“You’ll have the best time,” I tell her. “Edinburgh’s a hell of a place. I think I’m gonna miss you, though.”
I don’t say it lightly. I’ve gotten so used to seeing her around without even realizing how much it’s become a part of my routine. I’m not sure how it’ll feel when she’s gone.
She lifts her head from my shoulder, her eyes locking with mine with that look I’ve come to recognize all too well. A small crease forms between her brows, like she’s trying to figure out if I’m messing with her or if I actually mean it.
“Really?”
I nod. “Aye, I will.”
Her eyes linger on mine for a beat longer than usual. “I think I’m going to miss you, too,” she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. Suddenly, there’s an unspoken confession hanging between us that doesn’t need to be shouted to be felt.
I don’t know if it’s the weight of her words or the way she’s looking at me like she sees more than I mean to show, but there’s a pull between us that feels too strong to push away this time.
I reach up and brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear, fingers grazing her cheek. Her breath hitches. Mine does, too.
I lean in, pulled to her like gravity and unable to stop myself. The space between us shrinks, and I stop short, close enough to feel her breath on my lips. One more second and I’ll lose the thread I’m barely holding onto.
twenty-eight
JULIETTE
My mind keeps running over every moment we’ve shared, each one lingering like an obsession I can’t cast aside. His deep laughter fills the space, making everything a little less heavy. The way his green eyes always find mine, drawing me in without even trying. And the way his words wrap around me like someone who already knows me better than I know myself, pulling me in deeper than I thought possible.
I’ve never felt this before. This…ache that spreads through my chest at the thought of being away from him, even for a few days. It’s almost unbearable. But this can’t be love, can it? It’s too soon.
With the gentlest touch, he presses his lips to mine. The doubt, the uncertainty, and the cracks I’ve been holding together all fade away, leaving behind something whole, something perfect. My fingers curl into the fabric of Knox’s shirt, as if holding on to him is the only thing keeping me tethered to reality.
Everything else falls away. All that’s left is the heat of his kiss and the dizzying pull of being lost in him.
When we finally break apart, breathless and flushed, he rests his forehead against mine. My fingers graze the sharp line of his jaw, unshaven and rough beneath my touch. For a moment, everything stills. We both pause, caught in the crackling tension between us. His eyes darken, and the hunger in them is unmistakable.
“Juliette,” he murmurs, the sound of my name a breathless plea and a command all at once. “What do you want?”
Every nerve in my body goes on high alert.
Him. I wanthim. I want him in a way I’ve never wanted anything in my life.
“I want…” I trail off, my voice trembling.
“Don’t do that, Juliette,” he urges. “Tell me what you want.”
I meet his gaze, my heart pounding so loudly I swear he can hear it. The world shrinks to just the two of us, each beat of my pulse acting like a countdown. The words escape me in a whisper. “You,” I breathe. “I want you.”
The confession hangs in the air between us, a delicate truth that shifts the ground beneath our feet. Knox’s eyes blaze with a fierce light. His hands tighten on my waist, the heat of his touch searing through the thin fabric of my shirt.
“Are you sure?” he asks. “Because if we do this, there’s no going back. I won’t be able to let you go.”
The promise in his voice, the raw, unfiltered possessiveness, strikes something deep inside me, igniting a fire that starts in my chest and spreads through every inch of my body. Ineedhim. Consequences be damned.
I nod, words evading me as his fingers begin to trace slow, deliberate circles on my hips. Each touch sends a jolt of heat through me. No words could match the rush of sensationflooding my body, every inch of me alive and buzzing with anticipation.
Then, without warning, he lifts me into his arms, and I let out a gasp that quickly morphs into laughter as he strides up the stairs without any trouble at all. I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing my face into the curve of his shoulder, feeling the steady beat of his pulse against mine.
In his arms, everything feels…right. The way he holds me close makes me feel safe and cherished. Like nothing could ever hurt me again.
As we cross the threshold into his room, he gently sets my feet to the floor. I take in the dimly lit space in a glance. The king-size bed, a jacket slung carelessly over the back of a chair, books stacked unevenly on the nightstand. Personal without a ton of effort.
His eyes stay locked on mine as he steps closer, his fingers brushing down my sides just enough to make me pause.
