You don’t plan on telling him right away. Not because it’s a secret—just because it’s fun to let some things unfold naturally.

Simon’s hands are warm on your waist, his breath teasing the curve of your neck as he murmurs something low and flirtatious against your skin. You giggle, caught in that electric space between teasing and giving in. The two of you are tangled on your bed, soft lamplight casting amber shadows on the walls, your heartbeat quickening with every shift of his fingers under your shirt.

“You’re so damn distracting,” he whispers, tugging the hem up, exposing the smooth skin of your stomach. He presses a kiss there, then another, and you arch slightly into his touch, breath catching.

And then it happens.

His hand slips higher, brushing the edge of your bra—then freezing when his knuckle hits cool metal.

He pauses, pulls back just enough to look at you, eyebrows lifting with surprise and something a little darker. “Is that…?” His voice trails off, eyes flicking to your chest like he’s trying to confirm what he felt.

You smirk, your pulse pounding in your ears. “Maybe.”

Simon blinks, then grins, slow and wicked. “Holy shit, woman.”

There’s heat behind his gaze now, something hungry and possessive. His fingers move again, more purposeful this time, tracing the outline through the thin fabric with reverence and curiosity. “How long have you been hiding these from me?”

You bite your lip, tugging your shirt the rest of the way off. “Long enough.”

The air between you crackles as his eyes land on your bare chest. The piercings gleam under the light, twin sparks of silver against your skin. You watch his expression shift—shock, awe, then pure desire.