*Ainslee*

Rafe’s arms are around me again. I take in deep breaths of his floral, woodsy scent, and want to stay this way forever. We stand like that for minutes, or maybe hours, I can’t tell. Then I pull away. “We can’t,” I say brokenly, pressing my hands against Rafe’s marble chest. “We just… we can’t. I can’t, right now.”

“Okay.” Rafe captures one of my hands and kisses my fingertips. “Not now.”

I want to say the responsible thing. I want to say ‘not ever,’ but I know I won’t. I can’t. And it will happen again. And again. It’s just a matter of time.

“Tell me about your...