ur: The Ga

la

him for the r

ng dropped at the door, not even after the sun dipped below the lines o

avoid

eather armchair in the living room, legs tucked beneath me, eyes half-focus

ound 9 p.m., my pulse spiked. I didn'

, there was something off. Like he was dragging the air behind

d in the

el him loo

dn't

ould be

e was no authority in it. Just a weak su

idn

ping the remote lazily. "You alwa

id no

finally letting

n't quite trust what he was seeing. O

y goodnight,"

"Didn't think it

g?" I tilted my head, studying him. "Is

s not just th

hem of my oversized t-shirt brushing my thighs. It was an old on

at f

I couldn't resist. I'd worn it before, back when I was younger and innocence

me like I was some

a child

d sharply

voice low. "I saw the way you looked at me. You thin

t dangerous

inti

. "You need bou

ed ho

ons. Just the thrum of our hearts pounding

ost missed it, he said, "I

n a wall. A line

ousin of desire. The two don't cancel each o

ove her?"

thing came out. That was

sked next-my voice tr

ned. "You don't know

what it feels like to want someone so much you can't sle

ned. "You thin

hink it's the most real

o fists at his sides.

irst time-he

of

him

ly made m

when you look away. I see the way you fight yourself. A

gged. Like the weight of everything h

ect you," he said.

ce was calm when I a

seconds, minutes-I

e turned and walked up the stairs

sil

beat that w