Chapter 42 | Shattered

Phoenix

We shouldn’t do this.

I know that we shouldn’t.

But, she’s so close to me. Her scent is intoxicating, she yearns for me, and I yearn for her. Why can’t we let ourselves enjoy this one fleeting moment?

With that thought, my mind is made up and I lean in to close the gap between us, desperate to feel her soft lips on mine. My eyes begin to close as I feel her breath against my lips, and I move to capture her lips. But they’re not there.

My eyes snap open and I see she’s pulled her head back and she stares at me with wide unblinking eyes. Heat rushes to my cheeks out of embarrassment from this rejection. Was I imagining it? I could’ve sworn that she wanted to kiss me just as much as I wanted to kiss her.

Her cheeks turn read and she brushes a lock of hair behind her ear, turning her face away from me and she says nervously, “I should go.”

I nod my head, “Yeah, it’s getting late.”

“Yeah,” she murmurs. Her eyes flicker around us and she says, “Just so you know, the next few days