just nodded. As his hands reached lower she sucked in a breath audibly prompting her breathing to go deeper.

She should have been scandalized, but she loved it. She loved how he touched her and she trusted him. From childhood until now, she knew she could put herself in his hands and she would be safe, cared for...she stopped at that thought before it got too far.

In response, she could only nod, but she wanted to say something...anything. But at the same time, she just wanted this moment, this time to stretch. Just her and Adrian. No wedding plans. No tasks to accomplish. Just the moment they had between that would shatter of she said something...

And yet she had to say something or her heart would break all over again with a different truth. That they were worlds apart. That she would never be worthy of someone like him. All they could ever be were friends, and even then that was more than Natalie could ever ask for.

Finally breaking the moment she lifted her hand and looked up at him with a smile on her face. Her breath almost got caught in her throat as she saw the raw intensity in his gaze. Smile or no, there was something else there...like a hunter holding back.

"Can I have some on my hands?" She finally managed to say. "I need to get my front ." As soon as he gave her a dollop, she dotted her skin with the lotion before her hands glided all over her body, on every part uncovered by her swimsuit that she could reach

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian handed her the lotion, his fingers brushing hers just a second longer than necessary. His throat felt tight, dry. Like every nerve in his body was tuned to her and he couldn’t turn the damn frequency off. He should have looked away. He should have turned around, given her privacy, space—something. But he didn’t. He couldn’t.

He watched her hands glide over her skin, slow and smooth and so effortless it made something deep in his chest twist. There was no performance in her—no vanity, no attempt to draw attention. She was just... there. Unfiltered. Unafraid. And that made it worse.

Because this wasn’t about attraction anymore. Not really. That would’ve been easier to deal with. What this was… was the steady, unshakable realization that no matter how many years had passed, no matter the lives they’d both built and broken since they were kids—he still wanted her. Not just in that fleeting, surface-level way. He wanted the mess. Her overthinking, her kindness, the sarcasm she thought made her unlovable but only made her more real. He wanted her.

And God help him, he didn’t know what the hell to do about it.

He stared out at the water, forcing his gaze away, forcing the thoughts out like wringing a soaked towel. Useless. The damage was already done. Her laughter still echoed in his head from earlier, soft and surprised. Like it had caught her off guard to be happy around him again.

“Pull it together,” he muttered under his breath. He scrubbed a hand down his jaw, like that would somehow clear the fog she left behind.

His voice was a little rough when he spoke again, but he managed to keep it casual. “So...” he cleared his throat, taking a beat too long before continuing, “what’s first on the to-do list?”

It was the question of a man clinging to structure. Of someone who needed to shove everything else down—every look, every memory, every damned feeling that had been stirred up since the second he saw her again at the gate.

He nodded once, like it was a completely normal question, like he wasn’t two seconds from drowning in everything he wasn’t letting himself say.

“You know,” he added, with a faint grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “before I end up adding ‘personal assistant’ and ‘human beach towel’ to my growing list of titles.”​

 

[asetikish]

His hands stopped and already Natalie missed his touch. But it was a good reminder of their rift. That helped get her head on straight. "Personal Assistant, huh?" She straightened standing up. "That doesn't sound bad at all."

She turned to him and took his wrist. Big mistake. Her heart started hammering wildly again and her entire arm tingled. But she smiled up at him as he didn't protest and just went with it. "First order of business is to have fun in the water, of course! Then you can explain your list!"

Pulling him before he could protest, Natalie ran to the sea with him in tow. And as they got waist deep in the water she let go and went under to get herself wet all over. She came back up and started walking backward facing him. "What is a human beach towel, by the way?"

They talked more than they swam chatting about what happened in the interim they were apart, their future and everything under the sun. Sometimes the topics were serious. Sometimes just plain silliness. It had always been difficult to admit that she had a a bomb of a failure starting her own business, her debts went sky high and she was kicked out of her flat. But she talked to Adrian about it freely, including her frustrations and how she failed to eat enough, which was the thinnest she had ever been. She told him that if it wasn't for Sara, she would have contemplated suicide. Which is why there was nothing she wouldn't do for her best friend.

