"First love?"
The words echoed in Theo's mind, triggering a flood of mismatched memories. Faces he didn't recognize. Places he couldn't place. Meetings, deadlines, routine. All cold and empty.
None of them were her.
Still, his eyes stayed locked on Daisy. Unblinking. Focused.
"First love…" he repeated, slower this time, testing the weight of it.
Daisy forced a smile, arms still draped around his neck, though every part of her wanted to recoil.
"You really don't remember me?" she asked, voice light. She leaned in just enough for her lips to graze his ear. "We first met in high school…"
Theo chuckled, a low sound from deep in his chest.
"Really?" he murmured.
His hands gripped her waist suddenly, pulling her flush against him. The movement was slow and intimate. She could feel the rise and fall of his breath now, his heartbeat just beneath his skin.