Phantom Rider: The Aftermath | Book 1

Forget-Me-Not

Mila's POV

"Honey, wake up!" His soft voice in my ear made me hold on to the dream a little longer. His lips traveled up my neck in search of mine. I turned to him and leaned into his hug, pulling him closer by the waist. His kiss tasted like peppermint. How long had he been awake already?

I opened my eyes, half-dreaming. He still had a bruise under his eye, but even with that, he looked like he had never been in a fight. So sweet and gentle, like he could never hurt anyone.

"Wake up," he whispered. "I want to take you on a date. You know..." I interrupted him with another kiss. "... so the bus ride isn't our best date anymore." He brushed my hair from my face and got out of bed. Then I noticed he was already dressed, looking effortlessly handsome in black pants and a white linen shirt, sleeves rolled up. I ran my hand down his arm. Oh my God...

"I was thinking..." He gently pulled me out of bed by my legs, kissing my chest. "You've had it all - fancy restaurants, flowers, gifts... There's nothing I can give you that you don't already have."

"Bill, no, don't..." I said, my fingers tracing circles on his shirt.

"Hush," he said, getting me to stand up next to the bed. "I am not complaining, just observing. I will figure you out."

I put on the same outfit Georg gave me earlier. I looked up at him. "Beauty and the Beast, huh?"

"I can be your beast if you want to," he laughed, pushing me back in bed.

"No, silly, I'm the beast!" I glanced down at myself, smoothing my clothes.

He brushed my cheek. "You're beautiful. But if you want, I can ask Taylor for something else. I am sure she has a lot of clothes," he said so casually, ruining my mood in an instant.

"No, don't wake her up. I am fine, it's not a big deal." I didn't want to meet her, let alone wear her clothes.

We sneaked out of the apartment, trying not to wake anyone. The fresh morning air was warm, the sun just peeking over the horizon as the city slowly came to life. We found a small café in the city center. People hurried to work as we drank our coffee on the terrace, eating breakfast toasts and watching the city wake up.

"Shops will open soon. Can I take you clothes shopping?" He smiled, patting my hoodie.

I suddenly felt shy. For some reason, I felt he might judge me while I picked my outfits. I had never shopped with a man before. I preferred men to wait outside or at home. But he proved me wrong.

The sales assistant wasn't much help, seeming more annoyed by my English than willing to help. So, he took charge, excitedly bringing me outfit after outfit, helping with zippers, and finding the perfect items. I chose a few dresses, jeans, a lace shirt, high-heel shoes, sneakers, and a new bag. He even got us both sunglasses to "blend in."

He was ready to buy the whole shop for me. "We don't want to carry all those bags with us," I had to stop him.

We got on a tram, and he seemed to know where we were going. "Let's go on a little hike. You might want to put those sneakers on."

We got off the tram and walked up the hill, mixing a bicycle road with stairs. We walked slowly, talking about small things, without a care in the world.

"I know your favorite foods, favorite color... What about flowers?" he asked.

"I hate roses," I admitted. "But I love spring flowers, the ones you find outside, lilacs, and especially 'forget-me-nots' - those small blue and purple flowers you can't put in a vase but enjoy while they bloom in meadows during spring. They remind me of childhood."