didn't s
ut that it wasn't going to stop. Her breath caught. Her heel slipped on the ed
swallowed
t of her, ribs locking up. Everything went quiet. The street, the noise, all of it just bl
lled forwa
sto
in the hood, stretched and strange. The windows were bla
t b
sed them. The tremor crept up, from fingertips to wrists, l
ine jus
wai
wat
legs. The smell caught in her throat, sh. Didn't back up. It just sat th
sideways off the curb, heart pounding, staring at the
r stay
cond, perfe
t roll
t was spooked or gui
on, uneven and loud, like it still di
er di
the sound of its tires fading away. Only when a stranger brush
e herse
shaking when she push
gh the tension. Her skin stayed tight, on edge, wait
er the door
he counter and frown
fumbling with her apron strings. They slipped once
ightened
ied to sound norma
l for what her body wa
e she was trying to puzzle something out. Then she said, a
s hands
at
er head. "The kind of polite that makes you
le ran down
name," Mia added.
denly felt w
leave
ead. "Just smiled and
ven though it was already tight.
ay
sound sure. Nei
gged on, refu
she could stop them. Every time a car went by, her eyes
s on a mug. Forgot an order she'd al
r muscles were knot
e she could talk herself out of it. Not because she wanted to
s low, voices blending in the background. Mateo slid in
, studying her. "So we drag
ask to b
dn't ha
her. The chill felt real, steadying. She focused on t
. Alex talked. Mateo cut in.
mething shifted. No sound, no sudden movement. Just a feeling. Like so
ned around her gla
there, steady, like he'd been waiting for her to notice. You couldn't read his face, not really. B
hed, calm, like he had all the time in
over. Stopped b
ois
ame, quiet
d at Alex and Mateo. "Good evening, Gentlemen." They answe
al you for
ed and nodded, barely trusting
m, felt him right there behind her, not touching, but impossible to ignore
in, brushed her collarbone and wrists. The noise from inside faded a
still rig
hitched. He
slow, eyes landi
e what you do to me. I've never felt like this. I keep telling myself to keep away, but I just can't. You ma
He couldn't w
closer, careful, leaving enough space
His hand drifted to her neck, then down her arm,
r eyes flu
Her hands found his jac
y got her name out
nodded. "Yes,
entatively. She clung to his jacket as the kiss deepened, warmth bloo
en
rack spli
overhead
d shot out, g
chandelier crashed down, smashing right
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