Hermelyn sat on the small blanket spread across the sand, her knees drawn close to her chest as she hugged them lightly. Her hair was still a little damp from their swim, strands falling over her shoulder in loose curls. She tucked them away, failing each time, only for the loose locks to fall again.
Aldrich keeps staring at her, as if he had a problem.
The wind in the beach whispered like a soft lullaby. For standing tents, it brushes against the canvas walls and makes them sway in a rhythm. Like a heart that didn’t know whether to beat slowly or race too fast.
Aldrich sat just a foot away from Hermelyn, close enough for tension to swell in the air. The lantern between them glowed golden, casting shadows that danced over his jawline and highlighting the sharp angle of his cheekbones. H
