Chapter 4 — The Scenic Drive

Liora

Liora stared at her phone, her thumb hovering just above the screen. Kian’s message glowed faintly in the dim light of her apartment, the words both inviting and intimidating in their simplicity: *Hey, it’s Kian. Thought you might want to see a better view of the town. Scenic drive?*

Her heart fluttered, then dipped into a familiar ache of doubt. What if this wasn’t anything special for him? What if she ended up saying the wrong thing, unraveling the fragile connection they had formed? The idea of spending time with Kian Mercer—a man so at ease in his own skin—felt thrilling. And terrifying.