Cinder
His eyebrows shoot up in surprise, almost disappearing under his wavy dark hair. He regards me for a moment, a smile beginning to play on his lips. It’s an amused smile, but there’s a hint of relief in it, too.
“Are you offering to warm me up?” he teases, leaning against the couch’s armrest, looking at me sideways. The playful huskiness of his voice sends an unexpected flutter through my stomach.
“Yes,” I say simply, ignoring the way my heart is pounding against my chest. “If you’re okay with it.”
Pike doesn’t respond immediately. Instead, he continues to look at me, his half-lidded eyes scanning my face as if searching for something - doubt perhaps or insincerity. But he finds neither because all I feel for him is a deep-seated worry and a need to protect him.
Finally, he nods
