Instead, my hand moves on its own, brushing a strand of hair from her face, the simple gesture masking the weight of everything I can’t say.
For a split second, there’s a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, and it punches straight through me. If I say the words, there’s no going back. But I need her to feel what I’m struggling to say.
I pull her into me, holding her like I can keep her here forever. I focus entirely on committing every detail to memory. The curve of her hips, the freckles dusting her nose and cheeks, her full lips that fit so perfectly with mine.
Then she shifts, her voice cutting through the silence. “What are you thinking?”
I don’t want to burden her with my worries, but the pressure to be honest is suffocating. I swallow hard, forcing myself to speak, even if it’s only a fraction of what’s truly on my mind.
“I’m thinking that I want more time with you.” My voice is rough around the edges, vulnerable in a way I rarely allow myself to be. “I’m thinking that whatever this is between us, it’s not something I want to end.”
Her eyes widen, searching mine. I can almost see her processing my admission, weighing it against whatever expectations she’s set for herself.
“Knox…” she whispers. My name on her lips makes something in my chest constrict. She shifts beside me, propping herself up on one elbow. The sheet falls away, exposing the curve of her breast, and despite everything we’ve just done, heat coils in me again.
“I wasn’t expecting this,” she finally says. “When I came here, I thought… I don’t know what I thought. But definitely not this.”
“Regrets?” I ask, trying to keep my voice neutral despite the sudden tightness in my throat.
She shakes her head quickly, her eyes never leaving mine. “No. God, no, Knox. No regrets.” Her fingers trace a path along my jaw, the gentle touch sending ripples of heat through me. “I just wasn’t prepared for how this would feel.”
I catch her hand in mine and press a kiss to her palm. The relief is almost staggering. “I’m not great at this,” I admit. “The talking part.”
Her laugh is soft. “I’ve noticed.”
The weight of reality presses down, and I feel the familiar urge to pull back. The thought of watching her walk away without fighting for this, though? That’s worse than any fear.
The meeting with the lawyers is only a few days away. If I can make it through that and walk away with answers, I’ll finally be able to stand before her as a man who’s earned the right to ask her to stay.
“I don’t want to ruin this,” I say, my thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. “Not with words that might come out wrong or promises I can’t keep yet.”
She nods, but I can see the questions swimming in her eyes, the uncertainty that’s been building since we first collided. I need to give her something, even if I can’t give her everything.
I pull her closer, breathing in her scent. “Let’s just…be here. Right now. With each other.” I press my lips to her forehead. “I swear we’ll talk before you go. Really talk. About what this is.”
Her body relaxes against mine, the tension leaving her shoulders. “Promise?”
“I promise.” And I mean it. No more hiding behind silence or half truths. “Tonight, I just want to feel you.”
She grins up at me, her voice low and teasing. “Well, if you keep talking like that, I might just hold you to it.”
I can’t help but chuckle, the sound slipping out before I can catch it. It feels good. Too good.
I would move mountains to have her in my life. I would burn bridges, walk through fire, sacrifice everything I’ve ever known just to make sure she’s beside me.
I slip out of bed,careful to avoid the soft groan of the floorboards. Juliette’s still there, tangled up in the sheets and bathed in soft morning light. Her hair, dark and wild, spills across the pillow, a mess of waves that makes her look even more beautiful than she already is. For a second, I just watch her. She sighs in her sleep, her face peaceful and untouched by anything that might steal her calm.
I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips. This is something I could get used to. Waking up and finding her in my bed. Too damn perfect.
But I can’t stay forever, no matter how much I want to.
I make my way down the stairs, and my eyes land on my phone sitting on the kitchen counter. Still exactly where I left it in last night’s rush. It’s funny how easily Juliette’s managed to pull me into her orbit, making everything else feel insignificant in comparison.
A flicker of dread twists in my gut as I grab it, the screen lighting up with a string of missed texts and voicemails.
Finn.
“Shit,” I mutter, swiping to call him back without bothering to listen to the messages.
