I don’t know this man. I have no idea who he is, but for some inexplicable reason, my heart sends out a warning thump through my ribcage at the sight. It’s loud and powerful and almost feels lost. Like one half of it is trying to run away from the man’s gaze and the other wants to leap into his arms and never let go.
The beating intensifies, making it difficult to draw a full breath, and I close my eyes, trying to calm my heart.
They don’t talk about how confusing your life will be after you borrowed someone else’s heart. They don’t explain how many times your body won’t feel like your own. For weeks, months, after the surgery I had to remind myself who I was. Every morning I’d wake up and feel something I’ve never felt before. Have these thoughts in my head that didn’t belong there. It was the price I had to pay for a life I was gifted. And I thought I finally had it under control, only to sit here and wonder how was it possible for my heart to be at war with itself.
Because everything about the man feels both familiar and not. Like I’ve known him in another lifetime but also someone who’s a complete stranger. And while my eyes might be curious, my skin, my heart and my head are flickering with awareness. With fuzzy memories I can’t quite decipher.
I’m sure I’ve never spoken to him. Right?
Maybe I’m projecting because I knew those good golden boys. I knew them…and this guy? He’s not one of them. Then why does he want to make us all believe otherwise?
I look over at Electra to see if she’s seeing the same thing, but my friend seems to be perfectly oblivious, smiling.
Damn it, Aurora, this guy is just a guy. Stop being ridiculous and stop finding loopholes in every next person you meet.
He must be one of Exton’s teammates, and I squint, trying to figure out if I can remember exactly which one, seeing as Emett talks about all of them nonstop. The guy does look vaguely familiar, but I can’t place him just yet.
Yet somehow it didn’t stop you from reading his attitude, Aurora. Or your heart from acting all chaotic.My helpful brain is being a smart-ass once again.
I shouldn’t care what he looks like or who he is, or anything else about him. And my heart? Well, that thing has been living its own life for five years now.
Shaking my head, I draw the blankets around me closer and turn my attention back to my son and Exton, determined to not care.
But a moment later, my lids drop over my eyes as that cold, bone searing wind comes back.Whip. Rumble. Crack, crack, crack. I suck in a deep breath as it pierces through the ton of knit fabrics and straight into my heart, making it beat wildly.
I don’t believe in magic, astrology, or other supernatural stuff. But I do believe in mother nature that’s been hell-bent on warning me. And that’s exactly what this is. I’m sure of it.
I haven’t felt anything like it since that night. And now it’s back.
My eyes snap to the newcomer; my breath picks up.Is it him? Are you warning me to keep away?The wind picks up, shaking me from the inside out.
I’m still reeling around my own wild thoughts when Electra smiles and waves him over to us.
I want to slap her hand away and whisper-hiss “Are you crazy? Don’t call him over!” But I guess not much has changed in all these years. She’s still determined to get me in trouble with all the pretty boys. I’m also not sure I’d be able to produce any coherent words at the moment.
He smiles back, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me as he rounds the car to the passenger side and pulls out a huge box with a big, red bow on top of it and strolls over to us with that same panther-like confidence that could be felt even through his car.
“Hey,” Electra greets him happily while I decide to act as if I’m not even here. Maybe he won’t notice me under all these blankets. Maybe I won’t pay attention to him or the damn wind that just won’t quit.
A second later, Exton comes to my rescue as he stops sharply, sloshing ice in every direction, including all over Electra, drawing all eyes to him.
“Asshole. What was that for?” She glares at him, wiping the ice off her face with her sleeve. Their relationship is truly so unique…
“You looked like you needed to cool off,” he grumbles, his lips barely moving as his eyes narrow into two thin slits watching the newcomer.
“Exton,” the guy says, and a ripple of goose bumps rakes over my body at the sound of his deep, warm voice. It’s the kind of voice that could melt a girl right on the spot. The most dangerous kind. “I see everything is as it was here? You are still your charming self?” He sends Exton a shit-eating grin.
“What are you doing here? Don’t you have a game…sometime soon.” Exton waves his hand dismissively, still frowning, and I realize he’s jealous of this guy standing next to Electra.
“We do tomorrow. But it’s against New York, and I had some free time today to make it out here to see you guys.”
“Mm-hmm, okay, you saw us, now you can go back.”
“Exton!” Electra smacks his thigh, and he shifts his attention to her, those brows not easing up even one bit. “That’s not nice.”
“Since when did you think I was?” he asks flatly.
“Apologize,” she says tightly.
