Erin sat frozen, staring at the coffee she had poured for Xander. The cup was still warm, the faint steam curling into the air, but all she could see was the space where he had been sitting just moments ago. They had been laughing earlier, sharing a moment that felt light and effortless, and in a single breath she had ruined it.
Why had she brought up last night again? It had been hard enough to convince herself to sleep after their conversation on the beach, and yet her restless mind had betrayed her. Now she was left with nothing but guilt and a hollow ache in her chest.
Erin told herself it was only the exhaustion talking, but deep down she knew the truth. Seeing him first thing in the morning had been the very thing she wanted most. When she spotted him in the dining hall, her heart
