Chapter 173. Falling in Love Again

Hermes POV

I pulled her close before I even realized why.

June… The name tasted strange and familiar on my tongue.

Why the hell was I thinking of Natalya while staring at the most beautiful girl I had ever seen? That was—wrong. Completely wrong.

I should be asking Ted what happened to me, why I was in the hospital, why my head felt like it was rewiring itself. Instead, my brain refused to cooperate. All I could think was: How on earth did Ted bring a girl like June into his life?

June. June. June… My mind kept chanting it, over and over. I didn’t understand why. Was this… love at first sight? With my friend’s girlfriend?

No. No. Wrong. But it felt—right.

“Hermes…”

Her soft voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. I blinked. Realization hit me—I was still holding her.

I jolted back, releasing her immediately, trying to mask the racing of my heart.

“Uh—” I waved my hands helplessly, grasping for an excuse, “I thought I