My snakes hiss at her sudden movement, at the change in the way she reacts to me.
Something has shifted in her demeanor, her aura. The iciness that had melted away seems to be rapidly refreezing.
My heart feels like it’s seconds away from shattering as she grows distant—both physically, and emotionally.
I couldfeelher heart racing, and the way she leaned into my touch was borderline desperate. So why does she want this to end?
I thought that my puns were lightening the mood. Maybe they were just pushing her away…
Shaking her head, she continues to walk away from me. “This is done.”
“The puns?” I ask, but I know what she’s saying.
I just don’t want it to be true. It can’t be. I can’t be losing her before I even have her.
“Us.” Her steps falter at the end of her front hall. Her shoulders are tightened, and she runs her fingers through the roots of her hair.
I shake my head, even though she’s turned away. “Holly, this isn’t…hasn’tbeen just a holiday fling for a while now.”
She takes a deep breath, her shoulders still holding tension as she lets it out. “Well, it has been for me.”
“You’re lying to yourself, dollface.” I try out the nickname I’ve given her. The one that always makes her eyes sparkle when she hears it.
Her head turns, as if she’s about to look over her shoulder at me. She doesn’t, though, the cold still radiating from her all the way to where I stand.
Then, she speaks, her voice softer than I’ve ever heard it, a waver in it that’s never been there before. “Stop.”
I take a step toward her, her head nearly turning again at the sound of my footstep. “This is real, what you and I have.”
She shakes her head hesitantly, her voice quiet. “Felix, please.”
“Whyare you pushing me away?” I practically beg, taking another single step.
She whirls around, those dark eyes gleaming with the tears that dare to break free.
My heart aches knowing I have something to do with it, that I’ve pushed her to this point.
But my heart also breaks at the thought of losing her before she knows how I feel. In our short time together, I’ve fallen in love with her.
Because I see what’s beneath the icy exterior she shows the world—I see the warmth and love that she tries to pretend isn’t there.
“I don’t want anyone to know me deeply again, Felix,” she barks, approaching me with a finger pointed in my direction. “I used toyearnfor someone to understand my soul, to understand me, and then someone did. And then they tore me apart.”
She stops just short of me, finger raised at my face. “I don’tgettorn apart—not anymore. I’mstrong, things like that don’t happen to me.”
“Opening your heart, having emotions, none of that means weakness.” I gently bring my hand to her chin, cupping her face. “You are strong, but with that strength comes emotions—and that is the way it should be, Holly.”
Her eyes dart around my face, wide and showing me more than they ever have before. My snakes let out soft hisses, the gentlest they’ve ever sounded.
There’s hope that’s dwindled by fear, and love that’s stifled by resentment.
She’s been hurt before. Badly.
“I’m never, ever going to hurt you, Holly,” I promise, dragging my thumb across her cheek to wipe away a stray tear.
She lets out a weak, scoffing laugh. “I’ve heard that before.”
“Not from me you haven’t—and I mean it. Like it or not, you are never scaring me away, dollface.” I move my free hand to her waist, pulling her against me. “This fling was never a fling to me. It’s been the start of my forever.Ourforever.”
