The air around them was thick with unspoken words, the tension from Claire’s kiss still hanging between her and Ethan like an invisible barrier. She couldn’t look at him, couldn’t bear to see the confusion or surprise in his eyes. The moment had been impulsive, a reaction to the jealousy and frustration that had been building inside her for days. Now, she wished she could take it all back, but it was too late.
Ethan didn’t speak immediately, his silence deafening in the space between them. Claire took a deep breath, steadying herself, but it did little to calm the storm inside. Her emotions were a mess—confusion, regret, longing—and they were only getting worse the more she tried to ignore them.
She turned her back on him, trying to gather her thoughts. The forest around them seemed to m
