And those eyes— big, expressive, and impossibly warm—hit him like a wave.

Her smile was quick and genuine, her shoulder-length brown hair tucked behind one ear with casual grace. And those eyes— big, expressive, and impossibly warm—hit him like a wave. Her skin, sun-brushed and glowing, seemed to carry the warm aroma of roasted beans and island air. But it wasn’t just her appearance—it was the way she put words together, the way she put her movements together, the delicateness of her hands. How even the smallest things—the sounds she made, from her gentle sneezes to her soft giggles, all echoed in his mind, leaving butterfl ies in his belly—long after he’d leave the shop.