Fangs, Fate & Other Bad Decisions novel Chapter 133

I’m standing at the door to Harley’s townhouse later that same evening, ringing the bell and waiting for her to answer, shifting my weight from foot to foot in nervous anticipation of what her reaction might be to my unannounced visit. But, as the door swings open after a few minutes, and I catch sight of her, I feel an unexpected calm settle over me.

“Thane?” she asks, her voice laced with surprise and curiosity. “What are you doing here?”

I step over the threshold, my arms laden with three grocery bags, not giving her much of a choice in letting me in. I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips as I watch her face light up, though there’s still that surprise lingering at the edges of her eyes.

“I’m making you dinner,” I reply simply, the words light but loaded with something I can’t quite name. I don’t know yet why I’m really here, or why it feels like the right thing to do, but I know I’m not backing down now.

At my words, Harley steps aside, allowing me entry, her eyes still w

kitchen, and set the grocery bags down on the center island.

with

“You’re making me dinner? This is the second time in two days. Should I be

curiosity. move past her, through the living room, and into the

amusement creeping into her voice, but I can sense the warmth in her tone worried?” she asks as she steps into the kitchen behind me,

“Yeah,” I answer plainly, my voice a little softer than usual.

She’s surprised, but she’s not objecting to the idea.

Without elaborating, I scan the kitchen with a sense of purpose. My mind is already working as I begin pulling ingredients from the bags so I can start chopping the vegetables while putting the salmon aside. I’ve cooked for myself a few times in my life, but never with anyone else in mind. And yet, here I am, pulling out all the stops for the woman who has become my everything.

As I work, I can feel Harley’s gaze on me from where she’s taken a seat on a barstool at the island. I pour her a fresh glass of the red wine I brought with me, saunter over to her, and hand it over without a word. She takes it from me, her fingers brushing mine briefly, and I feel a small, almost imperceptible charge ignite in the air between us. Then, she returns to being quiet as she sips her wine and watches me.

I pull a bottle of sesame oil from one bag and drizzle it over the salmon, then reach for the freshly squeezed lemon juice and add a dash to the fillets. I glance at Harley over my shoulder as I move to season the fish.

“I don’t do this,” I murmur, my voice a little quieter now, the tension of the day still clinging to me. “Cook for someone, I mean.‘

She raises an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly. “Really? You don’t say.”

1 chuckle softly at her sass as I place the salmon filleis in the preheated pan.

The

While I continue to work, I take a few moments before glancing over at her. She’s sipping her wine again, her eyes soft as she watches me. silence between us isn’t uncomfortable, but there’s something there. A weight. One I’ve been feeling ever since my conversation with Griffin carlier, one I can’t seem to shake.

“I’ve always been in control,” I find myself saying, the words slipping out before I can stop them. “Of everything. My life. My emotions. My…interactions with people.” I pause, turning the salmon over with precision. The sizzle of the oil in the pan seems to fill the space between us, but I’m too focused on my thoughts to care. “But with you? It’s different.”

Harley doesn’t say anything at first, just keeps on watching me with those keen jade eyes of hers as she takes small sips from her wine, I can feel the weight of her silence, the way she’s giving me space to speak without pushing me.

“I’ve never wanted to care for someone like this before,” I continue, my voice softer now. “Most of my relationships…they were about power. Control. I kept people at a distance, made sure things stayed transactional,” Lshift the asparagus over the grill, watching it sizzle. “But with you… It’s different. And I don’t know what to do with it.”

Harley shifts slightly to the side, her eyes flickering between me and the food, but she still doesn’t speak. She’s listening, I realize. Actually listening. And it’s enough to push me further in opening up to her.

A few seconds later, the salmon is done, and the asparagus is grilled to perfection. I plate the food carefully, but my mind keeps drifting back to Harley. The soft tick of the kitchen clock is the only sound between us now.

I glance up at her again, her eyes soft as she watches me walk over and set her plate in front of her, and mine in the spot that’s perpendicular to hers, I reach over and pour myself a glass of wine before sitting down beside her. Silently, we clink our glasses together while keeping eye contact, then we both take a sip as I try to gather my thoughts.

2:33 PM d

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Harley,” I admit quietly. “I’ve spent so long keeping things under control. Keeping people at a distance. But with you? With you, it’s different. I don’t want to hide anymore. I don’t want to just…exist in my own world. But I also don’t know how to be vulnerable. I don’t know how to…let go.”

I exhale slowly, looking down at my plate, but it’s not the food that holds my attention. It’s her. And the space between us. It’s the when she’s near me.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify