~Jack’s POV

The room felt smaller, the silence heavier as I and Mara sat there, side by side, the space between us barely there. I could hear the sound of her breathing, shallow and uncertain, but she didn’t move. She stayed.

Without thinking, I reached for her, my hand cupping her cheek, my thumb brushing over her skin. Her eyes widened, and for a split second, I thought she would pull away, and tell me this was wrong, but she didn’t. She just looked at me, her lips slightly parted, her breath quickening.

I didn’t know what I was doing. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the loneliness...