Axel stood before her, so close that she could feel the heat radiating from his pecs.
"Eve, you've been smiling a lot tonight. If I can take a guess, I must be doing something right."
Evelyn says nothing. But her gaze never left him.
The fire popped behind them, and in that silence, she felt it; the steady rhythm of his breathing, the way his eyes softened when they met hers.
His hand rose, hesitated for a second, then rested lightly at her waist.
"Eve," he said softly, "do you know how long I've waited for this?"
She blinked. Her throat felt tight. "W-Waited for what?"
"For you to look at me like that." His voice held a gentle intensity that made her heart race even faster. "Without fear, without pretending you don't care."
Her lips parted, but she couldn't find any words.
Then Axel's hand slid up to her cheek, his thumb brushing the corner of her mouth.
"You always try to hide your feelings, but your eyes give you away."
"Do they?" she whispered.