As the sun started to set, they retreated back to the villa. In the shower, she felt a stronger connection with Adrian, but maybe that was because she chatted too much. Sara always did say she could be a chatterbox sometimes but she said it was in a good way. Maybe the next time, she could shut up a bit and ask more about Adrian's life..if he was willing to share.

Dried and dressed, Natalie walked around the house talking to her suppliers in a tank top and shorts, her Spanish sometimes faltering. Her grandmother would have been livid that she spoke better Spanish than Portuguese, but unless she was speaking to her mother's side of the family, she had no use for Portuguese.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian leaned back on the lounge chair, still slightly damp, a towel draped loosely around his shoulders as he watched Natalie flit around the villa with her phone glued to her ear. Her Spanish was a little wobbly in places, but she pressed through, switching gears from playful and carefree to all-business with a flick of her tone.

He smiled to himself. There was something about watching her like this—animated, alive, determined—that made it impossible not to admire her. Even more than he already did. Not just for her grit or her ability to bounce back after everything she’d gone through, but for the fact that she talked to him. No hiding, no front. She laid it all out there—her failures, her fears, her raw honesty. And he didn’t take that lightly.

She didn’t know it, but that conversation in the ocean had gutted him more than he’d let on. The way she spoke about her collapse—so matter-of-factly—tore at something in him. He could still hear her voice, soft and unguarded, saying she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Sara. He hadn’t known the full extent of it before, and now that he did, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Couldn’t stop thinking about her. How close the world had come to losing her. How little she seemed to realize her own worth.

He didn’t say anything in the moment because he knew she wasn’t looking for pity. That wasn’t Natalie. But God, did he want to reach across the water and just hold her. Just for a second. Just to let her feel that someone cared that much.

Adrian ran a hand through his damp hair and blew out a slow breath. She didn’t need rescuing. That was clear. But damn if he didn’t want to be the guy she could lean on anyway. Not because she had to, but because she chose to.

And she’d talked about herself so much that she probably didn’t even realize she hadn’t asked about his own mess. He didn’t mind. Not yet. Honestly, it was a relief not to have to unpack his own history on command. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that anyway. But maybe next time—if there was a next time—he’d open up a little more.

He watched her pace through the kitchen, her hand slicing the air for emphasis as she negotiated something on speakerphone. Her brows furrowed, and she switched languages again with a soft curse under her breath. It was seamless, kind of adorable, and very her.

Adrian’s voice broke the quiet, more to himself than anything else.

“Personal assistant, huh?” He smirked faintly. “Think I just got promoted to full-time bodyguard slash therapist too.”

And weirdly enough… he didn’t mind the job description. Not one bit.​

 

[asetikish]

The last call ended with the setting of the sun and Natalie walked over to Adrian letting out a huge breath as she ploped on the couch beside him. Talking in another language was absolutely draining and thankfully she just got through and finished it. If she was going to try and break the Mexican destination wedding market, she may have to find someone who actually speaks Spanish.

"Hey, so all the decor is coming in the next 2 weeks. That will give us enough time to decorate the place. Then the photographer is going to come next month. He wants to do test shots to see where the best places to take the photos are, so we need to get all the decor up by then. And then we'll have a tasting with the caterer this week...and speaking of food, how do we go about eating? I don't want to eat out all the time. Do you mind if I cook? We just have to buy ingredients. But I guess today we can just eat out. I'm so tired."

Looking over at Adrian, she noticed his hair still damp as he looked at her. The gentleness in his eyes made her want to touch that stray lock clinging to his forehead and then trace it down his high cheeks, to his strong jaw. She shouldn't but she already found herself leaning toward him.

Thinking fast, she took the ends of the towel and started rubbing it on his damp hair. "Hey! You don't want to get a cold!"

She couldn't help herself. No matter how much she tried to convince herself of their incompatibility, how he would never see her as a woman, how his parents would never approve of them in the improbable chance they were going to be together...she still wanted to be with him.

