sweet homely scent made tears prick my eyes and a

leave without getting th

hoked, wrapping her arms around me a

This was what I'd fought to avoid and now that I was

e did the same and I crouched right i

miling through the few tears I shed. "I'd rath

dressed in black when a bride is supposed to be in w

g in her eyes made it all feel worth it. I'd do it all over ju

you to worry about me okay? I'll be fine. You just focus on

m her eyes. "He's being cold to you, isn't

s cold and heartless as people described him judg

ough to bring me home, carry me in his arms when he realised my toes w

ood man who could be really warm if he wan

Ava. "I think he's just not a social butterfly and hon

t his perspective of me was. He'd literally seen m

ories. He probably thought I was a child, an immatu

abrupt with no farewell. If only he knew how much my family meant to me, he'

wipe away my tears. "Mom thought you'd be in a hurry if you dropped by, so we packed you a few things yo

ul smile. I trusted whatever they had packed would

people I knew. I just wasn't sure my outfits

seen her downstairs either when I entered t

before you got here with your father-i

iendly, but I knew Ava had a hard time getting comfortable with new people. That was w

asked her with a sm

's okay, but just a litt

troking her hair. She

e ever come back home s

ouple of times wasted. Her behaviour was worrisom

called. She said she'd call you and she went throug

nd yes, the mess she left in my closet was infuriating, but sometimes I didn't mind. I ba

Ava, letting go of her hand and standing u

in agreem

wore. She had better cosmetic products to help easily remove the laye

the pins in my hair, detangle it with a brush and styl

y drawstring pocket pants, a black letter-embroidered cropped

om, she was on her desk, wri

reflection in the mirror on her dresser and brushi

e with a soft giggle, "though I'll be blowing up yo

sweet kiss on her cheek. "You know I'll be looking forward to that

could read anything meaningful with

itten and tied them together with a ribbon together with a few

distract myself with over th

be a hustle getting her up and down the stair

of us, but it had to be done. We both ha

ase and small duffel bag, blinking away

face whatever lay out there, waiting t

gs, but before I could take more than three steps forward, a man in a black s

he entrance, taking a deep breath and thinking

eral or was he annoyed by me already?

rom the ground when I fel

self-conscious and erupted something fuzzy at the pit of my stomach,

e door, the sleeves of his black tai

and arms were, muscles bulging and relaxing visibl

the tiny creatures crawling everywhere on my sensual skin made it imposs

ands suddenly feeling sweaty as I rubb

, it's ju

nd straight from my private Pinterest board of aes

h the soft curls of his luxuriant black hair and I fel

n't sure he was completely aware of the way he

he opened the door and held i

. He was still looking at me. I could feel it and for someone who wasn

r, my eyes couldn't help but wander to his. I was

ath fan my skin, our breaths mingling. His breath was minty w

from the hip flask in his hand, but fro

re he lightly tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear, his fingert

oing? What wa

own slowly. I couldn't breathe. I had no idea what it was his hypnotic stare was doing t

I didn't know. I craved it desperately right now, something I secretly enj

u

see his lips moving, but they twitched slightl

lt disappearing as he suddenly stood up straight,

muttering a polite thank you befor

started moving and I just sat there, thinking of what had happened and how my body

restless now and didn't even

ntre before he began focusing on something on

ion so I focused on my phone instead, scrolling through my settings absent

er se after all, just surprised by t

a wig all along and how this was my natural

y figured tha

he silence was too uncomfortable and the temperature was too high. I

a seventeen-hour flight i