Page 48 of Crossing Lines

Evren sets me down, shooting a glare at Zeki. Zeki must not know his brother well, because Evren, most definitely, isn’t always serious. I sway to the side and Evren places his hands on my shoulders, stopping me from toppling over again.

“You keep catching me,” I say.

“Because you keep falling at my feet.”

I scrunch my nose up, about to argue, when Zeki clears his throat, loudly. “Aaannnddd that’s my cue to leave. Catch you two tomorrow.”

Neither of us moves as I listen to Zeki open and close the front door.

“He’s right, you know,” Evren says, nodding toward the hallway Zeki just walked down. “I am a serious person, and I wouldn’t have offered to train you if I didn’t mean it.”

“But we haven’t met up to train.”

“Because I didn’t thinkyouwanted to, and you’ve been busy. But if I knew you wanted to be on your back beneath me, I would’ve offered multiple times already.”

“I’m sure.” I chuckle. “But Zeki’s wrong. You aren’t serious all the time.”

He shrugs, like he doesn’t believe me. “Can I walk you back to the pool house?”

“Why? Afraid I’m going to fall in?”

“It wouldn’t surprise me.”

I huff out a laugh. “Fine, but only because you got me my favorite food.”

He places a hand on my lower back and guides me through the kitchen, out the door, and across the stone surrounding the pool. I’m hyper-focused on his hand that’s scorching through my shirt and straight into the marrow of my bones. Why does this feel so good?

I blink and we arrive at the pool house before I’m ready.

“Why didn’t you come to coffee or dinner today?” His gaze searches my face. For what? I don’t know. But I don’t hate his eyes on me, taking me in.

“You know why…”

“Do I?” He raises an eyebrow. “Did I scare you by admitting I care?”

“No.” He narrows his eyes and I sigh. “Okay, fine, maybe?”

“Fine, then let’s pretend that conversation never happened,” he says lightly. “Just like our kiss. Please…just please don’t pull away from me.”

“Okay,” I whisper, not able to stop myself from agreeing. I don’t want to pull away from him, either. It feels unnatural.

He tugs me closer, using that hand on my lower back to do so. My heart accelerates like it’s trying to win an Olympic gold medal. He leans in, his mouth brushing against the shell of my ear. I shiver and his hand flexes on my lower back as if hefelt my response.

“Good night,pariltim.” He lets me go and takes a step back.

“Good night, Mr. Keeps-his-language-a-secret-and-won’t-tell-me-what-that-word-means.”

He walks backward and chuckles. “There’s a thing called Google Translate, you know.”

“But where’s the fun in that?”

His grin widens. “Where, indeed.”

Chapter 12

Nina

Aflash of light wakes me up. I groan and press the button on the side of my phone, confused why I’m awake when it’s still dark outside.

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