That’s me

"How do you know my name? I don't recall telling you one," Aurora asked, looking at him with a sharp, detective-like gaze.

He smiled, leaning in slightly. "So, you don't remember me?" he teased.

"Sorry, was there an instance where we met before today?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Yep," he replied, confirming his earlier statement.

Aurora leaned back, her arms crossed, deep in thought, trying to remember when they might have crossed paths. "I felt your name was familiar, but I'm not sure when we met," she murmured to herself before asking, "Can you please help me recollect?"

"Nope," he said with a playful shrug. "Take your time. You didn't get your head injured. You can think as much as you want, it's not gonna hurt."

Aurora pouted, still trying to recall the moment, while Dante couldn't help but watch her. In that moment, the strong, brave woman before him seemed to soften into a cute, almost vulnerable figure, lost in her thoughts.

He had seen so many sides of her, and with each one, he found himself drawn in deeper. Without even realizing it, he couldn't help but admire the way her long, curly, wavy hair was neatly braided, though a few unruly strands escaped and danced playfully across her face, brushing against her skin with every subtle movement. Her light brown eyes were focused, her mind clearly working through something, while her thick eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She looked so thoughtful, yet there was an effortless elegance in the way she carried herself. Her small, delicate nose, pink lips that curved ever so slightly, and the mole on her left chin only added to her natural beauty, making her even more captivating.

As he rested his chin in his hand, Dante felt an inexplicable pull to know more about her, to understand the many layers that made her who she was. His gaze softened as he studied her, lost in thought.

But then, suddenly, Aurora turned toward him, her expression shifting as she remembered something. The change in her caught him off guard. He quickly snapped out of his daydream, realizing that he had almost been caught admiring her silent beauty. He immediately averted his gaze, fumbling through the laptop keys to distract himself.

"Did we meet on New Year's?" Aurora asked, her voice tinged with doubt.

Dante glanced at her, his expression briefly faltering before he replied, "Now you remember, Aurora Moonray." He turned away from the laptop to face her fully, his tone lighter but still steady.

Aurora's eyes widened at the mention of her full name. "I didn't get to see you that day," she said slowly, trying to piece it together. "It was dark, but I remember Dominic telling me about you. He mentioned someone sitting in the back... but went unnoticed."

Dante's lips curved into a knowing smile, a hint of something unreadable in his gaze. "That's me," he said.