""You know this is dangerous, right?" Ethan's voice was low, but there was a hint of something softer in his words as he glanced around the secluded clearing. His intense blue eyes locked on Avery's, searching for a response.
The tension between them seemed to hum in the air, thick and palpable, as if the clearing itself held its breath, waiting for what would come next.
"I know," Avery replied, her breath catching slightly. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, crossing her arms defensively, though her tone was anything but guarded. "But does that mean we should stop?"
There was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, a moment of doubt, but it quickly faded as she straightened her shoulders. She wasn't about to back down, not now, not after everything.
Ethan took a step closer, his presence dominating the space between them. "You shouldn't be involved with me, Avery. I bring too much risk, too much danger into your life."
