Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth by Aurora Starling

hapter 0421

Chapter 0421

Hannah

Years ago…

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The sun beat down mercilessly, the smell of hot pavement and summer flowers filling the air. I stood in front of the ice cream stand, counting the crumpled bills in my hand with growing dismay.

“Oh, damn…” I muttered, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’m a dollar short…”

Suddenly, I felt a familiar presence lean over me. I recognized the smell of his cologne immediately, mixed with the scent of sweet sweat and salt water on his skin.

“N–Noah!” I exclaimed, surprised–and wholeheartedly trying not to blush at the fact that he was shirtless, wearing only his swimming trunks and a pair of sandals, his dark hair still damp from swimming in the ocean. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“Buying ice cream?” He plucked the cash from my palm and counted it, his brow furrowing. “You’re a dollar short.”

“Lknow.” I took my money back and pocketed it, turning to the ice cream vendor. “Sorry, mister. I didn’t mean to waste your time-”

“Don’t go anywhere.” Noah fished into his beach bag and pulled out a wad of cash. The bills were slightly wrinkled, evidence of a summer job well–spent. “I’ll buy it for both of us.”

I felt my cheeks burn as Noah stepped up to the counter, holding out the bills. “Two cones, please. Vanilla, bean for me, and…” He glanced over at me, raising one dark eyebrow in silent question.

“Um… Strawberry cheesecake.”

The vendor scooped our ice cream into two waffle cones. Noah handed mine to me, our fingers brushing as the treat passed between us. I thought I might pass out from the contact.

“Thanks.”

sending a small spray of salt water onto his

Noah. The way the sunlight caught his hair, the little smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he enjoyed his ice cream–so different

that up now. If he didn’t want to

is so good,” I said, licking a drop that threatened to escape down the side of the cone. “Thank you for buying it for

grinned, a bit of vanilla ice cream on his upper lip.

came speeding

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Chapter 0421

“Hannah!”

split second before the car collided with me, something warm and firm wrapped around my waist and yanked me back. The next thing I knew, the world was tilting into a dizzying array of salt water and ice cream and Noah’s warm, tanned

And the hard ground.

I found myself sprawled on top of Noah on the hot sidewalk, my hands on either side of his

bobbed. “Hannah… Are you

hard myself. “I…

seemed

saved me.

caught my eye then, breaking the spell. Our ice cream cones lay demolished on the

sitting up. “Our

back, and I found myself staring at Noah in amazement. He had recounted the story with such vivid detail,

you remember all that?” I

you, Hannah. How could I forget?” I was so stunned by his recollection that I completely forgot about the

Noah reached out, grabbing my wrist gently. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through me, reminiscent of that summer day all those years ago. Before I could react, he leaned in and licked around the rim of the cone, catching the melting ice cream before

tongue darting out, his lips so close to my skin, sent a wave of heat through me that had nothing to do with the afternoon sun. When he

a moment, we just stared at each other, the air between us charged with invisible electricity. The sounds of the farmer’s market faded away, leaving only the rapid beating of my

going to say, when a

little face scrunching up unhappily. Noah immediately turned his attention to her, cooing softly as he reached into the stroller.