Evaline:
I didn't gasp. I didn't pull back.
Because I already knew.
The scent - sharp, deep, and edged with the faintest trace of forest - wrapped around me before I even collided with the solid wall of muscle behind me. My back met the familiar firmness of his chest, and the breath that escaped me wasn't fear. It was relief.
Draven.
Of course it was him.
I had felt his presence from the moment he had entered the library. His presence was like a quiet ripple under my skin - impossible to ignore once I had sensed it. He hadn't approached me then, though. He had lingered in the dark, patient and silent, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Typical him.
A smile tugged at my lips even before I turned to face him. "You do realize, sneaking up on me doesn't really work anymore, right?" I whispered.
His reply came in a low murmur right beside my ear, warm enough to make my pulse stumble. "Maybe not. But it's still worth trying."