As she moved her hands to allow part of the towel to drop over his eyes, she wondered how many women he'd been with. What are the kinds of women he went for. And with the towel still over his eyes, she asked not wanting him to see whatever expression she had on her face because she could feel a mixture of jealousy, sadness and dejection and he would clearly see it.

"I can't imagine you being single!" She tried to keep her voice steady and playful. "I mean you have the looks, the money and you're successful on your own. I can't imagine women not throwing themselves at your feet, what with all the interviews of women wanting a man earning at least seven figures."

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian let out a low chuckle, the kind that rumbled deep in his chest but didn’t quite reach his eyes. He let the towel hang where it was, over his eyes like a half-drawn curtain, grateful for the momentary shield. Her words landed softly, but they stirred something beneath the surface. That familiar discomfort. The kind he’d felt too many times over the years.

“I wouldn’t put much weight in interviews or checklists,” he said lightly, voice muffled just a little behind the fabric. “You can have all the numbers right and still not be what someone wants.”

He reached up slowly, pulled the towel off his eyes, and rested it over the back of his neck. Then he looked at her, a small, lopsided smile forming—warm, but distant. Measured.

“Honestly?” he added, voice quieting. “It’s hard to know when someone sees me… or just what I have. The name, the paycheck, the past career. That whole package comes with its own gravity. People start orbiting around it without ever really seeing you. Not the man underneath.”

He glanced away, toward the last remnants of sunlight bleeding into the horizon. “It’s not that I don’t want to be with someone. I just... want it to be real. You know? Someone who sees through the noise and stays anyway.”

He let the silence stretch for a moment, long enough to feel the weight of it settle between them.

“I guess that narrows the playing field a bit,” he said, voice lighter now, self-deprecating. “Makes me less of a hot commodity than you think.”

He didn’t look back at her right away. Not because he didn’t want to, but because if he did, he was afraid he might say something he wasn’t ready to say. Something honest. Something real. And real could change everything.​

 

[asetikish]

Natalie let go of the towel as he took it off. Her heart ached for him as he spoke. Truthfully, she couldn't relate. She didn't have the trappings that made him desirable. The name, the money, the pedigree, the achievements...true they were part of him, but the man himself was more than just all those.

She sat back, listening. He did not look at her as if he was afraid of the vulnerability he was showing and what that would mean for him. As he spoke, he grew more distant, like he was building a wall. Like he wanted to escape.

Adtian talked about people wanting to see him for who he was, but he also hid himself. It was a contradiction she saw in a lot of couples getting married as they ventured into the new unknown territory of marriage. And though she wasn't a marriage counselor, sometimes she had to deal with these things.

Before she could think, her hand reached out to cup his cheek and turn him to her. "Adrian..." Her voice called to him and she held his gaze as he looked at her. His own gaze wavered an her other hand cupped his other cheek.

"You're scared..." Natalie didn't know what to say but she let her instincts take over. There was no way she was going to let him slip back and steal his own happiness way from him. "You want people to see you and yet, you run away. I know I'm not the one you're looking for but I could be good practice so you can open up to the person you're waiting for when she finally comes. And if you continue to hide yourself, no matter what they do to try and uncover who you are they won't see anything if you don't let them in."

Natalie smiled at him, her heart breaking, but this wasn't about her. It was about her friend. Her friend who could be an idiot, brash and harsh, but what person was perfect? "I see you, Adrian. And if whoever she is doesn't see the beautiful person you are when you open up, they don't deserve you and they're missing out. You'll find her. I know it."

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian sat there, still as stone, the warmth of her hands cupping his face anchoring him in a moment he hadn’t asked for—hadn’t seen coming—but now couldn’t pull away from.

The ache behind his ribs had been there for years, buried beneath press conference smiles and measured answers, beneath workouts and routines and quiet mornings alone with coffee that never tasted quite right. And now, hearing her say those words—I see you—something in him cracked open.

He let out a quiet breath, and for a long time, he didn’t speak. Because he didn’t trust his voice. Because she saw through him—through the walls he thought he’d put up just high enough.

