Novel-novel oleh Kim Tekky

Bella sat across from Lucas in the hospital cafeteria, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. She had agreed to take things slow, to figure out how she truly felt, but Lucas had a way of getting under her skin."You're staring," she said without looking up.Lucas laughed. "Am I? Or are you just very aware of me?"Bella shot him a look. "You're unbelievable.""And yet, here you are, having coffee with me," Lucas teased, leaning forward. "Almost like you enjoy my company."She rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the small smile forming at her lips. "You're impossible."They continued their playful back-and-forth for a while, the atmosphere was light. Lucas enjoyed teasing her, and Bella, despite her protests didn't seem to mind.Just as Lucas was about to throw another flirty remark her way, Chris slid into the seat beside him."Hope I'm not interrupting anything," Chris said, sipping his drink. "You two have been giving off ‘will they? won’t they? energy for weeks now."Bella scoffed. "The

The car ride was unusually quiet. Jason sat in the passenger seat, his fingers drumming lightly on his thighs, while Vincent’s hands stayed steady on the wheel. Sunlight shone through the windshield, casting soft golden streaks on Vincent’s sharp features.Jason leaned back, his lips curving into a small smile. “You’re unusually quiet this morning, Vinny. Having second thoughts about driving me back?”Vincent didn’t respond immediately, his focus on the road unwavering. “Just thinking.”Jason turned his head, resting it on the seat to look at him fully. “Careful, Doc. Too much thinking might give you wrinkles.”A faint twitch of Vincent’s lips hinted at a smile, but he didn’t take the bait. Jason laughed softly, leaning closer to him.“You know,” Jason said, his voice teasing, “I can manage to get back to work on my own. You didn’t have to drive me.”Vincent finally glanced at him, his dark eyes unreadable. “I wanted to.”That simple statement sent warmth blooming in Jason’s chest. He

As the other guests finally left, the atmosphere in the room became light. It was just Jason, Bella, Tracy, and Vincent now, relaxing comfortably as the music played softly in the background. Vincent was still there, sitting in his usual silence, but Jason noticed his shoulders weren’t as tense as before. Maybe it was the company, or the fact that he had reassured him earlier.Bella leaned over to Jason, a smile on her lips. “So,” she started, loud enough for the group to hear, “Chris asked you out, huh?”Tracy immediately looked up, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Oh, we’re definitely talking about this! What was that about, Jason? Poor guy looked crushed when you turned him down.”Jason groaned, leaning further into his seat. “I knew you two wouldn’t let this go.”“Oh, we’re not letting it go,” Bella replied. “And don’t even think about avoiding it. Spill everything, what was running through your mind when Chris made his grand declaration?”Jason rubbed the back of his neck, his chee

The week leading to Tracy's birthday party passed in a blur and the air was alive with excitement as Tracy’s birthday party kicked off. Balloons were all over the walls of her sitting room, and glow lights sparkled like stars, casting a warm glow over the room. Music played softly in the background as Jason mingled with his friends, trying to enjoy the atmosphere despite the underlying tension that had followed him here. Vincent had arrived earlier than expected, his usual cold appearance intact, though Jason saw the way his gaze lingered on him a little longer than necessary. Jason’s friends, especially Bella and Tracy, had been exchanging knowing glances all evening, clearly entertained by the subtle exchange between him and Vincent. The night had started lightheartedly. Drinks flowed freely, laughter filled the room, and the group decided to play a few games to loosen up even more. “Truth or Dare” was the first choice, and it quickly escalated into embarrassing revelations and pl

The tension between Jason and Vincent had been building for a while after the sleepover. It wasn’t just the usual distance between them anymore, it was something more palpable, something that seemed to hang in the air. Jason had always been able to joke around with Vincent, but now, every little interaction felt charged. It wasn’t just Vincent’s usual coldness anymore. It felt like he was pulling away in a way that Jason didn’t understand. And to make things even more complicated, Chris, a male colleague, had been around a lot more lately.Chris had always been friendly, a bit of a jokester, but recently, it felt like he was lingering a little too much at Jason’s station. He’d find an excuse to start a conversation, talking about things that didn’t really matter just to keep Jason engaged. But Jason started to notice that it wasn’t just idle chatter anymore. Chris would stand just a little too close, his voice a little softer, his glances a little longer than necessary.It was startin

The week had been dragging by, with Jason counting down the days until he could officially return to work. He had healed nicely, but the strain of staying away from the hospital and his little escapades in Vincent's office was wearing on him. When Bella and Tracy suggested a sleepover at Tracy's apartment to unwind, Jason rejoiced at the idea."I’ll bring the wine," Bella had declared, glancing at Jason with a knowing smirk."Count me in," Jason said. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "And I’ll make sure Vincent comes too.""Good luck with that," Bella said, shaking her head.Jason took it as a challenge.Jason found Vincent in his office, going through some files on the shelf. His usual cold demeanor was firmly in place, but Jason had learned to read him better."Hey, Vinny," Jason said, leaning against the door as he locked it behind him.Vincent didn’t even look up. "Don’t call me that."Jason chuckled. "Come on, loosen up. There’s a sleepover at Tracy’s tomorrow night. You’