Poison Rose

60 - Wanna Know

Liora's neck and back ached after spending hours in the same position though the couch she sat on was quite comfortable. She stretched her neck and twisted her body to hear the cracking sound of her tensed bones. She had just placed the third brochure on the table when she heard a soft knock on the door. She turned, her eyes widening in surprise as Donovan entered the room.

"Nova!" she exclaimed. Her excitement was bright as she jumped up from the couch.

"What are you doing here?" Liora asked, unable to contain her excitement.

Donovan's lips curved into a small, almost shy smile. "I'm following your lead," the words slipped out his mouth effortlessly.

Liora, still processing his sudden appearance, blinked up at him with her large, doe-like eyes. "How did you know I was here?"

Her voice was filled with curiosity and just a touch of disbelief as she asked, "You too want to buy something, do you?"

Donovan let out a quiet chuckle, his hand raking through his hair in a rare moment of nervousness.

"Well, I didn't come to shop," he admitted as he locked his eyes onto hers with sincerity. I came to see you. When I heard you were here, " that made Liora's heart skip a beat.

Liora's surprise deepened, her cheeks flushing slightly as she tried to grasp the meaning behind his words. "You came all this way... just to see me?" Her voice was soft, laced with disbelief, as she asked.

Donovan nodded, taking a step closer. Closer enough to lean forward and whisper in her ears, "I came here to welcome my new client."

The Lady in the black dress, who had been quietly observing their exchange from her seat, raised an eyebrow seeing a rare scene unfolding in front of her. Donovan's attempt to act casually in the presence of Liora, yet his every word and movement betrayed an unguarded affection, was oddly endearing.

She stood gracefully and nodded to both of them. "I'll leave you two to talk," she said before exiting the room with a faint, amused smile playing on her lips.

As the door closed behind her, Donovan and Liora were left alone.

Liora bit her lip, suddenly feeling his presence so close to her.

She felt her heart racing and a sudden temperature rise. Had the AC stopped working in the room? She looked around. Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of light pink. The tingling sensation made a knock in her stomach to announce their presence.

Liora's gaze drifted to Donovan, her eyes locking onto his. His deep, enigmatic eyes seemed to catch the light streaming in from the window, making them shimmer with an almost mesmerizing brilliance.

The world around her seemed to blur, narrowing down to just the two of them. She could feel herself being drawn into his gaze like a magnet pulling her closer, deeper.

"Nova," her soft voice sounded as if it were the first snowflake delicately landing on a meadow. The sound of his name on her lips was filled with a mix of awe and confusion. "Your eyes..."

The room began to tilt. But before she could falter, she felt a warm, steady hand wrap around her waist.

Donovan's grip tightened gently around her waist, steadying her as she swayed on her feet. She turned her head to see Donovan. Her vision was slightly blurred, but she could still make out the deep concern in his eyes.

It wasn't just the intensity of his gaze that overwhelmed her—it was the physical exhaustion catching up with her. The lack of food, the sleepless night, the emotional strain—it all came crashing down at once.