Hailey
His lips are warm and steady, tasting faintly of cinnamon and cocoa. For a heartbeat, I freeze...caught between surprise and the rush of something deeper, something I've been trying not to name. But then my fingers curl into the fabric of his hoodie, anchoring me, and I kiss him back.
It's not frantic or desperate. It's slow, careful, like we're both trying to understand what this is—what we are becoming.
When we finally pull apart, Josh leans his forehead against mine, eyes closed. His voice is barely above a whisper. "I've been wanting to do that all day."
I let out a breath that trembles at the edges. "Really?"
"Yes."
"We're in this together now, aren't we?" I murmur.
Josh opens his eyes, steady and clear. "Yeah. We are."
I lean back slightly, watching the way the soft glow from the screen outlines his jaw. "Who would want to hurt you, Josh?"
His smile fades. "I don't know. But I'm going to find out."
I nod slowly. "We are going to find out."
