Alex’s POVI didn’t realize how tense I’d been until I heard her laugh.It was not the quiet, polite one she used in public or the fake one she had been using since I stepped into the apartment.This one was soft. The kind that slipped out before she could stop it.The coffee machine chimed and announced, “Brewing in progress,” in an overly cheerful voice, and Ariana blinked at it, then at me.“It does that every time,” she said, already embarrassed.I leaned against the counter, loosening my cuffs. “I think it’s charming.”She rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. God, that smile. It hit differently when it wasn’t forced.She handed me a mug, our fingers brushing briefly. The contact was innocent, accidental but it lingered in the air longer than it should have.We moved to the couch, sitting at opposite ends at first, mugs warming our hands. The city glowed outside the windows, dusk settling in like a held breath.“This place really is yours,” I said, breaking the silence.She tucked h
Last Updated : 2025-12-14 Read more