Sienna
On the way to the parking space, I kept a distance from Nate as if proximity itself could become a mistake I could not afford. The cocktail party still clung to my skin, Everything about the night felt curated, including the man walking beside me now.
Nate did not try to close the distance. He walked slightly ahead, then slowed when I matched his pace, adjusting himself as though he understood the exact boundary I was maintaining.
When we reached the car, he opened the rear door for me without a word.
"Thank you," I said, my tone equally restrained.
He only gave a small nod, neither acknowledging warmth nor rejecting it.
The silence settled quickly once the car started moving. Silvercreek passed outside in blurred streaks of light, and I leaned back against the s
