Page 56 of Bear Naked Truth
Instead, he stepped back.
“Alright,” he said softly. “But know this, Autumn Sinclair—there ain’t a day coming where I stop waiting for you to find your way back.”
Her breath caught, and her lips parted like she wanted to say something—anything.
But instead, she turned and walked upstairs.
And Dorian stood there in the silence, in the hollow space she left behind, and told himself it wasn’t the end.
Just the part where the roots had to hold fast while the wind tested the branches.
29
AUTUMN
The bell over the door at The Spellbound Sip gave a soft chime as Autumn stepped inside, hugging her coat tighter around her frame.
It was warmer than she expected with its steamy windows, low golden light, the scent of sage and citrus steeping in the air like memory. The walls hummed with enchantment, just beneath the music of ceramic mugs clinking and chairs scooting on the tiled floor.
And laughter.
So muchlaughter.
It wrapped around her like a hug she didn’t know she needed, and all at once, she wanted to leave. To run. To disappear into the fog outside before she could feel too much again.
Instead, she walked toward the corner booth by the window—her booth. The one Nico had once enchanted to make your tea taste like whatever emotion you were pretendingnotto feel.
She sank into the cushions and glanced around, chewing on the inside of her cheek.
Everywhere, couples filled the little shop.
Nerissa stood behind the bar with Walin, and Walin, who still hadn’t figured out he was magical, was clearly tryingnotto blush every time their hands brushed over the pastry trays. Across the room, Markus and Rowan shared a book between them, leaning in close enough to whisper but never quite touching. At the fireplace, Rollo and Delilah of all people were playing chess, and somehowstillmaking it look like foreplay.
Autumn curled her hands around the mug that had already appeared in front of her—no order placed, no words needed.
The drink was dark red. Smelled like plum and pepper and something just a little too sweet.
“Truth tea,” Nico’s voice said behind her, soft as velvet and twice as smooth.
She didn’t look up.
“Thought that booth had been looking a little lonely.”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly.
They snorted and slid into the seat across from her anyway, brushing non-existent lint from their maroon blazer. “Oh, honey. That was the most aggressively false ‘fine’ I’ve heard all week—and I once watched Cassian try to pretend he didn’t cry during a Hallmark movie.”
Autumn stared into her tea. “I told him I was leaving.”
Nico’s brows lifted. “Ah.”
“He didn’t stop me.”
“He wouldn’t,” they said gently. “That’s not who he is.”
“I thought that meant he didn’t care.”
“And now?”
