The morning light slipped through Hriva's curtains like golden threads, delicate and slow. Her eyes opened with the kind of softness that only followed a night that still lived in her chest. She didn't move right away. She just laid there, her fingers curled in the blanket, replaying his voice.
"I want you to be mine."
Those words. That voice. That moment.
She touched the bracelet on her wrist-the tiny guitar charm cold against her skin. Her thumb ran over it, over and over, like she was afraid it might vanish if she didn't remind herself it was real.
They were… official now.
Girlfriend.
Jake's girlfriend.
The title felt strange on her tongue, but in the best way. Like trying on something expensive and realizing it fit perfectly.
A buzz broke the silence. Her phone.
Jake: You awake?
She smiled immediately, already typing back.
Hriva: Barely. Still dreaming of picnic views and sandwiches.
Jake: I'm dreaming of you. But that's nothing new.
She paused, heat blooming in her chest.
Hriva: That was smooth.
Jake: I've got more. Want coffee? Or breakfast? I could pick you up.
She stared at his message, grinning like an idiot. There was no hesitation in her fingers this time.
Hriva: Pick me up. I want both.
Twenty minutes later, he was outside.
She caught him leaning against his truck, arms crossed, the sunlight tracing the edge of his jaw. He looked up the second she opened the door, and something passed between them-unspoken, but powerful. That newness. That spark. That dizzy high of knowing they'd stepped into something different now.
"Hey," he said, voice low and warm.
"Hey yourself." She pulled her jacket tighter. "You're early."
"You're beautiful."
She blinked, lips parting. "That's not what I said."
"I know," he smirked. "But it's what I noticed."
They locked eyes. Just for a second. Just long enough to feel it-that magnetic pull that made the space between them shrink.
Jake opened the door for her again. "M'lady."
Hriva grinned as she climbed in. "If you keep this up, I might start expecting royalty treatment daily."
"You deserve it daily."
She turned to look at him. Not teasing. Just... moved.
And again, that silence filled the space between words. Not awkward. Not empty. Just charged.
They didn't go to a fancy café or a busy diner. Jake drove her to a quiet corner of the city-an old brick building with ivy crawling up the sides and warm light spilling from the windows. The sign above the door read Crimson Bean.
Inside smelled like cinnamon and roasted coffee beans. The air was warm, cozy, kissed by the hum of soft music and the low murmur of people in love with their routines.
They sat at a corner table by the window. The sun hit his face just right, and Hriva found herself staring.
"I can feel you staring," Jake said, sipping his coffee.
"You look like a painting right now," she admitted.
His eyebrow lifted. "A good painting, I hope?"
"The kind someone would steal from a gallery."
Jake laughed. "Wow. I think I just fell in love with that line."
"I think I just fell in love with this moment."
The words slipped out before she could stop them. Her heart paused, terrified-but Jake didn't flinch.
He leaned forward, voice hushed. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
He reached across the table, his fingers brushing hers. "We're in trouble, aren't we?"
"Why?"
"Because I think I'm falling too fast."
Her breath hitched.
She didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
Her hand turned, fingers curling with his like they'd been made for it.
They walked after breakfast. Just wandered. Down city streets, through little parks, past flower stands and street musicians. They didn't talk the whole time. Sometimes she leaned into him and listened to the rhythm of their footsteps in sync. Sometimes he just watched her from the corner of his eye like she was sunlight he couldn't believe belonged to him.
At one point, she slipped her hand into his again-no warning, no smile. Just a quiet gesture that made Jake exhale like he'd been holding his breath all day.
Later, he bought her a small paper-wrapped bouquet of lavender and jasmine.
"No reason," he said when she asked why. "I just wanted your hands to be holding something beautiful."
She looked up at him, and for a split second, she thought she might cry.
Not because of the flowers. Not because of the walk. But because of how he made her feel.
Like she was being seen. Like no part of her had to hide.
By the time he dropped her off, the sun was dipping low, casting the world in amber.
"I don't want to say goodbye yet," Jake said as she stepped out of the truck.
"Then don't."
He smiled, but didn't move. "I should let you rest."
"Why? Planning to exhaust me tomorrow?"
Jake's gaze darkened-just slightly. Playful. But intense.
"You have no idea," he murmured.
Hriva's breath caught.
There it was-the shift. The tension. The hunger beneath the comfort. His voice wrapped around her like heat, and for a heartbeat, neither of them spoke.
Then she reached for his shirt and tugged him forward, just enough to press her lips to his.
It wasn't rushed.
It wasn't explosive.
But it was deliberate.
And in that kiss, there was promise.
That this wouldn't stay soft and innocent forever.
That fire lived just beneath the surface.
And it was coming.