ading to the terrace. It swung open, and the biting ch
shed cheeks, forcing her overheated brain to clear. She stepped out onto the wooden decking, letting the he
e. She set her empty champagne flute down on
dragged massive, desperate gulps of the crisp night air into her lungs. She focused on the physicau, her mind whispered cruel
a lighter's flint striking metal slic
y rigid. The hairs on the
her eyes wide, scanning the
l of the building, was a tall silhouette. The brief flare of a flame il
r
shifted, carrying the scent directly to her. It was an intoxicating, masculine blend of sharp c
ard, drawn by an invisib
exposing his forearms. There, etched into the tanned skin of his
i
ol with his wrist wrapped in a bandage. She had always told herself it was a coincidence, a meaningless number for a guy who collected meaningless
rette. He exhaled, a thick cloud of pale gray
now. His gaze was intense, heavy, and entirely unapologetic. He didn't look aw
st the brick wall. The movement was lazy, almost insolent. I
r leaving?"
her nerve endings. It was so casual, so utterly devoid of th
distance vanished. She felt like she was seventeen again, standing before
er. She forced her spine to straighten, pulling her shoulders back. She re
ng the sharp pain to fight back the overwhelming wave of memories. It's a coincidence, she
mmond," Dawn replied. Her voice was br
between them, a massive, impene
sound escaped his throat-a scoff th
king smirk. It was a cruel expression, one that complete
-smoked cigarette onto the wooden deck and crushe
rted walking
, the sound of leather hitting wood ech
re glued to the floor. She instinctively took a step backward, but her lower back immpersonal space entirely, using his massive height advantage to tower over her. His
ose and fell with rapid, panicked breaths. He noted t
ust inches from hers. The scent of cedar
urself?" Arlo murmured. His voice was dangerou
She tilted her chin up, refusing to break eye contact. She poured every ounce of her stubbornness into her gl/1/115676/coverbig.jpg?v=5732ab0909ca1552c66655a79f907e86&imageMogr2/format/webp)