Chapter 106\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course not,\u201d I said quickly, maybe too quickly judging by Sarah\u2019s mischievous smile. \u201cWhat Sarah meant is that I\u2019m not ready to\u00a0<\/p>\n
enter into another relationship. I\u2019m focusing on myself right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRight, that\u2019s exactly what I meant, Sarah agreed, but her grin suggested she was thinking something entirely different.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I\u2019m sure the guy isn\u2019t even that handsome,\u201d I was saying when a knock interrupted us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s open,\u201d I called out, assuming it was Tristan or Orion returning from their store run.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, a head I didn\u2019t recognize poked through the doorway, and I felt my mouth fall open in surprise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sarah had the same stunned expression, and I could practically hear Leah\u2019s internal \u201cI told you so.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man was, without question, incredibly attractive. Not just handsome, but the kind of beautiful that made you forget what you\u00a0<\/p>\n
were saying mid\u2013sentence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry for intruding like this,\u201d he said, and his voice matched his appearance perfectly. Deep, smooth, with just a hint of an accent\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tried to respond but found myself just nodding like some sort of broken doll. Sarah was doing the same thing, and even Leah\u00a0<\/p>\n
seemed momentarily speechless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI noticed I have a new neighbor, so I thought I\u2019d introduce myself,\u201d he continued, stepping fully into the room. He was holding a plate covered with what looked like homemade cookies. \u2018I live next door.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
So this was the Greek god Leah had been raving about. Her description really hadn\u2019t done him justice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was tall and lean but clearly strong, with dark hair and eyes that seemed to take in everything at once. Even wearing a casual polo shirt and jeans, he looked like he\u2019d stepped out of a magazine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d was all I managed to say, which was hardly my most eloquent moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI just finished making cookies and thought I\u2019d share,\u201d he said with a smile that probably made women weak in the knees on a regular basis. \u201cMind if I join you for a few minutes?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to politely decline. I had enough complications in my life without adding an attractive neighbor to the mix. But before I could form the words, Leah jumped in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course we don\u2019t mind!\u201d she said, practically bouncing on her toes. \u201cPlease, take a seat wherever you\u2019d like.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked around the apartment with the kind of confidence that suggested he was comfortable anywhere he went, then settled into\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
(100\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 106\u00a0<\/p>\n
one of the chairs we\u2019d just arranged around my new kitchen table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d he said, and again, that voice sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Leah,\u201d my friend announced, apparently recovering her powers of speech. \u201cThis is Sarah\u2013she\u2019s married with kids.\u201d She gestured to Sarah, who gave a little wave.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shot both of them surprised looks. Did we really need to announce everyone\u2019s relationship status to a complete stranger?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd this is Athena, Leah continued, apparently just getting warmed up. \u201cShe\u2019s single. The only single one among us, actually.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to disappear into the floor. Leah\u2019s mouth had always been a little too active for her own good, but this was excessive even\u00a0<\/p>\n
for her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The stranger\u2013my new neighbor\u2013turned his full attention to me, and I felt heat rise in my cheeks under his steady gaze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNice to meet you, Athena,\u201d he said, and the way he said my name made something flutter in my chest that I immediately tried to\u00a0<\/p>\n
squash. I\u2019m Rhys.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRhys, Leah repeated slowly, like she was testing how it felt to say it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded, still looking primarily at me rather than the woman who was doing all the talking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you\u2019re my neighbor?\u201d he asked, directing the question specifically to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d I managed, proud of myself for getting a complete word out. \u201cI just moved in today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell then, I hope you\u2019ll like it here,\u201d Rhys said. \u201cI\u2019ve been in the building for about six months, and it\u2019s a good place. Quiet, safe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Good neighbors.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll love it,\u201d Leah interjected. \u201cAthena is such a sweet person. You\u2019re going to adore her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Leah had been closer, I would have pinched her until she yelped. As it was, I settled for shooting her a look that promised future\u00a0<\/p>\n
retaliation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure I will,\u201d Rhys said, and something in his tone made my heart skip a beat in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d Sarah said, clearly sensing the undercurrent in the room and not entirely comfortable with it, \u201cthank you for the cookies. That was very thoughtful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her tone suggested the visit should probably wrap up now, and I found myself grateful for her protective instincts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course,\u201d Rhys said, standing gracefully. \u201cI should let you get back to settling in. It was wonderful meeting you all.\u201d His eyes found mine again. \u201cI hope to see you around, Athena.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
8:47 Wed, Jan 7\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 106\u00a0<\/p>\n
Let me walk you out, Leah offered, practically jumping out of her chair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As soon as they were gone, Sarah turned to me with a look I recognized.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018I don\u2019t like him,\u201d she said bluntly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018You don\u2019t like him?\u2018 I repeated, surprised by her vehemence. \u201cWe just met him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly. And in five minutes, he managed to make it very clear he\u2019s interested in you. That feels like a red flag to me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018We\u2019re just neighbors,\u201d I said, trying to sound casual. \u201cI don\u2019t even know him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0e17\u0e23\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGood. Keep it that way,\u201d Sarah said firmly, then her expression softened. \u201cI\u2019m sorry if that sounds harsh, but you\u2019ve been through enough. The last thing you need is some smooth\u2013talking stranger complicating your fresh start.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could respond, I heard voices in the hallway indicating that Orion and Tristan were back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was that guy Leah\u2019s following around like a lovesick puppy?\u201d Orion asked as he walked in, carrying a bag of what looked like\u00a0<\/p>\n
cleaning supplies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy new neighbor,\u201d I said, trying to sound like it didn\u2019t matter one way or the other.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018He was just leaving?\u201d Tristan asked from behind Orion, and I noticed his eyes were fixed on me with an intensity that made me shift\u00a0<\/p>\n
uncomfortably.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Yeah. He came to introduce himself and brought cookies.\u201d I pointed to the plate Rhys had left on the counter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 neighborly,\u201d Orion said, but his tone suggested he wasn\u2019t sure if that was a good thing or not.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just then, Leah bounced back into the apartment with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAthena,\u201d she announced dramatically, \u201cI think he likes you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The silence that followed was deafening. I could feel both Tristan and Orion\u2019s attention laser\u2013focus on me, while Sarah looked like she wanted to throttle Leah.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And me? I was standing in the middle of my new apartment, surrounded by boxes and questioning looks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
8:48 Wed, Jan 7\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
Memories Drifted Into Soft Silence by Kyx Frost 106 Chapter 106\u00a0 \u201cOf course not,\u201d I said quickly, maybe too quickly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-second-gear-of-love-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26263\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}