Page 25

ANYA

“So, when I was a kid I thought I could parachute from the loft to the first floor,” Henry says, my eyes widening in horror.

“Please tell me you didn’t,” I mutter almost pleadingly.

“Oh yes, I did. I still have a scar on my left foot,” he says and chuckles lightly.

“You were a mischievous child,” I comment. He nods vigorously, making me snigger.

“And then one other time—” He starts with another childhood story. I am so confused. There’s nothing wrong with him. I mean, normally, in romance novels—especially on Wattpad, when the female lead goes on a date with some other guy to ignore her feelings for the male lead—these guys somehow turn out to be a prick, and then the male lead appears, saving the day, and they finally confess.

But Henry is a good man, at least as of now. I mean, I should not judge so easily, especially on our first date. He’s too funny, charismatic, cute, and checks the same boxes as Ted Bundy, and I would be very disappointed if I fell into the trap of such a man considering how much I know about them. I sigh, nodding my head and smiling as if I am listening, but I am actually not because I can’t seem to stop thinking about Daniel.

I eye Henry. He’s a tall, lean, and nerdy guy, with messy brown hair that’s always slightly tousled, as if he just got out of bed. His face is angular, with a strong jawline and a constant smirk on his lips. But it doesn’t come across as cocky. Rather, it gives him a mischievous and charming appearance. His bright blue eyes sparkle with a hint of playfulness, and his lean muscles peek from underneath the soft fabric of his casual clothes. Overall, a good-looking man.

But he doesn’t compare to Daniel. If he can’t distract me from Daniel,God knows who can. What has he done to me? Is it black magic? No, what the hell is wrong with you? It’s simple: Daniel’s very attractive, and not just at superficial levels. He cares, and he is not afraid to show it. He is understanding. I don’t think I have ever felt uncomfortable in his company. Every time I spend time with him, I crave more and more. I scowl.

“Anya?” Henry says, his eyes laced with concern. “Are you alright?” he asks softly. I am being so pathetic. I am being unfair to a very polite man.

“Yes.” I laugh awkwardly. “I tend to zone out a lot. I am sorry,” I mutter munching on the fries we ordered.

“That’s okay,” he says, the soft smile never leaving his face. “How about you share your childhood stories now?”

“Oh no, you would run for the hills if you heard how wild I was.” I chuckle.

He shakes his head. “Please, I would love some entertaining stories.”

“Okay then. You asked for it.” I shrug and take a sip of coffee. “So, this one time I threw my grandmother’s gold earrings—” I begin, but Henry’s gaze moves over my shoulder and he stops smiling.

“Anya.” I don’t have to turn around to recognize that voice. I can identify it anywhere. It is Daniel. The only difference right now is that his voice is so cold, so chilling.

I turn around to look at him, his tall frame blocking out the light. He’s sweaty. It’s as if he ran here. His expression is icy and his jaw clenches. I can feel his eyes burning into me, a wave of heat spreading through my body.

His gaze shifts to Henry and his eyes narrow. There’s a dangerous glint in them, like a panther ready to pounce on its prey. I’ve never seen him look so intimidating before.

“Daniel, I am busy, Can we talk later?” I glare at him.

“No we can’t,” he says. “And you.” He points his finger at Henry. “Get lost,” he says, his voice too dangerous and low.

I gasp. What the hell? “Daniel, this is not a way to talk to someone,” I whisper-yell. What does he think of himself? This is not at all acceptable.

“What’re you doing here, Anya?” he asks, ignoring my lecture.

I put my hands on my hips. “Can’t you see I am on a date?” I roll my eyes. “And anyways, it’s none of your concern.” I huff. Daniel chuckles darkly.

“Excuse me—” Henry says, but he is cut off by Daniel.

“Listen, dude, get lost before I lose it.” I am taken aback by Daniel’s words, his tone cold and menacing. I’ve never seen him act so aggressively, but at the same time, it’s oddly …exhilarating. This possessive, jealous side makes me happy because it’s for me. He is acting this way for me. I open my mouth to respond, but he cuts me off with a scathing glare, his eyes burning into mine. A chill courses through me, and for a moment, all I can do is stand there silently, completely stunned by his intensity.

