But even with the distance between us, the air still vibrated.
And as I reached for a strap on the table, my hand trembled slightly.
Not from cold.
Not from fear.
From wanting him again.
Wanting him still.
And the terrifying realization that wanting him wasn’t going away anytime soon.
Carson lifted another dry bag onto the table, but the movement felt different now. Everything felt more deliberate, as if he were trying to ground himself in the task.
“We still need to check the zippers on these,” I said, proud that my voice didn’t wobble.
“Right,” he murmured.
He stood beside me, close but not too close, hands steady as he tested each zipper. The repetitive zip–unzip pattern echoed softly in the cold shed, mixing with the distant sound of Beck whistling something outside that sounded suspiciously like the wedding march.
I groaned. “If he sings ‘Here Comes the Bride,’ I’m setting something on fire.”
Carson’s mouth twitched. “I didn’t realize you were this dramatic in the mornings.”
“I’m not dramatic,” I said, then immediately reconsidered every life choice I’d made. “Okay, fine. Slightly dramatic. But only when ambushed by my siblings. Just because they’ve found their happily-ever-afters doesn’t mean I’m destined to.”
He tested another zipper. “They care about you.”
“I know,” I sighed. “They just… care loudly.”
“You don’t like loud caring?”
I hesitated. The rope in my hands suddenly felt too light.
“I like it,” I said quietly. “I just don’t always know what to do with it.”
He didn’t speak right away. When he finally did, his voice softened.
“I get that.”
I looked up.
His eyes met mine, and I saw a quick glimmer of something, pain maybe, or a memory.
“You do?” I whispered.
“Yes.” He reached for another bag. “People caring about me used to make me uncomfortable, too.”
“Used to?”
He let out a small breath. “Still does sometimes.”
That admission hit me harder than expected. Carson didn’t offer pieces of himself easily. Whatever he gave away, he meant.
I let the rope fall gently onto the table. “So… this is weird for you too?”
“This?” His brow lifted slightly. “Meaning your family? Or dinner? Or the kiss?”
