Chapter 25: Ms. Clumsy & Mr. Hot Spices

As Christina walked away, Darren's brow furrowed with confusion. What was it about him that made her rush off so quickly? Was it something he said, or maybe the way he looked? He ran his hand along his jaw, puzzled. Perhaps he had gone too far with his teasing? But he couldn't help it—he enjoyed seeing her reactions, the way her expressions shifted so rapidly. He couldn't resist pushing her buttons, even though he now wondered if he had overstepped. The last thing he wanted was to make her cry again like she did when they first met. He despised tears, especially from women. Yet, for some reason, when it came to Christina, he felt more irked than repulsed. It was an odd feeling, one he couldn't quite understand, especially since she was practically a stranger. Meanwhile, Christina had stopped running after putting some distance between them. She stood still, catching her breath, and then questioned herself, "Why am I running?" Her thoughts swirled as she tried to make sense of her acti