Thirteen Minutes Later
334 Words
Alana’s breath hitched, a tiny laugh escaping her despite herself. “You really like to make things complicated, don’t you?”
Michael’s lips curved in that subtle, knowing smile. “Not complicated… interesting. Life’s too short for ordinary.”
She wanted to tell him to stop looking at her that way—like he already knew her secrets—but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she busied herself with wiping down the counter, pretending it was entirely necessary.
“Do you… always come back after just one visit?” she asked, her voice lower than intended, betraying her curiosity.
“I come back when something—or someone—sticks in my mind,” he said, eyes darkening with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. “Yesterday, I was sure I wouldn’t. Today… I wasn’t so sure.”
She looked down at the strawberry cheesecake sample in his hand, suddenly feeling its sweetness was far too mild for what was happening between them.
“Why do you keep saying things like that?” she asked softly.
“Because,” he said, leaning just a fraction closer, “I don’t want to wait for fate to decide. I like to test it myself.”
The bell above the door jingled, pulling her briefly from the charged air between them. A late customer shuffled in, breaking the spell—but Alana didn’t move right away. She watched Michael take the hint with a quiet, amused glance, then turn his attention to the counter again.
When the customer left, the shop was theirs once more. Silence stretched—comfortable yet electric. Michael’s fingers grazed hers again, deliberate this time. Alana didn’t pull away.
“Maybe this is… the start of something,” she whispered, almost to herself.
Michael’s gaze softened, warm and unyielding. “Maybe it is.”
For the first time in years, Alana felt her carefully structured world tilt slightly. And she couldn’t help but wonder if she wanted it to fall.
- Writer
