The cold night air clung to Riley’s skin as she stayed pressed against Ethan, her heartbeat wild and uneven. She had not meant to collapse into his arms, but once she felt the warmth of his chest and heard the steadiness of his voice, she could not move away.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Ethan kept his forehead against hers, his hand wrapped around hers with quiet determination.
Say something,” he whispered finally. “Tell me you feel this too. Tell me you don’t want to walk away.
Riley swallowed hard, her eyes stinging. “I do feel it. That’s the problem. I feel it so much I can barely breathe when I’m near you.
Then stop fighting it,” Ethan urged gently. “Let yourself have this. Let us have this.
Her chest tightened as Caleb’s voice replayed in her head. The warning. The
