He looks down, his gaze softening when he sees our fingers tangled together. That small smile tugs at my heart, and when he squeezes my hand, it leaves me breathless.
“You’re going home in, what, four days?” he asks.
I wish he hadn’t brought it up. That little reminder yanks me out of this perfect, blissed-out bubble I’ve been living in since I got here. Here, there’s no crappy job with a boss who acts like “personal time” is just some fairytale people tellthemselves to get through the day. No exhausting drama with drunken exes.
It’s just me, my best friend, the kind of scenery that makes your soul lighter…and him.
“Yep,” I say, sighing dramatically. “I wanted to stay longer, but apparentlyliving the dreamisn’t a valid excuse for more time off. Who knew?”
He shrugs. “Well, at least you’re not dealing with me full-time.”
I laugh. “Oh, trust me, I’m definitely gonna miss you. Especially when I’m knee-deep in a pile of…you don’t want to know.” I make a face like the very thought of it is a crime. “I’ll be wishing I was here, getting distracted by your ridiculous charm instead.”
He leans in just enough to make my pulse skip. “You know, I was going to fire back with some snarky comment, but…I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“As you should,” I reply. Because as much as I tease, I mean every word.
I need to figure out what I’m doing here, and what I’m doing withhim.
Over the past year, I’ve gotten dangerously close to feeling too much for Callan. And it’s not just a crush or a passing phase. It’s deeper than that.
What I had with Dillon was real. Sure, the end was messy, there’s no denying that. Before it all fell apart, it was easy, young love. It was comfortable in a way that felt like it could have gone on forever if life hadn’t decided to ruin it.
But with Callan? It’s exhilarating in a way I didn’t even know I was capable of feeling. He’s the kind of person who makes your blood race, who pushes you to take risks you’d normally avoid, who somehow manages to be both infuriating and irresistible all at once.
I can’t love him, though. That’s not how this works, right? Besides, it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t seem like the type to settle down, and even if he was, I’m not sure he’d want to settle down withme. So what’s the point of even thinking about it?
I know myself well enough to realize I can’t go too far with this. A little thrill is fine, but too much, and I’ll catch feelings. That’s what I do. I care too much. I always have. I let myself fall into things until it’s more than just fun, more than just a temporary escape.
A kiss never hurt anyone, right?
My mind races in a thousand different directions as Callan’s hand lands at the small of my back, pulling me closer. His solid body presses against mine, and the world shrinks down, until it’s just us, alone in this charged little space. Every inch of me is acutely aware of the heat radiating off his skin, the strength in the hand at my back.
He leans down, his breath warm against my neck. His voice is a soothing murmur that sends a shiver down my spine. “What was that you were saying about a kiss never hurting anyone?”
Oh god. How much of that did I say out loud? My heart stutters, heat flooding my face as I hope and pray he didn’t hear every single word.
I swallow, trying to steady the erratic pounding of my pulse. The world feels like it’s tilting, spinning just a little too fast for me to catch up. “I, uh… I didn’t mean?—”
He cuts me off with a chuckle, his thumb brushing the edge of my jaw. “Don’t worry, Sunshine,” he says, his voice low and full of that playful confidence. “I’m not going to bite.”
He pauses. “Unless you want me to.”
And there it is. That wicked gleam in his eyes that doesthingsto me, making my heart race and my knees weak. I can’thelp but laugh, even as my mind scrambles to catch up with my body’s reaction. “You’re not playing fair.”
His smile widens. “Never claimed to be, lass.”
There’s no point in trying to backtrack now. I do the next best thing and take a deep breath, pulling myself together. “What if I said yes?” The words tumble out before I can stop them. “What if I said I wanted you to?”
His hand slides up from my back to cup my face. The touch is gentle, but there’s nothing soft about the look in his eyes.
This is so dangerous. I could blame last night on alcohol and all the wedded bliss surrounding us. But now, I’ve got no one to blame but myself.
His gaze drops to my lips, and my breath catches in my throat. “Be sure about this, Sunshine,” he murmurs. “Because once I start, I don’t think I’ll want to stop.”
My answer comes not in words but in action. I rise onto my tiptoes, closing that last sliver of space between us. Our lips brush, and that whisper of contact is like striking a match to kindling.
His control snaps. His hand slides to the nape of my neck, fingers threading through my hair, tilting my head with just the right amount of force. His teeth catch my bottom lip in a gentle bite that sends a shockwave through every single nerve in my body.
