No One Else Comes Close Novels & Stories

More like something opening. I don’t move away. I don’t move forward. I just stay. His voice drops lower. “There are things I haven’t said yet,” he says. I wait. I don’t rush him. “I don’t speak easily,” he says. “Not about myself. Not about what I feel.” His eyes don’t waver. “But I know this. You are not here by accident. And I don’t let people close to me unless there is a reason. Real reason.”

“And you? You stay the hell away. This isn’t some romantic subplot. Her mom would make it her personal mission to ruin your life the second she catches you looking at her.” “That’s the thrill, isn’t it?” Noah said, leaning back against the railing. “The girl you can’t have is the one who sticks in your head. Besides…” He paused, glancing at the house next door. “She’s the only one who hasn’t even noticed me. That’s… new. That’s interesting.”

I look around, there is no one else. Thousands of faceless people blur into nothing behind me, but he walks past them all. He is walking towards me, with no hesitation. He does not detour. Neither does he glance back. When he reaches me, he lifts his hand, not touching, just hovering. His knuckles brushing the air near my cheek. “You’re not background noise,” he says, his voice lower now. “You’re the only sound I hear.”

I say with the shrug, taking one last glance toward the glass door and to the snow backed high outside that the stranger just tracked through before turning around, walking back into the back room. "No one believes you actually came here from the Jade Province because you're poor," she notes as I brush past her. Noa's the only person who has taken an interest in me since I arrived, since she is the only one bothered by my silence. I hate myself for liking her so much. I'm supposed to be more inconspicuous.

No additional names. Just us. My stomach tightens slowly, deliberately. This isn’t casual proximity anymore. And whatever comes next…. It won’t be either.

No one moves. "Now."

Bare walls, just a bed, a basin for water, flames leaping in the hearth. Here, closeness isn’t something snatched in quiet moments - it settles like dust after a long journey. One glance, then another, and the act begins to fade. Roads stretch ahead, just us inside this car, no audience left. Distance strips things down, layer by layer, until there’s nothing to hide behind.

I wanted to curl up with him, whisper in his ear, and shiver when he murmured filthy nothings in mine. I wanted home. But Calabria felt distant with the music blaring, my feet aching, and my stomach twisting. Gianna was halfway through recounting Amara’s technique like she was giving a TED Talk on closet make-outs. “Please,” I groaned. “No more details. My baby’s got enough to deal with.” Gianna giggled and leaned back. “You’re lucky Damon’s not into closets, or you’d never get that office back.” Then I spotted him—Joey, standing awkwardly by the snack table, not even pretending to mingle, his eyes fixed on us. On *her*.

He was standing in the middle of my living room, hands in his pockets, jaw tight in that controlled way I was starting to recognize too easily. “He stood too close,” I said. “Touched my hand. Said something about meaning it personally.” I exhaled. “Nothing I can point to. Nothing that would sound like anything if I said it out loud.” Nate didn’t respond immediately. He just looked at me. “But it felt like something,” he said quietly. “Yes.” His jaw tightened further. He crossed the room slowly and stopped in front of me. Not touching. Just close. “You don’t have to manage it alone,” he said.

Just as I was about to cut another piece for him, someone pushed the bathroom door open. Carmen came out of the bathroom, stretching herself with a yawn. “Why are guys eating without me?” “You’re so slow my dear.” Bishop shrugged and put a forkful of food into his mouth. Carmen glared at him. After fixing her eyes on a certain spot, she gaped. “Oh gosh! Jude has never taken the initiative to get close to others. How did you do it?” She was amazed. “I just fed him some food.” I smiled.