Finally, he managed a quiet, almost reverent, “You’re not just good practice, Nat.”

The words hung in the air like an unsent letter—more than a whisper, but less than a confession. His gaze held hers now, steady but cautious, as if this moment might vanish if he reached for it too quickly.

“You always had this way of cutting through the noise,” he murmured, a flicker of a smile at the corner of his mouth, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Even when we were kids. I’d be all bluster, and you’d just look at me like... you saw the gears turning underneath.”

His hand lifted partway, like he was going to take hers, but it stopped short. Not out of rejection—but hesitation. Like he wasn’t sure he was allowed.

“I don’t know if I’ve been running,” he said after a moment. “Maybe. Probably. But it’s easier not to want something when you convince yourself it’s not for you.”

He let out a dry laugh and leaned back slightly, gaze shifting to the floor, that familiar shield of modesty sliding back into place.

“Still, you have more faith in me than I probably deserve.” Then he glanced at her again, this time with something softer—more vulnerable. “Thank you for saying that. Even if I don’t know what to do with it yet.”

He shook his head gently, almost to himself, trying to lighten the weight pressing down on the air between them. “Guess I make a pretty crappy Personal Assistant if I’m already making this about me, huh?”

He offered her a sheepish grin. “Alright, boss. I’m all ears. What’s the plan for tomorrow?”​

 

[asetikish]

Natalie thought she was making headway to help him, but just as he started opening up further, he shut down again. Just like that, he pulled away and it was gone. He shifted gears. Even women who are hardwired to be emotional can find it difficult to open up, so just the fact that he responded to her coaxing had already been a huge step. She didn't have to push more.

But something haunted her when he said, "But it’s easier not to want something when you convince yourself it’s not for you.” in the silence it played on her mind until it dawned on her. Adrian liked someone and felt like he didn't deserve her! And for him to be that melancholy about it, he must still do.

Natalie had chosen to be a wedding planner to see happy endings of couples come true. And this was a happy ending on the making. All she had to do was find out who the girl is and convince her to spend time with Adrian. If anyone, Andrew would probably know, but not before their wedding. She could ask just before they leave for their honeymoon.
But gods did the thought hurt! Well, she had been sucking it up since they were kids. It was never going to happen for her so the least she could do was make it happen for him. Make at least one of them happy.

"You're a terrible assistant." She rolled her eyes at his comment. "Especially since you forgot I asked you about food! I'm hungry! Let's get something to eat out today then do some grocery shopping so I can cook in that fantastic kitchen."

She stood and grabbed her phone and purse. And as they ate and shipped for ingredients, they talked about visiting the sites for the bachelor and bachelorette party and to make arrangements to make it more personalized to the bride and groom.

It felt so normal and domestic as they worked to get things right in the next few days while living together as if they always had been together for years. Day in and day out Natalie tried to distance herself from her growing feelings for Adrian, focusing on work and introducing him as her friend to all their suppliers, jokingly adding that they can't bother him since he was not officially hired. She asked him about elements that Andrew might want and incorporated them into her vision.

And as the deliveries for the decor came in, she handed Adrian the designs they had discussed drawn to life and sent over by her team from back home. She explained some of the details and asked him to work on the ground to literally do the heavy lifting of arranging chairs, tables, vases and decorating them as in the images. Natalie, meanwhile focused on the hangings. So comfortable was she having Adrian around and having lived alone her entire adult life that she didn't even realised she was climbing the ladder in a short skirt, matching the vibe of island life.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian was hauling a crate of centerpieces into the open courtyard, sweat clinging to the back of his shirt, when his eyes lifted to check on Natalie. His gaze found her halfway up the ladder, stretching to pin a strand of fairy lights to the high beam overhead.

His breath caught. There she was, on her toes, arms extended, skirt riding up with the movement. And in that flash, instinct got the better of him.

Don't look. Don't be that guy.

