CHAPTER 3
1561 Words
The moment Kora stepped outside the building, her eyes landed on the car first.
A black McLaren 750S sat parked at the curb like something pulled straight out of a billionaire fantasy. The sleek body reflected the city lights effortlessly, drawing attention from almost everyone passing by.
And leaning against it was Travis Wayne.
Her breath caught slightly.
Tonight, he wore all black again. Black fitted shirt with the sleeves rolled just enough to reveal the tattoos curling faintly around his forearm. Black pants. Black watch.
Danger wrapped in expensive black fabric.
His eyes lifted the second she appeared.
And just like that, the rest of the world faded into background noise.
For a brief moment, Travis simply stared at her. Not hurriedly. Not carelessly.
Slowly.
Intentionally.
It made heat rise beneath her skin.
The moment Kora stepped outside the building, Travis forgot whatever thought had been in his head before that.
She looked f*****g beautiful.
The soft glow from the apartment lights caught against her dark skin beautifully, making it almost impossible to look away from her. The dark green dress clung perfectly to her body, enough to make dangerous thoughts crawl through his mind immediately. Her long dark hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, straightened neatly, framing her face in a way that made her look both elegant and completely tempting at the same time.
And those eyes. Forest green that complemented her dress and skin tone perfectly.
He noticed them the first night at the party too. Soft-looking, expressive eyes that somehow still carried sadness beneath them if you paid enough attention.
Travis found himself staring a second too long.
No woman should’ve looked that distracting standing under ordinary apartment lights.
“You clean up nicely,” he said finally, his deep voice calm as ever.
Kora crossed her arms lightly. “That’s your version of a compliment?”
A small smirk appeared on his lips. “You want me to try harder?”
She hated how easily he made her nervous.
Travis pushed himself off the car before walking toward her, opening the passenger door himself.
The gesture caught her off guard.
Men like Travis looked like they were used to people doing things for them, not the other way around.
“Thank you,” she said quietly as she slid into the seat.
He nodded once before shutting the door gently.
The inside of the car smelled expensive. Leather, cologne, and something distinctly masculine that made her strangely aware of him the second he got inside beside her.
As Travis drove through the glowing streets, silence settled between them.
Not awkward silence.
Heavy silence.
The kind that felt like both of them were thinking too much.
Kora glanced out the window briefly before speaking. “So… do you normally ask random women out after staring at them across the room for an entire night?”
Travis’ fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel. “No.”
“Then what made me special?” she asked before realizing how that sounded.
His eyes flickered toward her briefly.
“You looked at me differently.”
Kora frowned slightly. “What do you mean differently?”
“Like you were trying to figure out whether I was dangerous.”
The directness of the answer made her chest tighten slightly.
“Are you?” she asked softly.
For a second, Travis said nothing.
Streetlights passed across his face, briefly illuminating the sharpness of his features before darkness swallowed them again.
Then he gave the faintest smile.
“You should probably decide that for yourself.”
Her stomach flipped.
God.
Everything about this man felt like a warning sign.
And somehow she still stayed.
The restaurant sat near the water, hidden high above the city with glowing lights overlooking the skyline below. Expensive. Private. Quiet.
Definitely Travis.
The moment they entered, people immediately recognized him. Kora noticed it instantly.
The subtle straightening from employees.
The respectful nods.
The careful distance people kept.
Power.
Again, not loud.
Just understood.
Travis rested a hand lightly against the small of her back as he guided her toward their table, and the simple touch sent warmth spreading through her instantly.
He noticed.
Of course he noticed.
His expression didn’t change, but there was something knowing in his eyes when he pulled her chair out for her.
“You seem surprised,” he said once they sat down.
“You don’t exactly look like the type to do… this.” Kora gestured vaguely.
“Be civilized?”
A laugh escaped her before she could stop it. “I was trying to say romantic.”
“Maybe I’m full of surprises.”
No.
Men like Travis weren’t surprising.
They were dangerous because they hid things too well.
