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“You’re an idiot,” she said.

She half expected him to leave her there and keep going, back to his perfect life with his perfect family dinner and his perfect new girlfriend.

But he didn’t.

He came rushing forward and closed the distance between them, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and lifting her up. For a brief moment, he just stared into her eyes, longing and anguish etched on his face. It was still there. He still cared for her.

She nodded, letting him know she understood. That she saw him, every bit of him. And that she was okay with whatever he was about to do next.

So, he leaned in, and he finally kissed her.

She’d kissed boys before, had even kissed the one boy she’d always had a crush on. But never in her life had a kiss caused what felt like an electrical shock to course through her entire body. Kissing Tyler was like turning on a switch. Everything was darkness before, and now, it all made sense.

She threw her arms around him and kissed him back, his soft lips rolling against hers, his hands holding her tightly to him, grasping this wild, perfect moment. Even as the rain picked up, her hair getting soaked, she wrapped her legs around his torso and tilted her head, deepening the kiss. He moved a hand to the back of her thigh, the other still firm at the small of her back, holding her steady. Just like he always did.

Then it hit her, what they were doing. How wrong it was, yet how right it all felt.

She broke away. “Tyler, we should—”

“Mm-mm,” he mumbled, shaking his head as he pressed his lips to hers again. So she let it happen, melting into him, savoring the taste of his tongue, the breath they shared.

When they finally slowed, she nipped at his bottom lip before pulling away and staring into his eyes. He pressed his forehead against hers and sighed, droplets of rain sliding down his cheeks. He was still holding her.

“You’re really strong enough to keep me lifted like this?”

“If I put you down then it’s over,” he whispered. “I don’t want it to be over.”

Butterflies danced around in her stomach. She felt her cheeks flush. “I—well, at some point my food will get cold.”

“That’s what microwaves are for.”

She smiled, shaking her head at him. “Tyler…”

He groaned, letting her down gently but shielding her from the rain.

“Sooo,” she said softly. “What now?”

“I have no idea,” he whispered, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

“You’re still with Zoe.”

His hand froze. “And you’re with Jay.” She felt his muscles stiffen when he said the name.

“Do we…break it off with them?”

“I…” He trailed off. Then, to her absolute dismay, Tyler let her go and stepped away, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t.”

She felt like she’d been hit with a hammer. “What do you mean you can’t?”

“I can’t break it off with her, Ry.”

She glared at him. “Why?”

“It’s hard to explain.”

She crossed her arms, in complete disbelief that he was doing this to her. “Is it because I’m not as popular as her? Will I ruin your royalty status?”

“You can’t honestly think it’s about that.”