But her heart?
Her heart whispered that he was right.
This wasn’t something fleeting. This wasn’t something she could wake upfrom and pretend hadn’t meant everything.
And that terrified her.
“Chase—” she started, but she didn’t know what to say.
He leaned in, brushing his lips over hers once more—slow, lingering, filled with the promise of something worth waiting for. He kissed her like he was telling her a secret, like he was sealing something between them, something irrevocable.
Then, with an exhale that sounded like it physically pained him, he pulled back.
His forehead pressed against hers for a second longer, their breaths mingling, their bodies still tangled, before he finally eased her off his lap.
"Come on," he murmured, standing and holding out a hand to help her up. "I'm taking you home."
Savannah hesitated.
She could still feel the heat of him, still taste him on her lips, still hear the way his voice had cracked just slightly when he said her name. And God, she didn’t want to leave.
But this was Chase. The boy she had wanted for years. The man who was still standing in front of her, offering her something real.
So, she took his hand.
Let him guide her off the dock, back toward the house, back toward the truck.
The ride home was quiet, but it wasn’t empty.
Chase kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the console, close enough that she could reach for him, lace her fingers through his, feel the steady warmth of his palm against hers.
She almost did.
Almost.
When he pulled up in front of the Monroe house, the streetlights cast long shadows, the world still and quiet around them. He shifted into park but didn’t move to open her door. Instead, he turned toward her, his gaze roaming her face like he was memorizing her all over again.
Savannah bit her lip. "You sure you don't want to come inside?" she teased,though her voice was softer than she intended.
Chase let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You're trying to kill me, aren't you?"
She grinned. "Maybe just a little."
His eyes darkened, his fingers brushing against her thigh. "Oh, Savannah. You have no idea what you're doing to me."
She shivered, but before she could respond, he leaned in, pressing one last kiss to her lips—slow and deep, stealing whatever breath she had left.
Then he pulled back, his thumb tracing along her jawline before he exhaled and nodded toward the house. "Go. Before I change my mind."
Savannah smirked, opening the door, but just before she stepped out, she turned back to him, her voice playful, teasing. "Sweet dreams, Montgomery."
Chase’s smirk turned downright sinful.
"Oh, they will be," he murmured. "And they’ll all be about you."
Her stomach flipped, heat rushing to her cheeks, but before she could let him see just how much his words affected her, she closed the door and walked inside.
But she didn’t stop smiling.
