𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬

➻Chapter 14 - Pizza Alert!

ADELE'S POV:

No doubt, Tyler's gesture thrilled me beyond words. It was undeniably sweet and managed to coax a genuine smile from my lips.

As we broke the hug, I met his gaze, amusement flickering in my eyes, and he responded with a simple grin. For a moment, we sat in comfortable silence, soaking in the warmth of the moment.

"You know what, Hadwin?" Tyler began after a while, and I raised my eyebrows, curious. "Some people come into your life as a blessing, while others come as a lesson. And those people are better known as douchebags," he said with a lopsided smile, prompting a burst of laughter from me.

Exactly! Frederick was undoubtedly a lesson, and a douchebag, no doubt!

"Which means you're a lesson for me?" I teased, and he furrowed his brows in mock offense.

"Huh?"

"Because you're a douchebag too!" I joked, earning an exasperated sigh and an eye roll from Tyler.

"How lame, Hadwin."

"Well..." I trailed off, fidgeting with my fingers, and he raised an eyebrow, waiting for my response. "Thank you."

"For what, exactly? Hugging you?"

"Come on, Tyler, cut it out!" I groaned, growing irritated with his self-centered behavior, but he only chuckled in response.

"Okay, hold up. You owe me something for this," Tyler said, his lips curling into a smirk, and I scrunched up my face in response.

"Seriously?" I rolled my eyes. "What do you want?"

And that damned smirk though. That smirk of his sent a shiver down my spine, only because of how it was a mix of mischief and uncertainty.

"Are you sure you'll give me what I want?" Tyler whispered, inching closer, and I gasped, instinctively shifting back, only to find myself trapped against the end of the bench, our faces mere inches apart.

Shoot.

My heart raced as I met his gaze, his smirk growing wider as he leaned in closer, his hands resting on either side of me on the bench, effectively pinning me in place.

Oh no. What had gotten into him?

"I want..." Tyler's whisper sent shivers down my spine, his husky voice enveloping me in a haze of sensation. His breath brushed against my face, causing me to hold mine, trapped in the intensity of the moment.

His smirk deepened, his eyes fixating on my lips, igniting a fire within me that I struggled to contain. Heat rushed to my cheeks, and every inch of my body tingled with anticipation.

Gasping for air, I waited for Tyler to finish his sentence, his gaze tracing every contour of my face with a precision that made my heart race even faster.

Was he...?

"A pizza challenge!" Tyler burst into laughter, stepping back as he watched my bewildered expression. Relief flooded through me, and I let out a long sigh, my hand instinctively finding its way to my chest.

"Darn it! You scared me half to death! Are you seriously insane, Tyler?" I exclaimed, swatting his shoulders in mock annoyance, but he only laughed, his eyes dancing with mischief.

"Relax, was I really affecting you that much?" he teased, dodging my playful blows with ease.

"What a jerk!" I grumbled, shooting him a mock glare, but he only grinned wider.

"Well, now that I have your attention, I asked for a pizza challenge?" he reminded, and I rolled my eyes, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, I heard that."