AVALINE

My insides shuddered under his scrutiny as he regarded me with silent brutality.

“Poet, ours will never be a normal relationship,” he said in a low voice as if he were hoarding those words from others.

Tingles spread everywhere. I fought the urge to wet my lips. Ours? Relationship? I hated how my subconscious seemed to favor hearing those words together.

His breath smelled intensely minty. Yet another thing about him to be jealous of—early in the morning and he already looked ...