“To talk.”
“Why?”
“Because River looked like he wanted to throw something when he left, and you look like you want to disappear.”
I scowl. “That’s none of your business.”
“It became my business the second I kissed you.”
“You mean the kiss you ambushed me with?”
He exhales a sharp breath, straightens up. “You kissed me back.”
My jaw tightens. “Doesn’t mean it meant anything.”
“Liar,” he growls.
The word slices through the space between us. I flinch — because it lands too close to the truth.
I push the door again, but he doesn’t budge. “Move.”
“No.”
“Tex—”
“I’m not letting you walk away as if nothing happened.”
“Why not?” I bite out. “So, you can say I belong to you now? That’s how this works, right? You take, and you claim, and you break things just to see if they’ll still want you after?”
He goes still at that. His gaze drops, lashes brushing his cheekbones. When he looks back up at me, there’s something raw in him — a ripple beneath all the bravado.
“I don’t want to break you,” he says, voice low. “I don’t want you ruined, Isobel. I just…”
I stare at him, breath caught.
“You make me feel something.”
“It’s too late,” I whisper.
He flinches like I hit him. “Is it?”
I don’t answer. I just stand there — staring at the boy who barged into my life like a wrecking ball and is suddenly looking at me like I’m the one who could destroy him.
“I came because I needed to know.”
“Know what?”
“If I imagined it. The way you kissed me back.”
My breath stutters.
He steps forward just enough to close the space between us, but not enough to touch. Not yet.
“Did you feel anything, Isobel?”
My throat constricts. I want to lie. I want to slam the door in his face andpretend it never happened. But I can still feel the ghost of his lips on mine. Still feel the fire he lit.
“I’m trying…” I whisper. “Trying to want something normal. Something easy.”
