Catch Up
One look changed everything.

Annie spotted him before he even saw her. Connor was leaning against the car, that same casual smirk she remembered from their last encounter. She felt her stomach flip—not nervous exactly, just… aware.

“Hey,” he said, voice easy, like they’d known each other forever.

“Hey,” she replied, trying not to sound as flustered as she felt.

He stepped closer, and her pulse jumped. “I’ve been thinking about you since the other night,” he said, low and smooth. Not a question, not a tease—just a statement.

Annie’s cheeks warmed. She tried to act casual, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he murmured, his gaze holding hers. “You don’t know how hard it’s been not saying anything.”

Her chest tightened. Something about the way he said it—the confidence, the honesty—made her insides tingle. She could feel it, every nerve waking up.

Connor reached out, brushing his fingers over hers. A small touch, but enough to make her knees feel weak. “You’re distracting,” he added, a grin tugging at his lips.

She laughed, short and breathless. “You’re the one who started this.”

“Maybe,” he said, leaning just a little closer. “Or maybe I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up.”

Annie’s heart hammered, and she realized… she didn’t want him to stop.

…just one spark of what’s to come