Ethan's POV
The Arak burned pleasantly down my throat, warming me from the inside. Ayu selected a piece of mango and held it to my lips. I took it slowly, maintaining eye contact as my lips brushed against her fingers.
"Tell me something you've never told anyone," she said, settling closer beside me on the lounge chair.
"Hmm." I considered. "When I was twelve, I accidentally set my foster kitchen curtains on fire trying to make crème brûlée."
Her eyes widened. "Why were you making fancy French dessert at twelve?"
"I saw it on a cooking show and thought it would impress this girl I liked." I laughed at the memory. "The curtains went up in flames, the girl never found out, and I was banned from using the kitchen torch forever."
"Poor little pyromaniac," she teased, feeding me another s
