," I wh

e he already knew what I was

ame-it wasn't fair. It curled into me, smoo

want to. His hands lingered a second longer befo

g his head slightly, concern

.. I wasn't expe

't a promise," he s

. F

drama, brushed it off like I always did with

feel lik

like p

strangers in cafés?" I asked,

s head. "On

ow what to

did when words failed-I

not

unter and offered the barista a no

said quickly, but he just loo

ant

ightly, but didn't comment as she rang us

of the café, he let me sit first. The

nk and tried to breath

t watc

sunrise he ha

ut me?" he ask

choked.

"You looked like you d

ea. "That's... bol

ot inc

rm it neither

nt, the hum of the café wrapping aro

ly at the amusemen

slowly. "I w

m wh

hispered. "Work. Lonel

d. "I wasn't expecting you

r w

swe

ess. I remembered the way his eyes had glinted when he mentioned the Forbid

riddles," I

gaze. "Only because the t

sk him what t

"I've been thinking a

have

y lights or the mystery of it all,

s fingers gently across the rim of

ust the lig

eath

Like what he wasn't saying m

admitted. "You feel... familiar. And

e," he

ked. "

wanted to know

glanced around a

you from?

iled.

answer."

truth."

eyes. "You'r

inches from mine. "And

uc

. "What's the one

e, something flickered in him. L

control,

of answer people gave in flirty conv

hy

e that's dangerous doe

ame s

angerous to me th

good at pr

ther I wanted to

n my eyes because he reached o

brushed my

steady and un

ye

inside me whisp

he books, the stori

ve can de

led away from h

I held on

could feel it in the shift of the wind, in the elect

and the world narrowed to golden eyes and tremblin

. Whatever he was

alling deeply i

e, just

lling in lov

swung open and the temperature shifted. Not from th

ntrance, and the breat

eyes that scanned the room like he could see through lies and skin. He had a confidence that didn't need

on our table a

mirk curving his lips. "You

htly, though his voice w

ched and turned those wint

ked. "

was-how steady. There was something about his touch that f

, Axel was like fire-bright, i

ing into the chair beside Bryson, his

ut the muscle ticking

hly, eyes still on me. "I just thought it was time

ened sl

at suppose

a sigh, but Axe

t he's usually

don't seem like someon

people who

here

a complimen

hether to pull

bove the café d

ely