But he already had. And as much as the gentleman in him recoiled, the red-blooded man—the one he'd spent years keeping tightly leashed—betrayed him with a thousand thoughts he had no business entertaining. His mind, uninvited and intrusive, wandered with shameful precision: What kind of panties is she wearing? How smooth is her skin beneath that skirt? What would it feel like to put his hands—

“Jesus, Adrian,” he muttered under his breath, turning away so fast he nearly knocked over a floral arrangement. He set the crate down harder than he meant to, jaw tight, fingers pressing into the wood to ground himself.

Get it together. She’s not yours. She’s not even looking at you like that. And even if she was— He cut the thought short.

He didn’t want to be that guy—the one who confused kindness for an invitation, vulnerability for permission. Natalie was being herself: unfiltered, open-hearted, real. That was the problem. It had always been the problem. He’d known her all his life, and he’d spent half of it shoving down things he wasn’t supposed to feel. Protectiveness, affection, desire... love?

No.

He shook his head as if that might physically knock the thought out of him. He couldn’t afford that sort of fantasy. Not here. Not now. Not when she was still looking for someone else to make him happy. He could see it in the way she watched him sometimes, eyes curious and thoughtful—like she was piecing together a puzzle. But she wasn’t the prize. She was trying to give it.

And it stung.

He let out a long breath and grabbed the next box, this one labeled with fragile lettering. As he walked it across the lawn, he forced his focus back to the tasks ahead. Decor placement. Lighting adjustments. Guest flow. Logistics. Anything but the image of her legs stretched just so or the low, intoxicating sound of her laughter echoing in the courtyard.

He didn't look up again until he was sure she was off that damn ladder.

“Next time,” he called out, voice dry, aiming for humor and missing it by a mile, “maybe let your assistant do the climbing. Pretty sure I signed a waiver somewhere that says I'm liable if you fall.”

It was safer to keep things light. Safer to let her think the only thing he saw was her checklist—not the way her presence was slowly, irreversibly unraveling the steel-walled fortress he’d built inside himself.​

 

[asetikish]

Natalie got down from the ladder to look at her work. There was a skew in one of the ends and she moved the ladder toward it to fix the skew.

"Hey, I'm not that clumsy!" Natalie said as she climbed to the skewed part. "I'll have you know I've never fallen off a ladder and I won't start now." She stretched the material a bit leaned back as far as she could go to check, the ladder creaking under her but steady, before nodding to herself.

"Besides, it's a nice view up here and I can see what you're doing." She turned around and true enough, she can see from the large living room they were transforming to the floor to ceiling wooden slatted doors opening up to the garden and the pool and to the beach, the midday sun overhead shimmering in the water.

From her vantage she found him sweating and huffing as he worked, his back to her. His sweat making his shirt cling to him outlining the muscled back he had underneath. And immediately, she saw him back in his swim trunks. Of course, she couldn't help secretly check him out. How could she? Not for the first time, she thought about running her hands down her back...on his chest and down his arms--and that was dangerous territory.

Distracted, her foot slipped as she turned back around but she caught herself, the clanging noise echoing throughout the property. And if Adrian looked up, he would be seeing a pair of red cotton panties as she slightly bent over to lean toward the wall where it was steady. She clutched the beams overhead and tried to get her mind focused. Really, a slip after she claimed she never fell off before! How embarrassing!

"So, Andrew and Sara will be coming in 2 weeks for their pre-nup photoshoots. I know Sara wants a lot of photos of them on the beach," Natalie said as she steadied her nerves. "Can I pick your brains on what Andrew might want? The photographer is going to do test shots in 3 days so we can show him around. He asked if we can be stand-ins so his team can position themselves accordingly."

There was something about thinking about work that was so calming. But if she had to admit, work had her green with envy. How do people find the one they wanted to spend their whole lives with? And when they find them, how do they let the other person know? How do they get together? Oh she heard their stories, and it always seemed they were both sure that they were the one. And with her lack of dating experience--and it being utterly traumatic with a playboy who preferred actual models--she was at a loss. Clearly reuniting with Adrian had made it worse. Not only could she not identify if any guy was the one for her, her heart was convinced that he had always been the only one and she could no longer see other guys.

And this despite knowing he was still looking for his fated pair.

