Back when they were playing cards, Kris Cooper had said, a kiss on the cheek costs one hundred, a kiss on the lips a thousand.
Vera Wave asked for a hundred, clearly meaning a kiss on the cheek, but he wasn't satisfied with just that.
As she watched the man lean in, Vera didn't shy away.
Mutual affection, intimacy, these are the things that couples in love should do.
The dim streetlight cast a warm glow, making his amber eyes sparkle even more. As she looked into those eyes and felt his lips cover hers, a flash of light crossed her mind, followed by vivid images.
A similar night, similar lighting, a face leaning in just like this, those same amber eyes...
"Vera, you're mine!"
A voice sounded in her ear, as if it had traveled from a distant place, somewhat ethereal and not entirely clear.
Her head throbbed with a sharp pain.
She instinctively drew back the hand resting on his shoulder and pressed it against her temple.
