She smiles at my joke, and I swear I feel something spark between us. I can’t really put my finger on what it is, but there’s no denying it’s there. Coming to this club tonight wasn’t even on my radar until a few hours ago, and I really wrestled with if I should go at all, but now that I’m lying here and having such an amazing night with Isabelle like this, it feels like it was meant to happen.

Because when I think about it, so many things had to go exactly right for us to meet here. If my friend Finn didn’t have a date the same night, he never would’ve handed over his invite to the club to me. And if I’d had anything else to do, I definitely wouldn’t have come. But for the first time in I don’t even know how long, my schedule happened to be open.

I don’t know if Isabelle lives in the area or what she does, but she did tell me she’s never been to a sex club like this before tonight either, so I’m betting that there are just as many obstacles that could’ve stopped her from getting to Opal and Oak too.

But all the stars aligned, and here we are.

I’m not really the superstitious type, but even I have to admit that’s a lot of coincidences. Like, way too much for us meeting to be an accident. So maybe this really will be just a one-night thing, but damn, do I have a hard time accepting that. Because this girl is fucking gorgeous, no doubt, but there’s so much more to her than that. I’ve only seen it in glimpses, and I can’t really even say what “it” is, but she’s got it. She’s got me. And I don’t know how I’m supposed to just go back to normal life like none of this happened, like we never met.

Because every time I see a hummingbird from now on, I’m going to think of her. How could I not?

“So why a hummingbird?” I finally ask her quietly, and she flushes a little.

“I got it because I relate to hummingbirds. People think they’re so small and delicate, but most don’t know how strong they actually are. It takes a lot of energy and power to keep their wings flapping so many times per minute. But they never stop, never give up. I wanted a reminder of that on myself,” she says, her expression softening and her gaze drifting as she speaks. But I can’t take my eyes off her.