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