MAEVE'S POV
Ivan blinked, his gaze dragging up to mine.
"Yeah," he said. "Just... didn't expect to scare him like that."
"You did show up naked," I muttered.
That pulled the smallest laugh out of him, reluctant, dry, but genuine.
"I wasn't exactly planning on an audience," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I usually run further out. I didn't think anyone would be here."
"Well," I shrugged, "we were just having a picnic. That's all."
His eyes shifted to Asha again. "Looked like he was having fun."
"He was," I said. "Until a naked man showed up out of the trees."
Ivan gave a low groan. "You're not gonna let that go, are you?"
"Not any time soon."
Another stretch of silence followed.
Then, softly, hesitantly, he said, "So... are you gonna introduce us?"
My chest tightened.
I didn't know how to answer that.
Not when Asha had no idea who Ivan really was. Not when I hadn't even decided if he'd ever need to.
