The loud and annoying sound of my ringtone made me force my eyes to open. Blinking, I scour the mattress for my phone. If I remember correctly, I tossed it around herest night. I nced at my phone with strained eyes and furrowed brows in irritation to see that it was my rm. While groaning, I took note of the passing of time. Three o’clock hade and gone. My focus shifted to the window, where there was obviously orange sunshine pouring through the curtain.


    I sat up sluggishly and craned my neck. After lying down for too long, my entire body hurts. Thankfully, the headache had subsided somewhat. I tossed the covers away and went to the kitchen to drink water. When I noticed the apple in the fruit basket, I munched one and went to the window. The sun lowering over the horizon illuminated the crystal-clear sky, which had a golden color.


    Since my limbs are so stiff, I’m even more frustrated, and I’m sure that everything will bother me. I desperately need to go for a nice jog right now. With that in mind, I went to the bathroom, had a bath, and then changed into a sweater and leggings. I put my hair up in a high ponytail. When I stepped outside and walked into the entrance of the forest, the town was so quiet like there was no one around in the area near me.


    As I stood by the entrance of the forest, soaking in the sounds of the birds, the feel of the air on my skin, and the smell of nature, I felt a weird sense of anticipation. The cool andforting atmosphere of nature around me instantly rxes me. I took a deep breath. I’m still thinking about what happened yesterday, but a big part of me clings to ire’s promise that the forest is safe. As I take a bath, I convince myself that maybe I got too paranoidst time.


    I took a deep breath once again as I walked into the woond. Even with the dense canopy of trees, there was still enough lighting thanks to gaps in the branches, so there weren’t any darker ces to increase my rising unease.


    I proceeded along the trail at a steady walk while moving my arms and massaging my neck. Even though ire and the others affirmed that someone may be living here, I kept my thoughts upied by pondering what my sister was doing right now and even turning to wonder whether Anthony was thinking of me. Just not to cross the memory of me yesterday here.


    Is he hurting right now or even worried about me? Wondering where I am? The thought of my ex-fiance threatened tears, so I shook my head, thinking of what I should do the next day.


    Reading


    Cleaning


    nting


    Asking ireter to take a hike with-


    My train of thought halted when I immediately became anxious as I heard a branch break in the distance. Above me, a swarm of birds took off. I promptly began to back away from them as soon as I heard the noise, frantically sprinting in the other direction of the disturbance. I am not even that far from the town. After a while, the cracking noise stopped, and I looked around before realizing I wasn’t any longer on the route.


    Jaidyn, you have such strong instincts for survival!


    I let a silent “Damn” out.


    I took a moment to look around and began to walk again, keeping on the clearly unworn route, hoping to find my way back to the settlement. However, as I carried on, I started to realize that the trees got denser. Once more, I felt my impulse to flee or fight intensify quickly. My palms started to sweat.


    It took me another five minutes to walk when a loud crack of twigs echoed all around, making the sound travel everywhere.


    Immediately after turning around out of reflex, my eyes immediately focused on the man entering the clearing. My green eyes widened as I let my gaze pass over the man I spoke to and kissed at the pubst night. In broad daylight, this man is not at all like the one I knew in the barst night.


    He continued walking. I could still recognize every feature of him, just asst night. He was ridiculously tall. He had to have been at least 6’7″ tall. He had broad shoulders. And even though he was fully clothed, it was obvious that this dude was ripped. I felt small because of how muscr he was. And his face was rough and attractive. He was so masculine and handsome, far from the guys I usually talk to in my daily life.


    His sheer presence elicited an immediate response from my body the impression that I knew him. I felt nothing except a weird calmnesse over me. This gut-level certainty overrode all the other ideas in my head that he wouldn’t hurt me. And that thought rmed me for some reason.


    Before I realized it, I found myself mumbling “Traian.”


    I cleared my throat, “Hey”.


    Now I wanted to run away from here. No one prepared me to meet the man I kissed when I was not in the right state of mind. It would be better if I didn’t remember what I didst night, but apparently, I do. Every single thing I did with this man. Those lips….


    Stop! Stop Jaidyn!


    “We met again,” I said awkwardly.


    Without saying a word, he just stood there, closing his eyes. I don’t want to think, but a part of me is guessing that he is delighted to hear my voice. Or am I just assuming? When he opened his eyes, I swear I saw his irises sh a dazzling gold before disappearing and being reced by blue. Am I still drunk?


    With a rich, deep, mesmerizing voice, he spoke, “Yeah, and I bet I was lucky today,”Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Upon hearing his voice, which was so deep and manly, I found myself liking it, wanting to hear his voice more.


    This is strange. Keep yourposure, Jaidyn!


    I said, recalling why the hell I rushed only a moment earlier, “Did you hear something on your way here?”


    “Yeah, and I noticed several tiny creatures about. Maybe that is the one you heard,” he said and cast a quick peek over his shoulder before turning to face me.


    “Really? Thank Goodness, I fled from that sound.”


    “It happens frequently in this area.”


    I nodded and said, “Is this yournd?” looking at thend in an effort to change the subject.


    He grunted, “Yes, this is my home.” He spoke with ease, continuing to fixate his gaze on me.


    In other words, he was the person ire was referring to. Thisnd belongs to him. I responded, “It’s so vast and beautiful.”


    “I agree. Very lovely,” he muttered, but he was looking at me and peering into my eyes down to my lips.


    I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. I tucked the stray strand of my hair behind my ear and took a step back. I didn’t know why I was so physically attracted to him. And that’s what gives me concern and causes me to feel uneasy. Before I could speak about my intention to leave, he spoke.


    “I didn’t properly introduce myselfst night,”. He extended hisrge hand to me and said, “Traian Arcos.”


    I hesitantly took his hand. His skin was warm, silky skin enveloped my fingers, sending electricity jolting up my forearm and straight to my chest.


    My voice was low and strained when I said “Jaidyn Murray,” and quickly withdrew my hand.


    “Jaidyn.” He pronounced, testing my name on his lips while looking at me.


    The way he pronounced my namepelled me to turn away in ame effort to hide how my heart started to flutter and my breath became heavy. I had heard it all my life, but I had never responded to hearing it in this way.


    “Are you interested in a tour of thend?”


    I licked my lips, knowing that I would at least have felt uneasy. But I have none of it! Regardless of the fact that ire and her pals imed he was incredibly trustworthy.


    “I was meant to just jog a little, but I got lost and ended up in your house,” I looked around, trying to hide my inner turmoil from this strange man. “And I must go home, like, immediately. My sister might call me anytime”


    A lie.


    He didn’t say anything; instead, he simply smiled and extended his arm for me to ept. I nced down at his hands and found myself putting my hand through them as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


    After a few minutes of us walking and stillness, Traian looked at me and questioned. “Were you and yourpanion able to return home without any mishapst night?”


    I nced swiftly away from his fixed gaze and gazed down at the forest floor. “Yes”


    My left hand is still being held tightly in his grasp. I made many attempts to pry it away, but I eventually gave up when he didn’t truly let it go. He only warned me that I might slip. In all honesty, I didn’t want to withdraw from his strong hands, but I had to out of concern about bing toofortable with a total stranger.


    “Can I ask what brought you to our town? Do you intend to stay here? ”


    I noticed the hint of hopefulness in his tone but I ignored it. “No, I didn’t think that. My life was in the States”


    “Your real life might be here,” he said quietly.


    I faced him, frowning, but I realized that we had reached the trail where I had been earlier.