Once he’s finished, he steers the drone back onto the ground beside him. “That should do it. My client’s going to love this.” He powers it down, latches the case shut, and exhales like he’s clocking out of a good day’s work.
When he returns from the parking lot, we wander down the beach and settle onto a stretch of flat black stones, the lake extending endlessly before us. The gentle lapping of the water over the shore is the kind of sound that quiets your brain whether you ask it to or not. We’re facing east, so we don’t get a dramatic sunset. Instead, the light fades gradually, the sky shifting from blue to gray to that soft in-between shade.
A cool breeze sneaks under my sweatshirt, and I hug my arms around myself. Without thinking, I scoot closer and hook my arm through Miles’s.
He glances down. “You cold?”
I open my mouth to answer, but he’s already slipping his arm around my shoulders, tucking me into his side. Warmth blooms instantly, physical and… something else.
I look up at him. “That was smooth.”
He stiffens, just a fraction. “Oh. Uh. Did I—did I do something wrong?”
“No,” I say quickly, smiling. “I think you’re getting the hang of casual. You know. With the touching. And the flirting.”
The tips of his ears turn pink. “Oh.” His lips press together for a moment. “It just felt like the right thing to do.”
“It was. You’re learning.”
He exhales, relieved, then tips his head toward the SUV. “I’ve got a zip-up in the car if you want it.”
I settle more firmly against his side. “No. I’m okay.” He doesn’t argue. Instead, his arm around me tightens a fraction. We sit in comfortable silence, watching the lake darken.
“So…” He picks at the rocks. “Have you played any fun games lately?”
I shake my head. “No. Not since the Freezer Feast with your family.” I smile at the memory.
“Yeah, me either. It’s been busy.”
“Are you as competitive as everyone else?” I ask, tilting my head to look at him.
“Not really. Having two older sisters, you realize at a young age you’re not winning much.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “I can see that. If I get to join you again, I’ll be sure to bring my competitive skills.” The words tumble out before I can stop them. If I get to join you again… those are future-planning words, and we’re not planning any type of future.
“I believe Mallory’s planning a dinner and game night soon, if you’d like to join.”
I nod. Here’s to future planning. “Sure. That sounds fun.”
We stay longer than we intend to. The lake mirrors the fading light, catching soft blues, silvers, and pale lavender. One by one, stars poke through the sky.
Miles shifts, careful not to disturb me. I don’t move. He exhales slowly. “We should probably head back.”
“Yeah.” But I don’t move. Neither does he. The silence stretches between us. Not awkward. I tilt my face up to look at him. In the low light, his eyes catch what little glow there is left, and my thoughts turn to mush.
“You okay?” he asks quietly.
My answer lodges behind my ribs. Because I am—and I’m not. Because all my attention is on how warm his body is against me. I swallow. “I’m fine.”
He studies me as if he’s deciding whether to believe me or call my bluff. His hand shifts on my shoulder; it’s barely a movement, but it still registers. Slowly, his thumb brushes the edge of my sleeve. Then his gaze drops. Not to my hands in my lap. Not to the lake. To my mouth.
That quiet shift flips a switch in me. I should make a joke. I should stand up. I should break the moment before it turns into something I can’t pretend away. Instead, I turn toward him. “This is practice.”
My fingers curl into the front of his shirt, gathering the fabric as if I need to anchor myself. His breath stutters before his arm tightens, pulling me closer. For a second, his forehead rests against mine, our breaths mingling. I lift my chin to close the last inch myself. My lips meet his, soft and slow. Then he kisses me back, just as slow, but there’s a hitch in it. A hesitation. As if he’s suddenly aware of his hands and doesn’t quite know what to do with them. They hover at my sides.
I pull back just enough to look at him. “You okay?”
He exhales, half laugh, half confession. “Yeah. I just…” He shakes his head. “I don’t want to mess this up.”
