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I saw Aiden’s face in the café e first ht with mischievous curiosity When he first smiled at me, I’d s his The tione for a walk and fallen asleep in Willow Park Aiden’s beautiful face greeteda shoulder to lean on Our first kiss, in his backyard The way he had confessed how he felt, delivering words that could have been stolen froat one of the few men who’d been able to claim my heart

"I don’t blah quivering lips "I needed you to know before you left…I still don’t agree with your decisions, but I understand"

"Thank you, my Gwen" He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss tomy shoulder "I never deserved you, but that won’t stopaway ined watching hio My feet itched to run after him, clutch his hand and follow hi intohi a piece of me with him I could already feel the hole where the piece should be, leaving ainst olf ball sized lued ins co to move further He looked over his shoulder, but wouldn’t lio?" I needed to knohere he would be so I could visualize hi o home to Italy So I cannot return there It’s between Norway and New Zealand; I haven’t decided Check the mail"

He began walking, stopping at the railing on the far side I held e his mind and stay His body was still, his head tilted up as if looking to the stars for answers And then he ju the short wall asand my eyes searched the space below Off in the distance I saw a silhouette walking down an empty street and I knew this hts

"I love you," I whispered

Aiden turned, though he was at least three blocks away He stopped in thehis face I couldn’t ined they were as miserable as mine

"And I you,it inas he turned around and disappeared aht of hi freely down my cheeks; my heart too upset to race as quickly as my mind was I hadn’t heard any footsteps but flinched when hands fell onto find Aiden returning Instead, Lauren nodded toward h a sob "He actually left" Up until it happened I hadn’t realized I didn’t really expect hi

"I knoeetie," Lauren said, wrapping her ar any a ainst her shoulder as I came to terht spilling from the French doors I lifted e fra and lost in this moment that was bound to throw both of our worlds of their axis I couldn’t pretend to knohat Dorian was thinking, but I knew netic pull we held for each other was undeniable, but we both kneasn’t on the level of what I felt for Aiden

Maybe in ti far more complex than raw attraction, butfor you," Lauren said and I released her fro one last look toward Dorian just as he walked away

Lauren re aa finger overthe envelope to ive you some space, but if you want to talk just leta smile on my face When she turned and walked away, I went to the railing and watched all of the people completely oblivious to my heartache My eyes trailed up to the star-encrusted sky as a soft breeze brushed against the wetness of my cheeks II could to take down Holly and take care of the VC I’d make my decision worth all the trouble it had caused

Chapter Nineteen

My eyes fluttered open I found myself back in the bedroo up, I rubbed a hand across oing to bed I spent the night on the patio just staring at the envelope Aiden left e to open it Somewhere between my contemplations I must have dozed off

I reached over and turned on the bedside la yet The soft glow illuh for ht slipping beneath Swinging ripped the mattress in both hands and took a moment for the last of my sleepiness to dissolve

The bed creaked when I stood I was still dressed in hacross the rooht and then left down the hallway All of the doors were closed, except for the bathrooe of the sink and stared at s and my skin looked paler than normal My dark hair was disheveled and in serious need of awith a brush, but I couldn’t find theto the bathrooroo the corner, my eyes searched for the source of the beautiful ether to for rooh the sheer curtains Still, theslow steps, I ventured further into the roo to find soreeted rew heavy, seduced by the peaceful cadence of the orchestral lided open, a soft breeze washing into the roo my face I squinted as I tried to understand how they released by themselves The as timid, unable to force such heavy doors open

Not an ounce of fear resided withinlullaby resounded in edon their own accord I couldn’t feel the pressure of , I stared down at h, ood inch,notes

My hand reached out,the sheer curtains away They danced in the wind like graceful ballerinas welco rather, onto the patio, my eyes found the silhouette of a man on the far side I couldn’t say what he looked like, eithertricks on me The outline of his body was that of a man, but when he turned to face e of colors, weaving and dancing in a wave to the rhyth forward like it was controlled by thein front of me I clasped his offered palm and my skin filled with pins and needles as soon as I made contact Still, fear eluded me My head filled with fluffy, sleepy clouds Themy hand held in the air between us With a quick twirl, he spun rew louder, wrapping around lided with iddiness he caused consuht his opened pallittery musical notes floated out of his hand and danced in the space between us Myup, dancing toward the night sky where they evaporated, leaving behind litter to rain down I held outconfetti

"You and I have litter, I stared transfixed at the sound of his voice It was definitelythan the music he used to lureto keep focus on him

I tried to speak, to ask hinals ainst ray backdrop Travel through the deserted hills until you reach the top Only when the s should you stop"

My eyes were fully closed now, mesmerized by sound of his voice He released ainstwith it soiness And I opened inal spot, his back turned toward me Only, when he turned around this ti black robe, the hood obscuring his face from detection