“I will leave, Anya,” Henry says, the smile on his face no longer visible.

“No, there’s no need—” But he doesn’t listen to me and walks off .

“What is your issue?” I whisper-yell. “Don’t you have any basic courtesy? Whatever you wanted from me could have waited for a while,” I say, folding my arms. “That was so disrespectful to him. This isn’t your court where everything must be run according to you—” He places a finger on my lips, and I shiver under his gaze.

“I don’t care, Firecracker,” he whispers and takes a step near me.

“I–You–” I start, trying to form a coherent sentence, but my brain seems to have malfunctioned.

Daniel takes another step closer, his chest almost touching mine. I can feel the heat radiating off his body. It’s almost intoxicating.

I push him away with all the courage left in me because I want him near me. I shouldn’t but I do. “I wasn’t done yet,” I say slowly. “You can’t just barge in and disrupt my date like this. What will he think? He was a nice guy—”

“Shut up, Anya,” he says, inhaling sharply. Daniel moves closer still, his breath hot against my cheek. “I do not fucking care what he or anyone else thinks.”

“You…you are behaving like a wild animal.” I stammer.

He ignores me and moves even closer, his body now practically pressed against mine. I suddenly feel small under his towering frame, his eyes intense and focused on me. It seems like every ounce of rationality has left my body, because I am enjoying his dominant presence that envelops me fully.

He leans in, our noses touching, and he whispers gently, “Push me away, Anya.” His voice sounds strained, as if he is in pain.

“I…I should,” I begin, but the rest of my sentence is lost as I look into his eyes. The way he is looking at me makes my heart drum violently against my chest. But my body betrays me. I don’t push him away. Instead, I lean in even closer, my fingers lightly tracing his chest, my breathing growing more ra gged as his scent fills my nostrils.

He closes his eyes. His nostrils flare. His breath is sharp and labored. He places his palm on my waist, drawing me impossibly closer, his touch possessive, demanding. With the other hand, he grabs my chin, firmly tilting my face up to look into his eyes. “Don’t test my patience, Firecracker.” He grunts.

As his fingers grip my chin, a mixture of desire and annoyance burns through me. I feel vulnerable, at his mercy, and in some twisted way, it turns me on.

“Fuck it. I gave you a chance,” Daniel says and presses his lips against mine. My eyes widen. I gasp into the kiss, and my body immediately responds to him, leaning and melting against his muscular frame. I can feel his hand move down from my chin to my throat, the other hand still holding my waist possessively.

The kiss is rough and demanding, completely different from the soft, hesitant kisses I’ve shared with other guys in the past. Daniel’s kiss is more like a claim, a declaration that he owns me, owns my body and soul. His tongue demands entry as his teeth graze my lips, and all thoughts of resistance are replaced by a desperate need for more.

“Mm.” I moan softly, unable to stop the sound from escaping my lips. The sound fuels his hunger, and he deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth as if he’s desperate to devour me whole. I feel myself getting lost in the moment, my body responding to every touch, every movement. I moan quietly, my tongue intertwined with his in a dance of desperate need.

Daniel’s grip on my throat tightens, his thumb pressing into my skin, a silent command for me to surrender. And I do, my body submitting to his command, as if it’s completely out of my control.

The kiss breaks, and I find myself gasping for air, my chest heaving against him. I take a step back and pat my chest, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat. I look around. There is a group of girls giggling, and it makes me blush.

“Anya,” Daniel whispers, his voice thick. I can’t see him; not now, at least. Because I don’t trust myself around him anymore, now that I have allowed him to kiss me. Oh my god, I just kissed Daniel. I look up at him, my eyes wide. My hand flies to my mouth as I cover it and gasp. He takes a step closer to me, and I move backwards.

“No,” I say. I pick up my purse, put some bills on the table, and walk away from him. I can hear Daniel follow me, but I don’t turn around, and he doesn’t stop me either. I am grateful for that. My mind is still so hazy. I just want to go and lie down on my bed and sleep. Or overthink. But I guess the reality is that’s all I will ever be able to think about: his lips.

∞∞∞