AvaThe first thing I became aware of as I drifted back to consciousness was the unforgiving crick in my neck and the numb tingling in my legs from having fallen asleep in an awkward position. The second thing I noticed was the excruciating pain in my lower back, right where a spring in the couch ha
“Morning,” he murmured, his lips brushing the tip of my ear. “Need some help?”I turned my head slightly to peer at him over my shoulder, feeling myself bristle at his closeness. “Chris—” I began to tell him that we shouldn’t be so intimate, but the words died on my lips. No, I thought to myself. No
AvaThe aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air as I set the tray of mugs on the kitchen table. Ophelia and Leonard shuffled over, looking a bit worse for wear after our late night; meanwhile, Chris lingered off to the side, busying himself with flipping pancakes on the stove—although
I glanced at the others, then nodded hesitantly. “Of course,” I said, standing. As we stepped out into the hall, I couldn’t help but notice the curious looks Ophelia and Leonard exchanged. But they didn’t say anything, and I was grateful for that.Once we were alone, Chris turned to me, his brow cre
AvaI stepped into the ballroom, my heart pounding in my chest. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes and the low thrum of music drifting in from the adjoining room. Everywhere I looked, beautiful women in extravagant dresses milled about with glasses of champagne in their hands, ch
I didn’t answer. Instead, my gaze drifted over to where Chris now stood with Amelia, the two of them engaged in what looked like an intimate conversation. As I watched, Chris threw his head back with laughter at something she said, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that always made my he
ChrisDespite everything—despite the search party, the dead Omega girl, the ball, the bachelorettes—I couldn’t seem to get Degas’s proposal out of my head. It kept swirling around in my mind like a dark storm cloud, taunting me relentlessly. It slipped into my dreams, left my head spinning, made me
AvaI swayed to the orchestral music, the man’s arms around my waist as we moved across the dance floor. He was being perfectly chivalrous—keeping an appropriate distance, making polite small talk about the decor and the musicians. He had introduced himself as Patrick, a member of Moonrise pack who