RAVENNA
His voice curled around my spine like smoke, warm and unsettling. The air felt heavier. I couldn’t tell if it was the heat from his presence or the sudden pressure in my chest. I broke eye contact, and bent under the weight of the moment, pretending to dust something invisible off my arm as I straightened up, then turned away quickly, hoping he couldn’t hear how fast my heart was racing.
“Thanks for the shirt,” I mumbled nervously, trying to walk past him.
But before I could get far, his hand dropped from the wall, and I felt him turn. In one swift movement, he reached out and grabbed my waist, gently, but firm enough to stop me.
When I turned to face him fully, he was already leaning in, his face so close to mine I could feel the warmth of his breath against my lips.
I froz
