Chapter 19

Lilah had never been this close to a man's face in her life. Close enough to make out every lash, and see the precise angle of his sharply defined nose bridge, like it was sculpted by hand. His face was undeniably a masterpiece—each detail razor-sharp, coming together to give off a stay-away aura that was both cool and intimidating. She couldn't look away. Staring at him seemed to push all the tension out of her system. Her breath caught a little. Almost without thinking, she gulped. Right then, Gabriel glanced her way, their eyes locking for a beat too long. Those deep-set eyes caught her completely off guard. It took her a moment to snap out of it. She instinctively stepped back half a step. The heat on her cheeks spread like wildfire, flushing all the way up to her ears. A few petals fluttered down silently between them, carried by the breeze. Finally regaining her voice, Lilah mumbled, a little flustered, "Thanks... for helping me just now." She paused, casting a worried glance tow