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He crosses the kitchen slowly, one hand settling at my waist the second he reaches me, and just like that my pulse steadies completely.

It’s terrifying how quickly that’s become normal.

“How’s your shoulder?” he asks quietly.

“Bruised.”

“You need ice.”

“I need coffee.”

“You need both.”

“Bossy.”

“Always.”

That shuts me up for a second.

His hand tightens slightly against my hip while silence stretches between us, softer now than it used to be. Easier. The storm burned something down between us along with everything we were still pretending.

Now there’s just this.

Us.

And somehow that’s scarier.

I set my coffee down carefully. “Rhett.”

His eyes narrow slightly like he already knows he’s not going to like whatever comes next.

“I should probably leave soon.”

The change in him is immediate.

Subtle if you don’t know him.

I do now.

His body stills completely.

“What?”

I force myself to keep talking anyway because if I hesitate, I won’t say any of this at all.

“What happened between us…” I exhale slowly. “It was intense. And the storm and the stalking and almost dying probably didn’t exactly help with perspective.”

His expression hardens slightly.

“Nora.”

“I’m serious.” I push forward before he can interrupt me. “People bond during traumatic situations all the time. Fear does weird things to your brain. Adrenaline. Proximity. Survival instincts.” I gesture vaguely between us. “This could just be obsession born from danger.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Rhett stares at me long enough that my stomach twists.