5

Ashwin adjusted the display of freshly baked pastries at Mount Haven Bookstore and Café, his fingers brushing against the warm surface of a croissant as he arranged them neatly on the counter. The smell of coffee, sugar, and aged books blended into a comforting atmosphere that made it one of his favorite places in the world.

He had been working for a few hours now, the usual routine keeping him occupied. The café was moderately busy for a weekday morning, with a few locals reading by the windows and some chatting over their breakfast. He had barely glanced at his phone all morning, so when it vibrated in his pocket, he quickly pulled it out, expecting a text from Hayden confirming their lunch date.

Instead, Hayden’s name flashed across the screen with an incoming call. Ashwin swiped to answer.

“Hey, babe,” he greeted, wiping his hands on a napkin. “You calling to tell me you’re early? Because I wouldn’t mind sneaking out a few minutes ahead of schedule.”

There was a pause, followed by a sigh on the other end of the line.

“I was actually calling to cancel,” Hayden said, his tone apologetic. “Something came up at work—an emergency.”

Ashwin frowned, switching the phone to his other ear. “What kind of emergency?”

There was a rustling noise in the background, like Hayden was flipping through papers or walking briskly down a hall. “A family was found in the woods early this morning. A couple and their teenage son. They’re alive, but barely. Their throats were slit, and they have deep bite and claw marks. They’re in critical condition.”

Ashwin sucked in a breath. “What happened to them?”

Hayden hesitated. “We’re assuming an animal attack, but it’s weird. The wounds are too... precise. Too clean for something like a bear or a wolf.”

Ashwin felt a chill creep down his spine. Mount Haven was surrounded by dense forest, but attacks like this were rare—if ever. Something about this didn’t sit right with him. “Do the authorities have any leads?”

“The mayor’s looking into it personally,” Hayden replied. “He was at the hospital earlier, checking in on the victims. He mentioned you, by the way.”

Ashwin blinked in surprise. “Me? What does the mayor want with me?”

Hayden chuckled lightly. “Not like that. He was making small talk and mentioned that a new guy in town was asking about a place to stay. Apparently, he’s been trying to find housing for him.”

Ashwin felt his body tense slightly. “You mean Ishaan?”

“So you do know him,” Hayden teased. “I figured he must’ve asked you already.”

“He did,” Ashwin admitted. “And I told him I’d help him look for a place, but I didn’t offer him my spare room.”

“Why not?” Hayden asked, his voice light but curious.

Ashwin hesitated, trying to find the right words. It wasn’t that Ishaan had done anything wrong—if anything, he was... intriguing. But something about him made Ashwin wary. The way his stormy gray eyes bore into him, the way he seemed to know just how to push his buttons.

“I don’t know,” Ashwin said finally. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Well, if you ask me, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world,” Hayden said. “Mount Haven’s a small town. It’s not easy to find housing here, and if he’s stuck, maybe you should consider it.”

Ashwin made a noncommittal noise, not ready to make a decision just yet. “I’ll think about it.”

“You do that,” Hayden said, amusement lacing his voice. “I have to go—another emergency just came in. Love you.”

“Love you too,” Ashwin murmured, ending the call.

Ashwin had barely finished processing his conversation with Hayden when the door chime jingled, signaling a new customer. He looked up from behind the counter, and his stomach twisted in mild surprise.

Ishaan.

The man strode into Mount Haven Bookstore and Café with the same quiet confidence he carried every time Ashwin had seen him. His dark clothing was slightly damp from the lingering rain outside, but he didn’t seem bothered by it. His gray eyes—almost too piercing to be real—swept across the room before they landed directly on Ashwin.

There it was again. That unreadable, lingering stare.

Ashwin quickly turned his attention to the register as Ishaan approached. “You’re back,” he said, aiming for casual.

Ishaan smirked. “Did you miss me?”

Ashwin rolled his eyes but fought the small smile tugging at his lips. “I assume you want the same thing as last time? Macarons and black coffee?”

“You remember.” Ishaan’s smirk deepened. “I’m flattered.”

“It’s my job to remember orders,” Ashwin said, keying in the items.

Ishaan hummed as he leaned against the counter, watching Ashwin’s fingers move over the register. “And here I thought I was special.”

Ashwin huffed a laugh. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that.”

Ishaan tapped his fingers against the polished surface. “I have to be. Especially when I really want something.”

