"Don't. Just… don't."
I waved my hands like a desperate traffic controller, but Jaxon only grinned, leaning against the café counter with that I-own-everything smirk I both hated and secretly loved.
"I'm not doing anything wrong," he said. "Unless… oh wait—you're actually scared of me. That would be adorable."
I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly saw my brain. "Scared? Me? Please. I'm not scared of a guy who wears sunglasses inside a café."
"You noticed the shades," he said, tilting his head like he was impressed. "Good. Attention to detail matters."
I groaned. "Do you do this with every girl?"
He smirked. "Only the ones I plan to ruin… in the best way possible."
I narrowed my eyes. "I don't like you."
"Yet," he said, voice dropping, teasing and just a little dangerous. "But give it time. I'm persistent."
I flopped into the chair, glaring at him. "Persistent? More like obnoxious."
"And funny," he added, grinning. "Step one: annoy you. Step two: make you laugh. Step three: ruin your life."
I groaned a third time. And that's when I realized… I might already be halfway ruined. And I didn't care.