Elion stood near the large window of his room, its light highlighting the faint crease in his sweatpants. His hands were tucked deep into the pockets of his sweatpants, his usually sharp gaze distant as he stared at the sprawling gardens below. The clock on the wall ticked past midnight, but his mind refused to rest. His thoughts circled back to the night's events, looping over and over like a broken record: Raelynn's startled expression as she stumbled, the splash of water, her trembling form wrapped in his jacket.
He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his damp hair, still faintly smelling of the lake. He hadn't bothered to dry it properly after the ordeal, too preoccupied with ensuring Raelynn was safe and comfortable.
As his thoughts spiraled deeper, his eyes drifted to the bedside table. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips when he spotted the book with its bold, ridiculous title, Winning Hearts: A Foolproof Guide to Charm, Flirt, and Woo.
