Chapter 50

• Ayla
• The sculpted hedges of the Royal Gardens offered a welcome privacy. Rex and I sat on a ridiculously ornate bench, probably older than my entire hometown back on Earth. I could feel his gaze on me, warm and intense, and a blush crept up my neck. He was just… everything. Strong, kind, fiercely protective, and devastatingly handsome. The scent of wildflowers and damp earth did little to calm my racing heart.
• He reached out, his large hand dwarfing a stray strand of hair that had fallen across my cheek, and gently tucked it behind my ear. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. His touch was like a jolt of electricity, both terrifying and thrilling.