Page 85 of It Starts With A No

Unlike all the other times when he’d reached out to her, this wasn’t because she needed help. She wasn’t getting down from the platform of an exoskeleton or groping around in the dark.

He hadn’t grabbed her hand like he did before.

This time, it was an invitation.

It was entirely her choice.

She could take his hand and step out of the elevator and into the hallway. Or she could let the door close between them and leave.

He wouldn’t stop her; she was sure about that.

And the enormity of the choice suddenly dawned on her. Once she put her hand into his, the line between them would be officially blurred.

The complication of her entanglement with the Eolenfelds would be doubled by her entanglement with the Andersons.

I choose him. Just a few days ago, she’d so confidently told Seth that she chose Mr. E’s side, which was the only side she’d known since she was a child.

Now, everything was just complicated.

* * *

Seth held his breath as he waited for Clary to decide.

He could see in her eyes that she understood why he hadn’t moved, and he could see the apprehension that the sudden realization had caused.

That was almost enough for him to drop his hand.

When he’d first come to Clary, the objective was clear. She was only a means to an end. He needed her to put him back in touch with Edward Eolenfeld and get his loan.

She’d done what he wanted, but what he wanted from her had changed entirely.

What about what she wanted?

Clary had never shunned his touch. She’d seemed to enjoy their time together, and she’d even kept his secret for him.

But, all along, he was the one who’d initiated things.

Even the fact that she was here in this building was because of his insistence.

This time, however, Seth wanted it to be her choice.

It probably had only been a second or two, but it felt like an eternity before she lifted her hand and put it into his.

His fingers curled around her hand, and his lips curled at her smile.

Seth stepped forward while tugging her toward him. He’d scarcely dared even to think about kissing Clary. He’d never kissed anyone, besides the coerced cheek kisses Holly always demanded.

He’d never desired to kiss anyone, which probably only spoke to how damaged he was.

But all that didn’t matter now.

Right now, he wanted to kiss Clary.

He leaned forward, just as the fire escape door on the right swung open.

The heavy door slammed against the wall with a loud bang, and Clary jumped back.

Elton, who had marched into the hallway, looked between Seth and Clary. “You’ve gone out of your mind.” He turned and made a beeline for Zane’s apartment.

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