ross? He's like... mysterious, powerful, terrifyingly hot, and also your ex's unc

undy dress and you know it." She pushed

ti

. "It didn't m

an anythin

le

t have an ans

How his breath had hitched, just a little. How his hand twit

. Yet something in her wished it did.

-

tiny, dimly-lit bookstore near campus. She thought maybe th

hy aisle, flipping through The Second S

fr

eady knew she was there, and didn'

e now?" she said before

s. And then - warm. Just a flash. It left so qu

as you thought that was a good idea," he sa

t went dry. "It

didn't touch her. Not even close. He only s

s i

e way her sk

managed a f

why haven't you stopp

own man," she said, her voice shaking just sl

d in. "I

s breath

ook off the shelf - Anna Karenina, of

lp you understand what happens when peop

e in the past to look at him but right now, s

enina in her hands. Dominic Cross had just hande

walking away like he hadn't just tossed a brick of romantic traged

uma bonding in a bookstore and leave," she mutt

drop it," he said over his shoulder, without tur

uth parted.

you always talk to yourself in publ

talk to myself and alphabetize poetry." She never expected h

eyes. The tiniest lift at the corner

ou even doing here?" She has never seen

ense. A calculated move. Always just

ike the quiet. And the books," he added. "But I

in understanding.

iss," he corr

etween a groan and a whimper. "You were

kless," he

htened. "It wa

ound your ex's relatives? Kiss them in bars and then g

ot gaslighting myself. I am..

s brow. "By

stop me,"

voice droppin

ed between th

mposed. One would think Dominic Cross was still in his

epped back quickly, bumping into a shelf.

like that," she

, but didn't touc

mess you're tryi

a mess," h

tedly soft coming fr

inked.

ike a weather. The world that exist in peop

knees near

Throw the book at his head. Something. Anyt

weather metaphors at

ing her air. "No. Th

dacity! His perfectly carve

king sound that didn't resemble

possible,"

rare, full one tha

" he said simpl

ocess that when he reached

or what it's worth? I haven't s

en cautious about anything. The bell chimed behind

ore, holding Anna Karenina like a tragic Victori

out of nowhere like a judgmental ghost

nd let her head fall dramatica

going to s

ey. No one survives a Cross man