Page 129 of King of Envy

“Did you know smell is more closely tied to memory than any other sense because of the brain’s anatomy?” I rarely got a chance to talk about this particular hobby, and the words spilled out without thought. “Touch, taste, sight, hearing—those all pass through the thalamus first before they’re relayed to the relevant parts of the brain. But scents bypass the thalamus and go straight to the olfactory bulb, which is directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus. It’s why…” I trailed off, my face heating. It was his birthday, and here I was, going on and on aboutmyhobby. “Sorry. I’m nerding out.”

It’s okay. I like hearing you nerd out.A smile ghosted Vuk’s mouth.What was the last perfume you bought?

He seemed genuinely interested.

I cast my mind back to my last purchase. “Snow and pine,” I said. “Finland. I did a photo shoot for Stella Alonso’s winter collection there last year. I didn’t have enough free time to stay and explore after, so I didn’t get to see the Northern Lights, but the mountains were so beautiful I had to get a souvenir.”

We dallied at the shop for a while longer until our stomachs rumbled. We were about to leave when an idea sparked in my head.

“Can you wait for me outside?” I asked. “It’s gotten so crowded in here, and I have to use the restroom.”

I pretended to head to the restroom until Vuk was gone. Once I was sure he couldn’t see me, I doubled back and grabbed what I was looking for. I made sure to bypass the rude sales associate from earlier when I paid.

I walked out a few minutes later, shopping bag in hand. Vuk looked up from his phone, his eyebrows arching again when I thrust the bag at him.

“This is for you,” I chirped. “It’s a thank-you present. For saving my life.”

He stared at the bag like it was a viper waiting to strike.You didn’t have to get me anything.

“I wanted to. It’s nothing fancy, but the scent reminded me of you.”

He still didn’t take the bag.

A twinge of doubt set in. Had I made a mistake? Should I have left it alone and not gotten him anything at all? I’d framed it as a thank-you gift instead of a birthday gift, but maybe presents in general were a trigger for him too.

“If you don’t like cologne, I can return it,” I said uncertainly. “Don’t feel like you have to?—”

No. I want it.Vuk swiftly removed the bag from my grasp.

I bit back a smile. “Open it.”

He did, his expression wary. The sleek black bottle with silver engraving matched his majority-black wardrobe perfectly. It’d caught my eye when we were browsing, and the scent notes were perfect for him too.

I pointed them out on the packaging. “Soft woods for the mountains, which you said you liked. A hint of rum because you run a liquor and spirits company. Vanilla, for warmth and comfort.”Which is what you mean to me.I was too shy to say the last part out loud, so I hoped he picked up on my underlying meaning.

Vuk turned the bottle over his hand. He didn’t say anything.

“I wasn’t sure what types of scents you liked, so I guessed.” I shifted my weight from foot to foot. The sun was unbearably warm against my skin. “You totally don’t have to wear it. I just thought it would be nice for special occasions. I don’t think you smell bad or anything.”

For the love of God, stop talking.When I was nervous, I rambled, and I was rambling a lot.

Vuk’s small smile left my insecurities in the dust. I’d forgotten how beautiful he was when he let his guard down. His whole face softened, making him look years younger than he was.

Noted. He placed the cologne back in the bag.

“Thank you,srce,”he said. “I love it.”

I smiled back, my giddiness taking flight. “You’re welcome.”

We resumed our walk. We were both hungry, and Vuk didn’t want anything fancy, so we stopped at the nearest fast casual restaurant for pizza (him) and a veggie burger (me).

“What doessrceorsrce mojemean?” I asked toward the end of our meal. “You keep calling me that.”

Vuk finished his slice without answering.

“Hello?” I waved my hand in front of his face. “Earth to Vuk.”

He swallowed and wiped his mouth.It’s better if you don’t know.

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