What would happen if I tilted her chin up? If I pulled her in one inch closer?

Would she rest her head on my shoulder? Would she hold on to my body tighter? Would she sigh up against me, content with the way I keep her close?

The song comes to an end, and so does our shuffling. Once again, she looks up to me, silently seeking out my next move. Even though staying out here, dancing to a few more songs with no one else to bother us, sounds like something I really want to fucking do, I know we need to walk the rest of the way home. It’s late, and I have an early day tomorrow.

Reluctantly, I release my hand from her back and turn off the music. But instead of releasing my hand from hers, I link our fingers together and firmly hold her palm against mine as I nod toward our street. “I better get you home.”

“Yeah.” She takes a short breath and nods. “Probably should.”

She moves to release my hand, but I stop her. I should let her go, I really should, but I can’t seem to drop her hand. Instead, I cautiously pull her in even closer.

She glances up at me, a little shocked, searching for answers I don’t have. I wish I could tell her what this means, why I won’t let go, but for the life of me, I can’t formulate any sort of reasoning.

So instead, I lead her to the sidewalk and pick up her shoes, and together we walk across our neighbors’ yards, the grass a nice cushion for her bare, sore feet.

Up ahead, the mighty roar of the waves as they crash into the rocky shoreline vibrates in my chest, the sound comforting, addictive.

We make our way to Ren’s house, where I stop at the beginning of the walkway leading to the front door. Her hand still clasped in mine, I turn toward her, handing over her heels. She takes them, a soft thank-you falling from her lips as she holds them to her side.

“I had a lot of fun tonight. Thank you for hanging out with me.”

“No need to thank me, Ren. I had a great time too.”

“You did? You weren’t annoyed that I bogarted you for the entire night?”

I shake my head as our bodies move in closer. “No, I was happy you did.”

“Yeah?”

I nod, my hand itching to brush her cheek, to feel her soft skin against my palm. “Yeah.” I watch in fascination as she leans forward some more, her tongue peeking out, licking her lips.

The night air stills around us as my hand finds its way up her arm. She shivers under my touch, from the graze of my finger up past her bicep to her shoulder, past her neck, where I halt at her jawline. Her lips part, and her eyes flutter shut for a second before they open, her pupils wide, waiting.

Needing more, wanting more, I move my hand up a few more inches and cup her cheek as I take another step forward. The hand holding her high heels inches around my waist as my breath catches in my throat from the intimate position.

I stare down at her lips. Plump and ready, enticing me, begging me. Just one taste.

That’s all I’ll take.

One.

Single.

Taste.

My thumb runs across her jaw to her chin, slowly pulling it down, encouraging her mouth to part even farther. From where my elbow rests closely against her heart, I can feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest, her breath just as charged as mine.

She swallows.

So do I.

Her hand slides up my back.

My hand cups her cheek.

Her chest presses against mine.

My heart hammers so goddamn rapidly that it almost feels like I’m about to have a heart attack as I close the last few inches.

All I want is to treat myself this one time, to see what it’s like to indulge in the woman who captured me the moment she appeared in my life.

All I’m asking for is this one moment, this one instance, when I can forget about the past, forget about the curse, and live the life I wish I could have.

On a deep intake of breath, I go to close the last few inches, bringing my lips so damn close to hers—just as a boom of thunder sounds off in the distance, startling us away from each other.

“Oh my God, that was loud.” She presses her hand to her chest, looking over my shoulder. “I didn’t even realize there were clouds.”

I grip the back of my neck, peeling myself away. No, there’s no way that could have been a sign. It was just an odd coincidence that a random boom of thunder sounded the very moment I was about to kiss Ren. Wasn’t it?

All coincidence.

Even so, it’s an inconvenient reminder of why I should keep my distance.

I take another step back and give her a quick wave. “Uh, I should go. You’re okay getting into your house?”

The happiness on her face falls as I take another step backward. I can see the question on the tip of her tongue, the question of where the hell I’m going, but before she can ask me, I take a few more steps backward. “Okay, I’ll, uh . . . I’ll see you around, Ren. Have a good night.”

Confusion and disappointment in her eyes, she resigns herself to my quick departure. “You too, Griffin,” she says, her voice heavy.

Hating every bone in my body, I turn away from her and make the short walk back to my house, which feels like miles as I put more and more distance between me and the good-night kiss my body is still humming for.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

REN

“Wow, you’re doing such a good job in here,” a voice says. I turn to find Kim Wells, the social studies teacher, standing in my classroom’s doorway. “I love all the colors.”

I glance around, pride filling my chest. “Thank you. I had my mom mail out some of my decorations from my old classroom, and they look great in here. I hope it’s not too much.”

“No, it’s perfect.”

I have formulas written on construction paper in thick, black ink hung up all over the room, along with some algebra puns I’m sure no one else will appreciate, just to add some whimsy to the space.

It’s not the most amazing setup for a classroom, but it’s better than plain walls.

“I’m worn out, and it’s only noon.”

“Did you bring lunch?”

I open up my desk drawer and pull out my lunch bag. “I did.”

Kim nods toward her room, which is just across the hall from mine. “Come on over; Hailey is on her way. We always have lunch together during the school year. You should join us.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

I follow Kim to her classroom, which is full of glossy posters—maps, presidents, and events in history set against colorful backgrounds. Her room is a dream, and I’m kind of jealous.

“Wow, it’s amazing in here.”

“Don’t let it fool you,” Kim says, taking a seat and offering me a desk right in front of hers, where I start unpacking my lunch. “I’ve been working on this for a few years now. Once you’re here for a bit, everything will start accumulating. You should see Mrs. Martin’s room down the hall. She’s been here for fifteen years, and it shows. Her room is gorgeous. Something to strive for, right?”

“Hey, you guys.” Hailey, one of the English teachers, walks in, holding a Tupperware full of salad and a fork. We make some quick introductions; I find out she’s actually married to one of the PE teachers, and they’re expecting their second child in January.

“Have you been able to settle down yet and make your way around town?” Hailey asks, breaking into the salad after shaking it up and spreading the dressing around.

I swallow a spoonful of yogurt and nod. “Yes, I’ve had so much fun exploring the town the last few weeks. I’m still in awe that I get to live here.”

“I moved here about ten years ago from Missouri,” Kim says. “And I’m never moving back. Once you live so close to the coast, it’s hard to go back to a landlocked state.”

“Oh yeah, I can’t imagine living anywhere without a coast at this point,” I say. “Plus, everyone is so nice here.”

“And all the men around here are easy on the eyes too,” Kim says with a raised eyebrow.

Smirking, Hailey says, “Are you single, Ren?”

Why is it the married women who always ask that question? I swear it’s their mission in life to get everyone married.

“I’m single.”

“Oooh,” Hailey answers a little too gleefully. “There are so many eligible bachelors in this town, and they’re all so fine. You have some great ones to choose from.”

“Except for you-know-who,” Kim reminds Hailey.

“Oh yeah, besides those four.”

Intriguing. It looks like I’m on the cusp of some good old-fashioned Port Snow gossip. “What four?”

Hailey twirls her fork in her salad and nonchalantly says, “The Knightly brothers.”

The who?

I wasn’t expecting that, though there is something going on with that family.

“What’s wrong with the Knightly brothers?” I ask, holding my breath, a little nervous about what they’re going to say.

“You haven’t heard?” Kim asks, shocked.

“Haven’t heard what?” I look back and forth between the two of them, searching out an answer. What am I missing here? My mind flashes back to the weird comments I’ve heard over the last few weeks, the ones I’ve been trying to ignore. Could this be what they’re talking about?