Page 67 of Taken By the Fae

“I spent the night at Oliver’s and didn’t feel like going to my place when I knew I’d have to come here later on, anyway.”

I arch a brow. “You stayed at the dorm? Things seem to be getting pretty serious with you guys. I mean, you haven’t known each other that long.”

His eyes narrow a fraction. “Say what you’re thinking, Aurora.”

I shrug. “I’m concerned, that's all. Oliver is one of my closest friends. I’m just looking out for him.”

He leans back in the chair, keeping his eyes on me. “Do you think I’m going to hurt him?”

I shake my head, recalling how he looked at Oliver the entire time we were at the bar. “I hope you won’t, but there are so many things he doesn’t know about this world that could hurt him.”

“We’ve barely hung out, so you can chill,” he says with an edge to his voice.

“All right, I’m not trying to piss you off, Max, but you can’t blame me for showing concern for my friend.”

He rolls his eyes. “Whatever.” He turns back to his computer, and I don’t exist anymore.

I shake off the bad mood talking to Max causes and walk down the hall to Tristan’s office. I knock and let myself in. “Tristan?” I call out, glancing around.

“He’s still upstairs,” Skylar says as she walks in from the connecting conference room. It’s the first time I've seen her since the attack, and she looks better than I was expecting, though her typically sharp makeup is missing and her hair is tied back instead of styled. She’s also not wearing heels, which is a first in the time I’ve known her.

“Oh, hey. I’m, uh, glad you’re okay.”

She nods, her lips almost forming a smile. “Thanks. Tristan is waiting for you.”

I nod and walk back to the elevator and ride up to the penthouse.

“I thought we said breakfast at the office, Tristan. I told you, I don’t think—” My voice stops working when my eyes land on Tristan in the kitchen with nothing but a towel tied dangerously low on his hips. My mouth goes dry, and I have to swallow several times before I can speak again. “What… are you doing?”

He grins slowly as I stare at him. “Making breakfast. Turns out I make better French toast than the hotel kitchen staff.”

“I don’t know what to say.” The thought of having a meal with Tristan in his home seems too normal, so why the hell am I so nervous?Because you want this like you’ve never wanted anything before, a voice at the back of my head offers, and it’s not wrong.

He chuckles. “I’m going to put some clothes on so you can focus instead of staring at me, and then we’ll have a nice breakfast before you get swept into gala prep.”

My eyes snap back to his, and I gape at him.

He smirks before walking away, and damn it if I don’t stare until he’s out of sight.

Once Tristan returns wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans, I sit at the counter on one of the barstools and watch him slice an apple. The whole scene is way too domestic, and it makes my chest ache with a longing I wasn’t expecting.I want this—normal mornings with sweet, delicious breakfasts and coffee from Tristan’s ridiculously fancy espresso machine.

Tristan pauses, exhaling slowly as he peers over at me. “Your emotions are loud this morning. Anything you want to talk about?”

My eyes pop wide, and I look away, heat crawling up my neck and making my scalp tingle.Shit. How much did he feel?Whatdid he feel? “Everything is set for tonight,” I say, hoping he’ll buy the swirl of emotions battling in my chest are associated with the event.

He shakes his head. “No work talk before breakfast.”

“What do you want to talk about, then?” My pulse is still ticking too fast.

“Tell me about school.” He drops the apple slices onto a plate with strawberries and blueberries before he whisks together eggs and milk for the French toast.

I grab a strawberry and bite into it. “I’ve been working on my resume and portfolio since the beginning of the semester so I can apply for positions right after graduation. My parents loaned me money interest-free so I could get my degree, and I’d like to pay them back quickly. There are several local companies I have in mind to apply to, and a few out of town as well.”

“Have you considered mine?”

I pause. “I didn’t know there was a position open.”

His lips twitch. “There isn’t.”

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