Page 35 of Fragile

“A little late for that,” she mutters, but doesn’t meet my eyes.

She’s right. It’s weird. So, I guess it’s now or never. I need to tell her. I take one deep inhale and brace myself.

“Quinn, I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

Chapter fifteen

Quinn

I shouldn’t have kissedYOU.

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, a sharp, painful twist in my chest that makes it hard to breathe. I struggle to keep my cool, to maintain some semblance of composure, but it feels like everything inside me is shattering.

He regrets it.

He thinks it was a mistake.

The reality, stark and raw in front of me, is unbearable. The heavy feeling deepens in my chest and spreads across my entire body. I turn away, pretending to fiddle with the edge of my sleeve, desperate to hide the turmoil raging within. I knew this might happen, had prepared myself for the possibility, but hearing him say it out loud is so much worse than I ever imagined.

It feels like my heart is breaking, piece by fragile piece, and there's nothing I can do to stop it.

“Oh,” I say, my voice trembling as I try to hold back the tears prickling my eyes. It takes every ounce of strength to hold ittogether because, inside, I’m being torn apart. But I can’t break in front of him. That rage that felt so potent with Indie has well and truly died with a simple sentence.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you,” he says again, turning to face me, and a quiet sob pushes through the front I’m putting on.

I swallow hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “I get it,” I whisper, unable to look at him. I can’t stay here. I need to get out, to put some distance between us before I completely fall apart.

I stand up, moving mechanically to my bag at the foot of the bed. My hands tremble as I start gathering my things, shoving my laptop, clothes, and headphones back into my duffel with quick, jerky movements. “I’m gonna get another room. This was…” I shake my head, vision blurring. “This was a mistake.”

“Quinn, wait,” Miles says, his voice filled with regret, but I can't look at him. I can't bear to see the guilt or pity in his eyes.

“No, it's fine,” I say, my voice strained. “I’ll just... I’ll find somewhere else to stay tonight. You don't need to worry about it.”

“Quinn, please, just stop for a second,” he pleads, stepping toward me, but I shake my head, zipping up my bag.

“I don’t think there’s anything left to say,” I whisper. I sling the strap of my bag over my shoulder and force myself to take a deep breath as I walk toward the door. And then I feel a presence behind me.

Close. Really close. Too close.

The heat from his body pours over my own like a soothing balm, all while feeling like an electric charge buzzing around us. I don’t think I can handle him purposefully touching me right now. The thought that he would hug me like he always does, like I mean something to him when I know I don’t mean enough, would hurt too much.

“Quinn, I’m sorry, but I need to say this,” he begins, and the remaining shards of my heart fall to the ground at his feet. “I shouldn’t have kissed you…”Please don’t say it again. I can’t handle it.“Because you deserve more than a drunken kiss. And now that I know exactly what you taste like, I want more.”

My head snaps up in an instant, and I spin around to find his eyes assessing me with such intensity it steals my breath. “W-what?”

He takes another step, closing the distance between us, until his body brushes softly against mine. “I shouldn’t have done it because it complicates things. Because you’re my best friend’s sister. Because you’remybest friend. But I don’t regret it. Not for a second.”

I blink, hope and confusion storming around my heart. “Y-you don’t?”

He shakes his head lightly, his gaze falling to my mouth. “I can’t regret something I don’t want to forget.”

Licking my lips, I swallow hard. “So, what does that mean?”

A smirk lifts the side of his mouth, and the glint in his eyes is new, as though he’s seen something he wants for the first time. It’s breathtaking because it’s him. He’s looking atmelike that. His knuckles dust across my jaw, and I fight to close my eyes and lean into him more. “It means, I want a do-over. I want to ruin our friendship because I need to kiss you again.” He leans his head toward me, almost letting our lips brush, but not quite. “And again,” he breathes, his minty breath engulfing my senses. I nearly whimper. “And again,” he says finally, pulling back to study my face. “Until I earn all your kisses.”

My heart kicks against my ribs. He wants to kiss me. Miles Cooper wants to kiss me. More than once. If I thought I’d spent my life swooning over him, that all pales in comparison to having him here, wanting me like this.

I hesitate for too long, lost in my own euphoria.

---