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rounded the last curb and tripped over an uneven patch of concrete,
stumbled, and fell.
Her knee scraped hard and she landed face-down in the grass. Her glasses
clattered against the sidewalk, and she heard the lens shatter. She bit her lip,
but couldn t stop the sobs that burst forth. She laid her head on her arms. Her
shoulders shook with the force of her tears.
Why didn t he leave her alone? What had she ever done to him? She knew
she looked different, but so did he. While she tried to stay hidden in the
shadows, Nico Bui stood out from everyone around him like a flashing neon
light. She didn t want his attention. Or did she? She couldn t deny her
fascination with him. Her latest dream of him surfaced and she moaned.
I ll put a hex on his butt. Her head still down, she mumbled into the dirt,
watching an ant crawl by through her fuzzy vision. She didn t hear the
footsteps on the sidewalk approach.
Hmm, that s not a very nice thing to do on Valentine s Day.
She jerked her head up, conscious her skirt had ridden up over her knees.
She twisted to her side and pulled the material down, wincing at the sting of
her skinned knees. She squinted.
A tall man with black hair stood over her. She felt she should know him,
but knew she didn t. Natalie eased onto her bottom and glanced around, but
no one was in sight, except for the stranger dressed in black.
He held a hand out as if to help her up, but she flinched away from him.
Her eyes settled on the gold ring he wore engraved with the initial L.
When she refused to take his hand, he knelt beside her, his hands hanging
loosely between his knees. Who would you put a hex on?
She looked into black-as-night eyes. The urge to tell him her darkest
secrets rose within her. When he smiled, she couldn t resist. I-I want to hex
Nico Bui. He s determined to ruin my life. I hate him.
Tsk, tsk. Hate is too strong a word for such a beautiful girl like yourself.
Natalie looked down. Her lip quivered. She didn t hate Nico, but he made
her feel things -- anger, lust, frustration.
I m not beautiful. Her voice sounded husky with tears, which threatened
to spill again. If I were, David would love me.
A black eyebrow arched. Love you? He took her chin in his long fingers
and lifted her face. You re but a baby. What do you know about love
between a man and a woman?
Natalie felt her cheeks flush. I m seventeen. She pulled away from the
man s disturbing touch. It hadn t been creepy. Just the opposite. She d ...
liked ... him touching her. She swallowed on that acknowledgement and
shook her head. She frowned and studied the man from beneath her lashes.
He knelt closer, and his face came into focus. He reminded her of Nico.
Something about the way he carried himself. The eyebrow rose again, and
she knew he found her scrutiny humorous.
I have to go home. She pushed up, ignoring the throb in her knees. My
grandmother will be worried.
Ah, yes. He nodded. When he stood, he dwarfed her by a good foot and
a half. Another similarity to Nico -- tall, lean, and ... dangerous.
She shivered.
He bent and picked up the broken glasses. I m afraid these are no longer
any good. He handed them to her.
Natalie sighed. She and her grandmother barely made ends meet. She
hated to think what a new pair of glasses would cost them.
Contacts are a lot cheaper than glasses these days, you know.
Natalie glanced at the man, sharply.
He gave a short nod of his head and placed his hands behind his back.
Before you go, may I offer you some Valentine s candy? He pulled one
hand in front of him and held it palm up to her. In the center lay two heart-
shaped candies wrapped in bright red foil.
Her mouth watered. No one ever gave her Valentine treats. Nona couldn t
afford the chocolate. She reached out, tempted to take what the man offered.
Which one can I have?
I offer you both. He worked the candies between his fingers to hold up
one. One is light and sweet. He worked his fingers again. The other dark
and bitter. The candies circled and twirled between his fingers, then rested
in his palm. He held them out to her.
Her mouth watered at the prospect of tasting two such different but
decadent flavors. She reached toward temptation, but snatched her hand
back at the last minute. She wasn t sure, because his lips didn t move, but
she thought he said, Such a smart girl.
I can t accept candy from strangers, but thank you. She glanced up to
see if he might be offended. He didn t look like the type to piss off.
He smiled. I understand. He turned and walked a few feet away, then
stopped.
Happy Valentine s Day, Natalie. Try not to put any hexes on anyone. He
laughed. And may all your heart s desires come true.
Thank -- Her glasses slipped and she bent to rescue them. -- you.
When she looked back toward the stranger, he had disappeared. She
frowned. After the initial shock, she picked up her bag and started home.
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