Ashwin didn’t know why, but that statement made his pulse stutter slightly. He quickly turned to grab the macaron box and Ishaan’s coffee before setting them on the counter. “That’ll be—”

“I have a proposition,” Ishaan interrupted smoothly, sliding his payment over.

Ashwin gave him a wary look. “I’m afraid to ask.”

Ishaan chuckled, unbothered by Ashwin’s reluctance. “About the house,” he clarified.

Ashwin sighed, leaning against the counter. “You’re really not letting this go, are you?”

“You promised to help me find a place,” Ishaan reminded him. “I just figured—why not yours?”

Ashwin crossed his arms. “Because I don’t rent to strangers.”

Ishaan tilted his head slightly, as if studying him. “Then let’s fix that. Let’s not be strangers.”

Ashwin raised a brow. “That’s your argument?”

“That,” Ishaan said, taking his coffee, “and the fact that I’m running out of options. You live in a two-bedroom bungalow, correct?”

Ashwin stiffened slightly. “How do you know that?”

Ishaan smiled over the rim of his cup. “Small town. People talk.”

Ashwin exhaled slowly. Damn it. He knew Mount Haven thrived on word-of-mouth, but it was still unsettling how quickly information spread.

Still, he wasn’t convinced. “There are rentals available—”

“I checked.” Ishaan shrugged. “Too expensive. Too far. One had a mold problem, and another smelled like wet socks.” He took a slow sip of his coffee, eyes never leaving Ashwin. “Your place, on the other hand, is in a quiet neighborhood, close to town, and well-maintained. Seems like the perfect solution, don’t you think?”

Ashwin narrowed his eyes. “You sure did your research.”

Ishaan’s gaze flickered with amusement. “Like I said, when I want something, I go after it.”

Ashwin shifted on his feet, trying to find a solid excuse to turn Ishaan down again, but the man was relentless. He leaned against the counter like he had all the time in the world, his sharp eyes drinking in every little expression Ashwin made.

It was unnerving—no, not just unnerving. Something about the way Ishaan looked at him sent an odd tingle down his spine, a strange mix of curiosity and tension.

Ashwin cleared his throat. “Even if I was considering it, what makes you think we’d get along as housemates?”

Ishaan smirked. “I can be very charming when I want to be.”

Ashwin scoffed. “That’s exactly what worries me.”

Ishaan chuckled, but his eyes lingered—darker this time, more intent. They traced Ashwin’s face, dipped to his lips, then lower, slowly, like he was memorizing the curves of his body. Ashwin turned slightly to grab a cloth and wipe the counter, but the shift in movement only made Ishaan’s gaze lower—to his waist, his hips, the subtle curve of his ass.

Ashwin didn’t notice at first, too distracted by trying to compose himself. But when he straightened and caught Ishaan’s lingering stare, his stomach flipped.

“You’re staring,” Ashwin said, voice flat.

Ishaan met his gaze, unapologetic. “Am I?”

Ashwin exhaled sharply. “I have a boyfriend, you know.”

Ishaan’s smirk twitched, and for the first time, something unreadable flickered in his expression. Surprise? Annoyance? Or maybe… intrigue?

“Do you now?” he murmured, his voice dropping just slightly.

“Yes.” Ashwin crossed his arms, hoping to create some kind of barrier between them. “So, whatever this is, I’d suggest you rein it in.”

Ishaan tilted his head, his smirk still present but not as sharp as before. He let the silence stretch for a moment before finally exhaling through his nose, as if conceding—slightly.

“Well,” Ishaan finally said, pushing off the counter with a lazy stretch. “That’s unfortunate.”

Ashwin frowned. “Unfortunate?”

Ishaan met his eyes, and there it was again—that intense, slow-burning look that made Ashwin’s fingers curl slightly against his arms.

“I just mean,” Ishaan said smoothly, “I was hoping we could get to know each other better.” He let his gaze flicker over Ashwin one last time before stepping back, his smirk returning in full force. “Strictly as housemates, of course.”

Ashwin rolled his eyes, though his heart was still hammering annoyingly fast.

“I’ll think about it,” he muttered.

Ishaan’s smirk deepened, but he didn’t push any further. He simply took his bag of macarons, lifted his coffee in a lazy mock-toast, and turned to leave.

“Looking forward to your decision,” he called over his shoulder, voice rich with something that felt too much like a challenge.

Ashwin let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

What the hell just happened?