Book Four: Chapter 5

Sofia scowled at him, her single purple eye narrowing as she crossed her arms over her chest. The air between them felt tense, brittle, like glass stretched too thin. Mike hesitated for only a heartbeat before stepping forward, closing the distance she had so deliberately created. Without asking permission, he slipped his arms around her broad waist and pulled her into a hug, pressing his cheek against her abdomen.

For a moment, she remained stiff, her body refusing to respond. Her hands hovered uselessly at her sides, fingers flexing as if she were deciding whether to shove him away or tolerate the intrusion. Then, with a low, frustrated huff, the stubborn cyclops melted against him. Her arms came up and wrapped around his shoulders, drawing him closer. Her breasts pressed firmly against the sides of his face, warm and solid, grounding him in her presence.

“I guess I’m not over how quickly