ROMEO | 18+

4.

♣ ♣ ♣

I S L A

"HI," ROMEO GRINS when Isla turns around, drying her recently used milk pitcher with a grey kitchen towel.

Evidently startled by the new customer, Isla halts in her motion, frowning. Her heart leaps as she glimpses the smile that radiates nothing but pure danger.

Shit, she thinks. First, he's my brother's sworn rival whom I can't talk to. Second, he's in my economics class—appeared out of fucking nowhere, and now he finds me at work?

Is this all a coincidence or have the Fates decided to bring them together against their will?

She puts the pitcher down, straightening herself. She holds his gaze despite the urge to take every detail of his demeanour in.

"What are you doing here?" she asks quietly, flickering her gaze behind his head to observe another customer stroll inside the quiet yet full coffee shop.

Romeo's lips curl into a mocking smile. "Weird way to greet a customer, but okay." He puts a hand on his chest, knitting his brows together. "I'm doing great, thank you for asking."

Actually, Isla wants to chuckle. Wants to break those walls she has been forced to build around Romeo Quinn. But she doesn't so much as let the corners of her lips tip upwards.

She blinks. "My bad," she says, offering a faux smile that plasters her face for a rapid beat. "Good afternoon, and welcome to Café Sucré. How may I help you?"

Romeo's eyebrows raise in slight puzzlement at her unpleasant, sarcastic tone. Leaning over until he props an elbow atop the oak counter, putting his chin in the palm of his hand, he saunters his gaze over Isla's figure.

His smile widens at the sight of the apron tightly secured around her waist, and she knows he is thinking the exact same thing as her. Thinks about the party when he had wrapped his strong arms around her body, pulling her close to his chest. Thinks about how his hands had hovered the curves of her hips as if they belonged there—

Isla clears her throat, making him lock his striking blue eyes to hers. She has already forgotten how hypnotising his gaze is—like a kaleidoscope of cerulean crystals. Like a sea of comfort and warmth she could never bask into.

The mere action of staring into the heavens his gaze holds is nothing but destructive temptation. Devastating enticement. A forbidden, detrimental invitation to enter whatever game he wants to play at.

There isn't a shadow of doubt Romeo Quinn is trouble. Taking the risk, accepting the challenge is willingly give a fragment of her heart. Is taking a shot worth the heartbreak, though?

"I don't have all day," she notes, annoyance edging her tone.

Romeo's eyes flicker between hers, utter mischief perceptible in his gaze. "I need a tutor."

"No, you don't." Folding her arms over her chest, she narrows her eyes. "I'm pretty sure you're in the top five students in our class."

He smirks. Looks arrogant. Radiates insolence."How do you know?"

"Doesn't matter how I know," Isla musters.