Viktoria POV
“Kaden, we can’t do this. I’m sorry.”
His hands fall away instantly, and the warmth that had momentarily wrapped around me vanishes. Kaden steps back, eyes squinting, his lips parting as though he’s about to speak but doesn’t know how to begin. He sighs, his expression clears up a bit but the cloud remains. He fidgets his pocket, looking away.
“I didn’t mean to—” I start, my voice shaking. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I just . . . I’m not ready. I mean, for anything like that. For commitment.”
He shakes his head gently and stops fidgeting. “No, I’m the one who should apologize,” he says. “That was immature. I shouldn’t have tried to move on you like that. I just—I feel so strongly about you, Viktoria. And instead of saying it, I tried to show it. I shouldn’t have done
