Page 43 of When Hearts Remember

Disappointment cresting inside me, I lean against the nearest bookshelf and close my eyes. There’s no sense in keeping them open, since I can barely see anything in the darkness.

I believe in fate. Serendipity. If we were meant to meet, then we will. With everything raging on outside, I can’t help but think…maybe this is a sign.

But a few minutes later, there’s a shift in the air. A presence I can sense without opening my eyes. I feel someone’s gaze burning into my skin.

Him.

Chapter 14

My pulse pummels myears, eclipsing the roar of the rain battering the windows with renewed vigor. My breathing grows thready, and every atom inside me vibrates to attention.

Open your eyes, Lexy. Smile. Say hi.

Should I hug him? Should I shake his hand? What’s the protocol of meeting your pen pal boyfriend for the first time?

My palms grow sweaty and I rake in a few more unsteady breaths. Quiet but steady footsteps head toward me. They sound strong. Confident.

They sound hot, if footsteps can sound hot.

A whiff of masculine fragrance sifts to my nostrils. I inhale, letting the scent wash through me. I recognize this fragrance from somewhere. Leather. Amber. A tinge of the rain and outdoors.

“Nova?” A low rasp. Seduction in one word. “Dreamer?”

He came. Despite the violent storm, he still came.Warmth spreads from my rib cage to the rest of my body and I smile. I’ll remember this moment forever.

My muscles finally obey my mind, and I open my eyes.

The emergency light blinking from far away illuminates him. Just barely. Brief flickers of yellow light. On and off. On and off.

A beacon in the dark.

Shining on him—my north star.

Delaney’s face is bathed in shadows, but those piercing eyes, that sharp jawline, that thick, wavy hair.

I gasp. I recognize him.

He’s Ares, the god of war, the guy I’ve bumped into twice here in Ravenswood before. The first time over a year ago, when he picked up my books after I dropped them outside the library, the second time in the basement DVD section when I was tempted to break the rules and search for Keeper.

It’s been him all along. The guy who’s made me feelsomethingin our two fleeting encounters is the man who’s stolen my heart with his words and kindness.

“Delaney?” I finally find my voice.

His eyes darken, and a breathtaking smile lights up his face. An enticing dimple winks at me. “It’s you. I knew I’d recognize you.”

He steps closer, shrinking our distance by the second, and my heart careens, like the slow clanking ascent of a rollercoaster before the free fall.

We stare at each other, our chests heaving—the moment distilling into snapshots, fragments I’m sure I’ll never forget. Him standing there, tall, his dark hair slightly damp. His muscles strain against the dark T-shirt and leather jacket he has on.

His glittering eyes hold mine and I’m speechless, but I feel like I can hear his words all the same. After a few seconds of the quiet tension, Delaney finally opens his mouth, his raspy voice holding me captive.

“I knew you’d be beautiful.”

With that statement, he wraps his large hand around my wrist, tugs me against him, and crushes his lips to mine.

My world explodes into a kaleidoscope of colors, the pleasure shooting straight from my lips to the rest of my body. It feels right…so right, like I was born to kiss him.

Delaney deepens the kiss. His lips move from gentle caresses into drugging pulls, his hand traveling up to my nape to angle my head so he can delve in harder.

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