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The city buzzed around me as I stood just off Buchanan Street. The air was crisp with a faint chill, carrying the scent of roasted chestnuts from a nearby vendor.
Why is he taking so long? My lips curved into a small smile at the thought. Probably making some dramatic entrance, knowing him.
A sudden call of my name pulled me from my thoughts. I turned, my heart leaping at the sight of him. Aadam was running toward me, weaving through the bustling crowd, his smile wide and carefree.
His dark curls were windswept, his grey sweater slightly rumpled, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.
He wasn't wearing the sling anymore. Relief flooded me, but it was quickly replaced by something else-a warmth that spread from my chest to my fingertips.
He looked...perfect. Effortlessly so.
"Rose!" His voice was warm and filled with a joy that made my cheeks flush. Before I could react, he closed the distance between us, wrapping his arms around me.
"Aadam, wait, Put me down!" I squealed as he lifted me off the ground, spinning me effortlessly. The world blurred around us as his laughter filled the air.
"Not until you promise to stop looking like an angel sent to torment me," he said, spinning me in a full circle.
"Aadam!" I giggled, my hands clutching his shoulders. "Put me down right now. People are staring!"
"Let them stare," he teased, his voice dropping to a playful whisper. "Maybe they'll take notes."
My cheeks flamed as I swatted his shoulder, earning a mock wince. "Aadam Callahan, you're reckless."
"Reckless?" he repeated, finally setting me back on my feet, his hands lingering on my waist as he took a step back.
His touch burned through the fabric of my dress, and when I looked up at him, his gaze was molten, his eyes tracing every inch of me. "You're one to talk, dressed like that, making me run through the streets like a madman. You trying to kill me, sweetheart?"
I crossed my arms, trying to look stern, but his gaze had already melted away any resolve. "What are you even talking about?"
He stepped closer, his voice dropping into a low, teasing drawl. "This dress. You knew exactly what you were doing, didn't you?"
I blinked, utterly confused, until his hand brushed the fabric of my gown, trailing down the pristine white folds. His fingers were gentle but deliberate, tracing the lace details as if committing them to memory.
"You look... divine," his hand ghosted over my hip, voice dropping. "The kind of beautiful that makes people stop and stare. Except now I'm jealous of anyone who gets to look at you."
