I study him. “You tell me.”
Another shrug. A casual roll of his shoulders.
But it’s different. Not the sharp, commanding kind I’ve seen on the sparring field. Not the coiled tension of a warrior gauging a threat.
This is something quieter. More deliberate.
And then it clicks.
The way he justhappenedto sit next to me.
The way he let Kieran walk off without a word.
The way his fingers rest behind me on the log—close, but not quite touching.
I tap my fingers against my knee, keeping my tone light. “You showed up fast after Kieran arrived.”
I catch it—the flicker in his gaze. The subtle tension in his jaw. Gone in an instant.
He exhales slowly, watching the branches sway overhead.
“You always this observant?”
I smirk. “You always this obvious?”
His eyes flick to mine—sharp. But there’s something else there too.
Heat. Amusement. A quiet challenge.
I shift slightly, edging a little closer.Testing.
He doesn’t move. Just sits there, perfectly still. At ease. Watching me with that maddening, patient calm. Like he’s waiting for something.
And I hate that it’s working.
I lean back, one brow raised. “You think messing with me isfun?”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “You make it easy.”
My stomach flips.
Not because of the words. Because ofhim. Because I know this side of Thane. The one who commands without raising his voice. Who fights like fire made flesh. Who was born to win.
Even if what he’s trying to win . . . is me.
But this? This isnew.
He isn’t holding back anymore.
And just like that, my pulse stirs—like I’ve wandered too close to the edge of something I didn’t realize I was approaching . . . until it was already beneath my feet.
I scoff, shaking my head. “I know what I saw.”
Thane exhales through his nose—holding back a smirk.
I stretch out my arms, letting my fingers brush against the soft grass.
“If I didn’t know any better,” I murmur, “I’d think you were trying to make a point.”
