ian's confession passed mo

ot uneasily. Jus

irectly-but it lingered in the way Adrian looked at me now. In the way his gaze softened when he thought I wasn'

felt i

d. When I placed his forgotten files neatly by the door. When I notic

im had becom

zation fri

-

as in the living room, folding laundry, when the front

immediatel

surprise flickering acros

tment," I said. "My m

acket. Something was off-I

t tea?" I a

"Yes. That w

aned against the counter, eyes closed briefly, as

p, our fingers brushed.

nse," I sa

his eyes

ait

en pressure. My board thinks I

htened. "Bec

arply. "No. Becaus

s in his tone

continued. "They don't like that I leave events early. They don't li

ser. "And wha

I like coming home and knowing someone is h

ettled deep

e," I said softly. "You'

. "That's not how

rld needs to change

een us-not tense,

-

ited me to another event. Sm

stay long," he said.

use you

e I wa

gre

lled with polished wood and soft lighting. This

y eyes followed

n I not

oom-tall, elegant, composed. Her ga

hed without

id smoothly. "It

e stiffene

ai

to me slowly, assessing.

polite smil

her eyes. "I didn't rea

icly," Adrian replied calm

rest

her head. "Y

wn," he c

back to me. "And

sure how to answer, b

on," he said firmly

rt

through me-and tens

d briefly before smoothing.

ents later, leaving beh

asked quietly on

ly. "Someone from my past. Someone

g to you?" I asked, surprised

e fully. "Not

eath

" he added quietly.

love, I

-

drian stayed closer to me than usual. His hand brushe

ive remark about my background, Adrian'

id calmly. "And I will

hat followed

at him,

ight sky, I finally spoke.

said firml

ntense but gentle. "You dese

n my chest, thick

.." I wh

ands on my shoulders. "I don't know where this leads," he sa

d my vision.

mean

-

awake, I realized

tanding beside

ming his s

ed to when the worl

e he didn't ha

for him, I was find

d, wasn't about

tood when everything els

ew where

besi