But her mom’s voice floated through the air. “Dessert round two…wherever you are!”
Sienna jolted backward.
I dropped my hand instantly.
She laughed nervously and shakily. “Well. Looks like we’re being summoned.”
“Sienna—”
“Tomorrow,” she said quickly, retreating another step. “We can talk tomorrow.”
She walked toward the house, stiff but determined, her hair swinging, her shoulders still tense from what almost happened.
I stood there under the moonlight, watching her go, heart pounding, breath uneven, wanting to follow but knowing she needed space.
We had come so close, too close, but not close enough.
Whatever this was between us, it wasn’t cooling off.
It was heating up.
And tomorrow?
Tomorrow might be the day everything finally broke open.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sienna
The problem with my brain was that it didn’t shut up.
Not at midnight, or two in the morning.
It didn’t behave at four, when normal people were asleep, but my eyeballs hadn’t given up.
Anddefinitely not now,as I paced like a feral raccoon across the floor at Honey Leaf Lodge, whisper-arguing with myself as though reason would suddenly appear if I just walked aggressively enough.
I wasn’t going to run.
I wasn’t.
I absolutely wasn’t.
I refused.
Had I considered it? Sure.
Had I mentally mapped which flights to Iceland were cheapest in April? Maybe.
Had I imagined a dramatic exit where I left a note sayingsearch for me only if you dare?Yes, and it included glitter.
But no.
I wasn’t leaving.
Couldn’t leave.
Not because of Carson—
