Mia wasn’t sure what caught her attention first—the way Damien’s gaze lingered across the courtyard or the quiet, commanding presence that seemed to fill the space around him.
At nineteen, she knew she shouldn’t notice him. He was older, mysterious, and far out of reach. But every time she passed his apartment door, her stomach fluttered in ways that made her cheeks heat.
Today, though, something was different. He appeared suddenly in the hallway, just as she returned from a walk.
“Hey,” he said, voice low, but with an edge.
Mia’s heart skipped a beat. “Uh… hi,” she stammered.
Damien smiled faintly, a knowing curl of lips that suggested he knew exactly the effect he had on her.
“You have been avoiding eye contact,” he noted. “Not that I mind. I like noticing things.”
Mia bit her li
