Page 46 of Stuffed

"Yeah." He reaches for me finally, and I let him pull me close. "I'm trying, Tessa. I swear I am. But sometimes the walls go up before I can stop them."

I rest my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "I'm not asking you to tear them all down at once. Just… let me help. Let me in, little by little."

His arms tighten around me. "I want to. More than anything."

We stand there in silence, snow falling outside, hearts beating in sync. And maybe this is what real love is—not the fairy-tale perfection we dream of as teenagers, but the messy, complicated reality of two people trying their best to be brave together.

"Stay," he whispers against my hair.

"Zane…"

"Not for that." He pulls back enough to meet my eyes. "I just… I sleep better when you're here."

The admission costs him—I can see it in the tension around his mouth. But he says it anyway. Another crack in the wall.

"Okay," I agree softly. "I'll stay."

Later, as we lay tangled in his sheets, his fingers tracing patterns on my skin, I think about how far we've come from those high school days of secret crushes and hidden glances. About how love grows up, evolves, becomes something deeper and more complex than we ever imagined possible.

"What are you thinking about?" he murmurs.

"Us. How different everything is now."

"Good different?"

"Complicated different." I turn to face him. "But good too. Real."

He kisses me softly, and I can feel him starting to say something more when his phone buzzes. The familiar ringtone tells us both it's Asher before he even looks.

And just like that, the real world intrudes again. But this time, something's different. This time, I can see him fighting the instinct to retreat behind his walls.

This time, maybe, we're both ready to face whatever comes next. Together.

"Everything okay?" I ask, sitting up straighter.

"It's Asher." He sets his phone down with more force than necessary. "Apparently, Ivy's been dodging his calls."

"She's been busy with bakery preparations." I frown at his tone. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." But his jaw is tight. "Just wondering if history's repeating itself."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning your friend had quite the crush on my brother in high school. Everyone knew about it."

"And?" I pull away slightly, not liking where this is going.

"And now suddenly she's interested in his investment help? Seems convenient."

"Excuse me?" I stand up, anger flaring. "Are you seriously suggesting Ivy is using your brother?"

"I'm suggesting maybe she's living out some teenage fantasy without considering the consequences."

"You don't know what you're talking about." My voice comes out sharp. "Ivy genuinely cares about Asher."

"Like you genuinely cared about me in high school?"

The words hit like a slap. "That's different."

---