From Sunrise to Sunset *

Blake's POV

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of her gentle breathing. She looked so peaceful, wrapped up in the blankets. My mind was still foggy with sleep, but something in me wanted to take care of her. I got out of bed and tiptoed to the kitchen, trying not to wake her up. It was strange, I didn't usually make breakfast for anyone, let alone for myself, but I found myself wanting to do it for her. Maybe it was the way she looked at me, with those sapphire eyes that seemed to hold so much kindness. Or maybe it was the way she smiled, like she knew something that I didn't. Whatever it was, I couldn't resist it.

I opened the fridge and pulled out the ingredients for pancakes and bacon. It was a classic breakfast, but I figured it was a safe bet. The sound of sizzling bacon filled the kitchen, and the smell of maple syrup soon followed. I wondered if she would like this breakfast, or if she preferred something else.

Just as I was putting the last pancake on the plate, I heard footsteps behind me. She had woken up and was walking towards the kitchen. I turned around and saw her standing there, rubbing her eyes.

I grinned at her disheveled hair and sleepy eyes. "Good morning, sleeping beauty," I said with a smirk.

I felt a flutter in my chest, and I knew then and there that I wanted to do anything to see her smile again.

Alice's POV

"Morning," I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Then I heard a laugh. The laugh was so sweet and charming.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," he replied, a smile spread across his face. For a moment, I couldn't help but notice how different he looked. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he seemed more relaxed than ever before.

As I took in my surroundings, my eyes fell upon a table full of pancakes and bacon. "You cooked?" I asked in disbelief.

He scratched his neck, looking a bit sheepish. "Yeah."

I smiled at him, feeling a warmth spread throughout my body. "Thank you," I said gratefully.

We sat down and started to eat. The pancakes were fluffy and light, the bacon perfectly crispy.

"This is delicious," I grinned. "But you know, it's not better than my breakfast." I said, my mouth stuffed with a pancake.

He raised an eyebrow, a playful look in his eyes. "Oh really? Well then, you'll have to cook breakfast next time."

I almost choked on my pancake, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Next time?" I repeated, surprised.

He grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Yeah, next time. I mean, if you want to." I was now definitely redder than a tomato.

Blake chuckled at my flustered expression. "Relax, I'm just teasing," he said with a smile. "But in all seriousness, you should cook for me sometimes."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide the grin on my face. "Fine, I'll make breakfast next time," I said, determined to show him that my cooking was better than his.

We finished our breakfast and sat there for a while, chatting and laughing. It was strange, but it felt like we had known each other for years instead of just a few days. The more time I spent with him, the more I realized how much I enjoyed his company. Deeper into the conversation I learned that he had a half-brother, key word „had".

"But he's gone now. He died in a house fire, along with our parents. I...didn't get to say goodbye."

In that moment, I knew that there was so much more to him than I had ever imagined.

.

.

.

Over the next week, Blake and I grew closer with each passing day. We started going out on dinners, exploring the city's hidden gems, and sharing stories about our lives. I found myself more often at his office, helping him with his work and admiring the view of the city skyline from his window.

But there was one thing that kept nagging at me - that night when he had followed me. I couldn't shake the memory, no matter how hard I tried. One evening, as we sat in a cozy restaurant for dinner after work, I decided to bring it up.

"Blake, can I ask you something?" I said, twirling my fork around my empty plate.

"Of course, anything," he replied, looking at me with an intense gaze.

"Why do you think he followed me?" I asked, biting my lip nervously.

Blake's expression grew serious, immediately knowing what I'm talking about. "I don't know," he said, leaning back in his chair. "But what I do know is that he could have had no good intentions in doing so. I have one of my guys tracking the car - it seems it was stolen."

I nodded slowly, trying to process his words. I looked at him and our eyes met. We held eye contact for a while until the food arrived.

"Excuse me," said the waiter, breaking our transe, setting down the plates. "Please enjoy."

The night went on with enjoying the food and company of one another, our conversations were light and filled with laughter.

.

As we walked out of the restaurant, Blake offered to drop me home. I hesitated for a moment, but then accepted his offer. As we drove through the quiet streets, I leaned my head against the window and watched the city lights go by.

When we reached my apartment, Blake walked me to my doorstep.

"Thank you for everything," I replied, feeling a rush of warmth spread through my body. „Anytime," he replied, a soft smile on his lips. Our eyes remained locked, the air around us heavy with unspoken words. As we leaned closer, the world around us seemed to fade away, suddenly a loud sneeze echoed past us, causing us both to jump apart and look towards the source. A middle-aged man walked past us, apologizing for interrupting and walked into the building.

Blake and I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Well, I should probably go," I said, still giggling looking into his eyes.

"Yeah, I should too," Blake replied, rubbing the back of his neck looking to the side. He leaned in and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before stepping back.

"Goodnight, beautiful."

I felt my cheeks flush with heat as I watched him walk towards his car. He turned back and waved at me smiling before getting in and driving away. I stood there for a moment, watching his car disappear down the street before finally turning to walk inside my apartment complex, still smiling to myself.