The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 195

Tanglewood Town was bustling at night.

It used to be a small, quiet fishing village until the power plants were built. Now, there was a massive new pharmaceutical campus, too.

Tens of thousands of young professionals had flooded the area, bringing massive consumer demand with them.

The village had expanded into a town, and small restaurants, boba tea shops, and entertainment venues had sprung up practically overnight.

Lavinia and Charley finished their seafood dinner. Since it was still early, they decided to walk along the street.

They had eaten Spicy Whelks, and the heat had left Lavinia's lips flushed and red.

She bought an iced boba tea to cool them down, but they remained soft, pouty, and bright red.

Charley's gaze kept drifting to her mouth, his eyes dark yet incredibly tender.

Lavinia thought back to the last time they were in Penbrook's urban village. She had desperately wanted to hide, but he had tracked her down.

Wherever she went, he followed. She had been so annoyed back then.

But this time, her feelings were completely different.

Now that summer had arrived, the young men and women by the coast dressed light. The guys wore t-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops, while the girls mostly wore hot pants or mini skirts.

Lavinia felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to treat this like a vacation, darting over to a street stall to pick out some clothes.

She chose a black crop top and bright yellow athletic hot pants. The vendor pointed her toward the "dressing room"—a small corner partitioned off by a simple curtain.

Lavinia suddenly felt awkward. She subconsciously glanced back at Charley, who had politely turned around.

She bit her lip and ducked behind the fabric, the vendor holding the edge of the curtain closed for her.

As she changed, the realization that Charley was standing right on the other side of that thin cloth made her face burn hot.

When she stepped out, the vendor's eyes lit up.

"Wow, gorgeous, it suits you perfectly! You're so pretty and your figure is amazing. Are you a model?"

Lavinia looked at herself in the mirror. Her legs really did look great—long and straight.

Since she usually wore long dresses or pants, her legs were slender and flawless, with skin as smooth as porcelain.

She tugged lightly on Charley's sleeve, murmuring, "Charley, let's go walk by the beach where there are fewer people."

He looked down at her, his gaze lingering on her delicate features. One second. Two seconds. Three.

"Okay."

***

The ocean at night looked like endless black silk, the wind whipping the surface into rippling crests.

Lavinia walked barefoot in the sand. Charley kept stopping to pick up small seashells, tossing them back into the water.

It looked a bit childish. Lavinia laughed. "Charley, those shells are empty. Even if you throw them back, they can't go home."

"The edges are broken. I didn't want them to cut your feet," he replied.

She froze. He was throwing them away so she wouldn't step on them and get hurt?

She couldn't remember ever being treated with such meticulous tenderness. Not even Latham, Mandy, or Saul had coddled her quite like this.