A Heartbeat Away

"They're funny," Kyle murmured in the middle of the movie, but when a minute passed without a response, he glanced at Yvienna—only to hear the soft, rhythmic sound of her snoring.

He chuckled, gently caressing her cheek before adjusting her head to prevent any neck pain. Even as she slept, he couldn't help but admire her—every delicate feature. She looked like a goddess, serene and breathtaking. Even her snores sounded perfect.

"Oh, dude. You're damn in love," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head at himself.

His moment of quiet adoration was suddenly interrupted by the sharp ringing of her phone. His brows furrowed as he quickly grabbed it from beside her, silencing the call to keep her from waking up. But just as he put it down, the phone buzzed again, this time flashing a notification across the screen. He hadn't meant to look, but the words were impossible to ignore. His expression darkened, his jaw clenching.

"Hmm," Yvienna groaned groggily, rubbing her eyes as she blinked up at him.

Kyle forced a smile, handing her the phone. "I didn't mean to pick this up. I just wanted to stop the noise since you were obviously sleeping so peacefully—snoring and all." He teased, watching her reaction.

Her face instantly flushed. "R-really?! I was snoring?!"

Wide awake now, she wished the ground would swallow her whole. Kyle only laughed, reaching out to pat her head.

"No worries, you're still cute—even when you snore."

He stood, leaving her in a flustered mess. When she glanced at the TV, she realized the movie had ended, and regret settled in—she had slept through it.

"We can watch it again next time," Kyle said as he returned, holding out a white hoodie and twirling his car keys between his fingers.

"It's cold outside. Wear this—I'm driving you home."

She slipped into the hoodie without protest and followed him like an obedient child. As they entered the elevator, it stopped on the third floor. A moment later, the doors slid open, and a young man stepped inside. He was undeniably handsome, looking slightly younger than them.

But it wasn't his looks that caught Yvienna's attention—it was the way his eyes immediately locked onto her. He seemed mesmerized, unable to look away.

Before she could react, a warm arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. Startled, she turned to Kyle, only to find his expression dark and unyielding, his gaze fixed on the newcomer. The man averted his eyes instantly, pretending to scroll through his phone.

When the elevator doors opened, he practically bolted out.

Curious, Yvienna turned to Kyle, who was now smirking—whistling as if nothing had happened.

"You look happy," she noted, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, because my happiness is already beside me." He winked.

Heat rushed to her face. Flustered, she pushed him. "Whatever! Just drive me home."

Kyle laughed as they headed to his car. He slid into the driver's seat, smoothly selecting music on his iPad.

"BGC playlist?" she read aloud, amused.

"Yeah, it's relaxing."

She nodded, secretly pleased. Now she knew his taste in music.

"So this is what you like, huh? It's nice," she admitted as the song played.

The red light at the intersection gave him a moment to glance at her.

"I have great taste," he said, his voice tinged with amusement.

She nodded absentmindedly, agreeing.

"Especially when it comes to having feelings for you," he added under his breath.

Her heart did a somersault. How many times was he going to make her stomach flutter? How many times would he make her feel this way? He was too good at saying things that sent her pulse racing.

Determined to ignore the warmth creeping up her neck, she looked at her phone. Her expression shifted when she noticed several missed calls.

"Who are these numbers?" she murmured, more to herself.

Kyle stiffened, suddenly on high alert.

Then, as she tapped into her messages, her entire mood changed. A particular message caught her attention.

Kyle felt the tension radiating off her. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.