Page 106 of Begin Again

Theo breaks the comfortable silence we rocked ourselves into. “What are you drinking?”

“Water,” I say simply.

Theo’s face twists into mock horror. “Water? In amug? What kind of heathen are you?” He puts a hand to his chest like I’ve personally offended him. “Selene, water doesn’t belong in mugs. Mugs are for coffee, tea, hot chocolate…warm things.You can’t just put water in there and pretend that’s normal.”

“I wasn’t pretending anything,” I say, grinning. “It’s convenient and it makes me feel cozy.”

He narrows his eyes at me, but there’s a teasing spark in them. “You’re telling me, out of all the options in your kitchen, you went for a mug. For water.”

“Yeah, Hot Shot. I am. Is there a problem?” I say firmly, trying not to laugh.

Theo shakes his head in mock disappointment. “I’m questioning your sanity now. What sane person drinks water out of a mug?”

“I think we’ve established I’m not exactly normal,” I shoot back, raising the mug in a mock toast. “To my insanity.”

He chuckles, the sound deep and genuine, and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’m serious, though. Water in a mug? That’s serial killer behavior.”

“Maybe I’ve been spending too much time around Aubrey,” I joke, though the words come out softer than I intended.

For a moment, neither of us says anything. The porch is silent except for the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze and the distant sound of a car passing on the street.

Theo finally breaks the silence. “So, what happens after all this? After tomorrow?”

I don’t answer right away. Because the truth is, I don’t know. The idea of finally being free of Aubrey, of winning, should be reassuring. But it’s also terrifying.

“I guess I’ll figure it out one step at a time,” I say finally.

Theo is silent for a moment, then he nods. “Yeah. That makes sense.” He glances down at me, his voice quieter. “Just…you don’t have to figure it out alone.”

The words settle over me, warm and certain. I tilt my head up, meeting his gaze, and for a second, I forget how to breathe. There’s a look there—an undercurrent just beneath the surface. A feeling that makes my pulse quicken and my stomach flutter.

I swallow. “Thanks, Hot Shot.”

His lips twitch like he wants to say more, but instead, he just smiles, shifting slightly so he can press a kiss to my forehead. It’s soft, lingering—just long enough to make my heart stumble over itself.

The weight of tomorrow presses down on us, heavy and suffocating. But right now, at this moment, it’s just the two of us. The whisper of the wind, the distant murmur of voices inside the house, and the quiet, steady rhythm of our breathing.

Theo’s still watching me, eyes unreadable in the dim light. Then, without a word, he reaches for my hand, threading his fingers through mine as he tugs me forward.

I don’t ask where we’re going. I don’t need to.

We step into the shadows, moving just far enough from the house to be out of sight but not so far that we lose the hum of activity behind us. Theo takes the blanket we were cuddled under earlier and spreads it out over the ground, the moonlight casts silver streaks across the fabric.

Theo turns to me, his grip tightening around my wrist. His voice is low and rough. “Lie down.”

A shiver runs through me, heat curling in my stomach. I do as he says, my pulse hammering as I settle back onto the blanket. The grass beneath the fabric is cool against my overheated skin, but all I can focus on ishim.

The world fades to nothing but him.

Theo’s hands skim my sides, slow and deliberate, as he settles his weight over me, his thighs bracketing mine. The heat of his body presses into every inch of me, grounding me, trapping me beneath him in the best way.

“You sure you can stay quiet for me, Sweetheart?” His voice is a whisper against my skin, but there’s nothing soft about the way he grips my jaw, tilting my face up so he can see every flicker of emotion in my eyes.

I nod, my breath catching.

His smirk is dark. “We’ll see about that.”

He pushes my shirt up, dragging my bra with it until my breasts are bared to the night air. A sharp gasp leaves me before I can stop it, and his eyes flick up, filled with challenge.

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