Elena’s Point Of View

The sound of my name on his tongue made something inside me jolt. I stared at him, unable to move, my breath lodged in my throat. His eyes stayed on mine, dark and relentless, and for a moment the boutique… the mirrored walls, the racks of shimmering dresses, the faint music floating from the front room, blurred into nothing. It was just him, too close, too still, too much.

My gaze flicked downward, a nervous reflex, and landed on his mouth. My heart skipped once, ...