Page 50 of Titan

The way she smiled had me swallowing all over again. Had her smile always been that cute? She looked different outside of the club. There was no wall or line drawn between us. It made her seem freer. Like she could be herself and not the carefully constructed image she portrayed as Pisces. I’d seen her this way when I’d walked home with her, but it was amplified now. And I liked it. I liked her. It was the only explanation I had for the rapid thudding of my heart behind my ribcage. Well, it didn’t make sense for me to experience this about a “friend.” I’d never wanted to be this close to Edric. The only time I’d felt this about anyone was…oh fuck… no, it can’t be that, can it?

I wasn’t sure I was ready to face what my brain spat at me. Instead of dwelling on it, I decided to change the subject.

“What did you pick for me?”

Theia blinked, then looked over at the cakes.

“The lemon drizzle.”

“Why’s that?”

Her eyes darted back to mine.

“Because you’re sweet and sour.”

Her lips curved up into a smirk as a burst of laughter fell out of my mouth without warning. I rarely laughed. Theia was doing something to me. Making me want to be in her space at all times. To have her say stupid shit to make me smile. It made me feel lighter than I had done in years.

“I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.”

“Definitely a compliment. I happen to like sweet and sour things.”

“Did you want a bite of my cake, then?”

Before she could say a word, I reached over, dragged the plate towards me and sliced a piece with my fork. Theia’s eyes went wide as I brought it up to her mouth.

“You should try it first.”

I waited, not saying a word until she opened her lips and let me slide the cake inside. Her pupils dilated as I drew the fork out of her mouth. My eyes were on it, watching her chew and swallow. I couldn’t remember ever being interested in another person’s mouth the way I was with hers right then.

And yet you want to deny what’s happening here. If you admitted it, you wouldn’t be so confused right now.

“Good?”

“Very,” she murmured.

“What did you get?”

“Carrot cake.”

“Should I feed that to you as well?”

She licked the cake crumb off her lip.

“Please.”

Leaning over the table, I sliced a piece of her carrot cake and brought it up to Theia’s mouth. She accepted it with this timid look in her eyes like she wasn’t sure whether this was appropriate or not. I think we threw appropriateness out the window when I agreed to get coffee with her.

I set the fork down, stole hers, and picked up my cake. I sat back and tried it myself.

“You’re right, this is really good,” I said after I’d swallowed. “The perfect choice.”

She smiled and shrugged, her cheeks going bright red this time.

“I’m glad you like it.”

I smiled, put my cake down, and sipped my coffee. It took a few minutes for Theia’s blush to disappear from her face. During that time, she sipped her drink and ate more of her cake. I wondered what was going through her head.

Was she as confused by this as me?

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