The tension between Olivia and me lingered long after our conversation ended. I knew she meant well, but her words gnawed at the edges of my thoughts. Was I being reckless? Was I setting myself up for heartbreak?
I barely had time to process it before my phone buzzed again.
Ethan: Meet me tonight. Rooftop of the Bellview. 9 PM.
A shiver ran down my spine. Ethan had a way of making the world feel small when he looked at me, like nothing else existed beyond the two of us. But Olivia's warning echoed in my mind.
Still, I went.
The city lights stretched beneath us as I stepped onto the rooftop. Ethan was already there, leaning against the railing, looking like a vision carved from the night itself. His dark eyes locked onto mine, a slow smirk playing on his lips.
"You came," he said, voice low and warm.
I swallowed, stepping closer. "And if I hadn't?"
His fingers brushed my wrist, a feather-light touch that sent electricity racing up my arm. "Then I would've come for you."
A nervous laugh escaped me, but the intensity in his gaze made my breath hitch. "Ethan-"
"Don't," he interrupted, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming. "Don't push me away, Hazel. Not when you know you don't want to."
I felt my resolve waver. He was right-I didn't want to.
"You scare me," I admitted softly.
Something flickered in his expression. "And you undo me."
The moment stretched between us, heavy and electric. Then, he cupped my face, his lips claiming mine in a kiss that made the world spin.
Maybe Olivia was right. Maybe this was dangerous.
But I knew one thing for sure-
I wasn't ready to walk away.
The wind carried the sounds of the bustling city below, but up here, it was just us. Ethan held me as if afraid I would vanish. His hand traveled down my back, resting against the small of it, pulling me closer. I leaned into him, my fingers pressing against the fabric of his shirt, feeling the steady beat of his heart.
"Tell me what you're thinking," he murmured against my temple.
I exhaled. "I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to trust this."
His jaw tensed. "I'm not asking you to figure it out overnight, Hazel. I just want you to let me in."
The vulnerability in his voice made my chest tighten. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to let him in. But how could I when my heart was already preparing for the inevitable heartbreak?
"Ethan..."
He placed a finger under my chin, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. "No more running. Not from me."
My resolve shattered. I pressed my lips to his again, feeling the urgency in his kiss, the unspoken promise. His hands trailed down my arms, fingers lacing through mine as he deepened the kiss.
We stayed like that, lost in each other, until reality knocked in the form of my phone buzzing again. I pulled away, glancing at the screen. Olivia.
I sighed. "I should take this."
Ethan brushed his lips against my forehead before stepping back. "I'll wait."
As I answered, Olivia's voice was sharp. "Hazel, what the hell are you doing?"
I looked at Ethan, his eyes still locked onto mine, filled with something I couldn't quite name. Maybe hope. Maybe fear.
"I don't know," I admitted. "But I think I'm about to find out."