She shook her head and started down the ladder. Maybe it was time for a break. Whip up some snacks in the kitchen and give her something else to think about.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Adrian froze at the sudden clang, his hands still gripping the delicate string of paper lanterns he’d been untangling for the archway. The sound echoed sharp and loud through the open space of the living room, cutting through the hum of the ocean breeze and distant birdsong. His head jerked up instinctively, eyes locking onto the ladder where Natalie was just beginning her descent.

She was fine—he could see that now. Her steps were steady, movements cautious, her face unreadable from the angle. But that noise... it had rattled him. He let out a quiet breath through his nose and returned his focus to the decorations, fingers resuming their careful work.

Still, his gaze drifted back to her just once more. A flicker of red fabric and the image was seared into his brain before he could stop it. Damn it. He blinked hard and turned away.

"Test shots in three days?" he repeated, adjusting one of the lanterns hanging from the support beam. He kept his voice casual, though his pulse hadn’t quite returned to normal. “If Andrew gets even one photo that makes him look like he wasn’t trying too hard, he’ll be thrilled. Sara’s going to be the focus—he knows that. He just doesn’t want to look like he’s trailing behind.”

He gave the string a gentle tug to even it out, then stepped back to check the symmetry. The decorations were simple but elegant—Sara’s style to a T. The whole property had that curated magic to it now, like something out of a catalog. But with Natalie here, alive in the space, it didn’t feel staged. It felt like something real was being built.

Adrian rubbed the back of his neck, glancing toward the kitchen where Natalie had disappeared moments ago. Probably off to make one of those snacks she always threw together like it was nothing. That domestic ease had always thrown him. She had this way of turning even a construction site into something warm, familiar.

He wondered sometimes—too often—what it would be like if she wasn’t just passing through his life again. If this wasn’t just another project. Another brief alignment before they’d split paths once more.

He bent to pick up the next set of lanterns, the soft paper cool under his fingers.

“You can pick my brain all you want, Nat,” he muttered under his breath, alone now with the drifting scent of sawdust and sea air. “But you have no idea what’s really on my mind.”​

 

[asetikish]

"That's so true!" Natalie called out from the kitchen as she made birria tacos from the leftover beef stew they had the night before. With the Mexican spices they bought it was easy to modify flavors and the smells in the kitchen started to waft around the house.

She tasted the soup and nodded to herself before turning off the burner and taking out the meat before blitzing the soup and spices in a hand blender. This would be better the next daw when she could take out the cold fat that would separate in the fridge and use it to fry the tacos.

"I'm thinking," Natalie called out as the noises of the kitchen does down and she took out the tortillas, "we can work with the photographer to help him make Andrew more comfortable. You know, like he can tell us what he's thinking, try it out and then you can tell him what would make the frozen groom shine a bit more. I'll do the same for Sara."

Putting on the finishing touches, she called out as she brought them out. She pushed some of the materials on the dining table with the tray to make room. The tacos fanned out with two dipping sauces on either side.

"I'll get some drinks. Want anything?" She paused looking at Adrian. The heat and humidity had them sweating a little and still, he didn't look as if he was running ragged with all the things she was asking him to do.

It still surprised her that despite his wealth and being brought up with an easy life, he could still do manual labor and hard work was not a bother to him. Truth was, she could call on people to do the work but, she didn't like the idea of having a lot of people about. Especially since at the rate they were going, they were going to finish earier than intended. Besides they only had a few weeks left and, selfish as it was, she wanted to have him all to herself before he left her life once more.

Natalie turned to the kitchen. After days of being with him, that was what she decided. If she couldn't erase him from her mind, then she would get her fill of him until it was time for the inevitable good bye. Before he went back into his high life. She considered whether it was a good idea to ask Andrew and see this girl who Adrian had been pining after. Almost, she relented but she remembered how he looked. The longing in his eyes, the vulnerability in his voice, and she knew that his happiness meant so much more.

"It will be my gift for bridging our friendship back," Natalie whispered at the refrigerator as she got their drinks. "I want to see your happy beginning."