The thought settled heavily in her chest.
A waiter arrived shortly after, and Travis ordered effortlessly without even glancing at the menu.
“You come here often?” Kora asked once they were alone again.
“Sometimes.”
“Do you own it too?”
One corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “No.”
“But you could.”
“Probably.”
The confidence in his voice should’ve sounded arrogant. Instead, it sounded factual.
Kora studied him quietly.
Everything about Travis Wayne felt controlled. His posture. His expressions. Even the way he spoke.
Like he was constantly restraining something beneath the surface.
And she couldn’t stop wondering what it was.
“You keep staring,” he murmured suddenly.
Kora blinked, caught immediately. “You noticed.”
“I notice everything about you.”
The words hit harder than they should have.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her glass.
“That’s a dangerous thing to say to someone you barely know.”
Travis leaned back in his chair slowly, his eyes locked onto hers.
“Maybe I don’t want to barely know you.”
The air between them shifted instantly.
Heavier now.
More intimate.
Kora looked away first, suddenly too aware of the warmth crawling beneath her skin.
This was exactly the kind of thing she should avoid.
Men who spoke too smoothly.
Men who looked too intensely.
Men who made her forget herself for even a second.
Especially men like Travis.
“So what exactly do you do?” she asked carefully, trying to redirect her thoughts.
There it was.
The slightest pause.
Tiny. Barely noticeable.
But she caught it.
“Business,” he answered calmly.
Kora narrowed her eyes immediately. “That sounds suspicious.”
A quiet chuckle escaped him. “It’s shipping.”
“Shipping what?”
“Depends on the day.”
That answer definitely sounded suspicious.
And somehow the amusement in his eyes told her he knew exactly what he was doing.
“You’re avoiding the question,” she accused lightly.
“And you’re very curious.”
“Can you blame me?”
“No.” His gaze lowered briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes. “Not really.”
Her breath caught slightly at the look in his eyes.
It wasn’t soft.
It wasn’t playful either.
It was hunger restrained behind control.
And suddenly Kora understood something terrifying.
If Travis Wayne ever truly lost control around her…
She wasn’t sure she’d survive it emotionally.
The realization should’ve made her pull away.
Instead, it only made her heartbeat faster.
Hours passed easier than she expected.
They talked about random things at first—music, terrible movies, traveling, Ivy’s chaotic personality.
And surprisingly, Travis listened more than he spoke.
But when he did speak, Kora found herself hanging onto every word.
Because underneath the calmness, there were pieces of him that slipped through occasionally.
Sharpness.
Dark humor.
Loneliness.
It was strange.
He sat in rooms like he owned them, yet somehow still looked detached from everyone inside.
Like he didn’t truly belong anywhere.
By the time they left the restaurant, the city had grown quieter.
Cold air brushed against Kora’s skin as they walked toward the car, making her shiver slightly.
Without a word, Travis removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
The warmth of it instantly surrounded her.
Including his scent.
“You don’t have to do that,” she murmured.
“I know.”
Again. Simple answer.
But something about it made her chest tighten softly.
As they reached the McLaren, Travis suddenly stopped walking.
Kora turned toward him slowly.
The look in his eyes made her heartbeat falter instantly.
Too intense.
Too focused.
Like he was trying very hard not to do something reckless.
“You’re thinking too much again,” he said quietly.
Her brows furrowed slightly. “What makes you say that?”
“Because every time you get nervous, you look away first.”
Kora swallowed softly.
It bothered her how quickly he noticed things about her.
“How long were you observing me at that party?” she asked carefully.
“Long enough.”
The answer sent warmth rushing through her all over again.
For a moment neither of them moved.
The city lights reflected faintly in his eyes as he stepped closer.
Close enough for her to feel his warmth.
Close enough that if she moved slightly forward—
“Kora.”
The way he said her name this time felt different. Rougher somehow.
Her pulse stumbled painfully against her ribs.
And for the first time in years…
She wanted someone to kiss her.
- Writer
