The Kiss List

Chapter 20: Breaking Down Walls

The crackling fireplace cast a warm glow over the cabin’s cozy interior, wrapping Olivia and Noah in its comforting embrace. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, but inside, everything was quiet—just the two of them, lost in the moment.

Olivia leaned back on the couch, a cup of hot cocoa cradled between her hands. Noah sat beside her, his arm draped lazily over the back of the couch, watching her with a thoughtful expression.

"You’re staring," she teased, raising an eyebrow.

"I can’t help it," he admitted, his lips curving into a slow smile. "You’re beautiful when you’re relaxed."

She rolled her eyes playfully but felt her heart flutter all the same. "I guess I’m not used to this."

"This?" he questioned, shifting slightly to face her.

"Letting my guard down." She sighed, looking down at her cup. "I’ve spent so much time protecting myself from getting hurt that I forgot what it’s like to just… be."

Noah reached over, gently tilting her chin up so she met his gaze. "You don’t have to protect yourself from me, Olivia. I’m not going anywhere."

Her breath caught in her throat. "That’s what scares me."

He chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You’re not alone in this, you know? I have my own fears."

"Like what?" she asked curiously.

He exhaled, leaning back against the couch. "Like losing you before I’ve even had the chance to love you the way you deserve."

Her chest tightened. "Noah…"

"I mean it," he said, his voice earnest. "I’m all in, Olivia. I know what I want, and it’s you. Every version of you—the guarded one, the fearless one, the vulnerable one."

She studied his face, searching for any hint of doubt, but all she found was certainty. Steady, unwavering certainty.

She set her cup down on the coffee table and took his hand. "I want that too. I want you. But I don’t know how to just let go."

"Then we take it one step at a time," he assured her, intertwining their fingers. "No pressure, no rush. Just us."

A small smile broke across her lips. "That sounds nice."

Noah grinned. "Good. Because I was about to suggest an impromptu snowball fight outside, and I didn’t want you to think I was trying to pressure you into something too serious."

She laughed, shaking her head. "You really think you can take me?"

He stood up, offering her his hand. "Oh, I know I can."

She took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. "Challenge accepted."

---

The cold air hit her cheeks as they stepped outside, the snow crunching beneath their boots. Before Olivia could fully prepare herself, a snowball flew past her shoulder, missing by inches.

"That was a warning shot!" Noah called out, laughing.

"Oh, it’s on now," she shot back, quickly gathering snow in her hands.

For the next half hour, they played like kids, dodging and throwing snowballs, their laughter ringing through the trees. Olivia hadn’t felt this carefree in years.

Eventually, they collapsed onto the snow-covered ground, breathless and grinning. Noah turned his head toward her. "You look happy."

She turned to face him, snowflakes catching in her hair. "I am."

And in that moment, she realized—maybe, just maybe, she didn’t have to be afraid of falling anymore. Because with Noah, she’d never hit the ground alone.