Page 57 of Begin Again

When we finally pull back, we’re both breathing heavily. Her cheeks are flushed a deep pink, her chest rising and falling with every shaky breath, and her lips—now pink and slightly swollen—are curved in an expression I can only describe as dazed. She blinks up at me, her gaze flickering between my eyes and my mouth like she’s still trying to process what just happened.

“Sorry—actually, I’m not sorry,” I say, my voice rough and a little uneven. “I just didn’t want to take the chance that you’d have another sibling come and interrupt another attempt.”

She blinks up at me again, and this time a soft, breathy, laugh escapes her, “It’s just the three of us, no more siblings.”

“Good,” I murmur, letting my thumb brush against her cheek before I force myself to step back. “Goodnight, Selene.”

She is still processing what just happened, but then a small smile tugs at her lips. “Goodnight, Theo,” she whispers, her voice shaky but warm.

I turn and head for the door, the bag of cookies dangling from one hand, but my mind is no longer on anything but her. My pulse races, my mind spins, and my lips still tingle with the taste of her. As I step outside into the cool night air, the crisp breeze does little to calm the heat simmering in my chest. My heart is a riot in my ribcage, and one thought cuts through all the noise, clear and sharp as a knife.

I’m already counting down the minutes until I can see her again.

16

Selene

The morning light streams through the kitchen window, spilling golden streaks across the table where Celeste is seated, her perfectly manicured fingers wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee. Across from her, Orion leans back in his chair, sharp gaze darting between us as Celeste and I gossip about last night.

“You’re welcome. If it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t have had a cute little cookie cutter date. See what I did there?” Celeste says with an exaggerated wink. “Did the sexy Theo impress you with his kitchen skills or were you too busy making googly eyes to notice?

I shoot her a mock glare, but I can’t stop the blush creeping up my neck. My heart is still tangled up in last night, in the way Theo looked at me, touched me, kissed me. “It was… nice.”

Her head falls back as she lets out a delighted laugh, “Nice? That’s all you have to say after you came upstairs all red-faced and flustered? Come on, Sel, spill. Did he kiss you after I interrupted his first attempt? Because if he didn’t I’ll have to reconsider his place in the universe.

“Celeste,” I groan, dropping my burning face to the cool table. The memory of his lips against mine, the way he held me like I was precious, makes my stomach flip all over again. I hadn’t expected it to hit me so hard, but here I am, still reliving it like some smitten schoolgirl.

Orion clears his throat, his brow furrowing. “Do I need to hear about this?”

“Yes, you do,” Celeste says firmly, turning her attention to him with an exaggerated look of innocence. “It’s important for a big, bad, protective brother to know who his sister is swooning over.”

I groan again but the memory of Theo’s kiss, the heat, the sweetness, the way he held me like I was the most important person in the world, sends my heart racing all over again. I take a deep breath, trying to push away the ridiculous giddiness curling through me. “Fine,” I mumble. “Yes, he kissed me.”

Celeste gasps, clapping her hands together like a kid on Christmas morning. “I knew it! And? Were there fireworks? Was it life-changing?”

I hesitate, glancing at Orion, who’s now staring at me like I’ve sprouted a second head. I should probably downplay this. I should probably act like it was no big deal, but the truth is, it was. And I have no idea what to do with that.

“It was…” I trail off, chewing on my lip before finally admitting, “It was really good.”

Orion exhales sharply and rubs his temple. “Okay, great, you’re in love. But can we move on to a more pressing matter?”

The tone of the room shifts immediately. Celeste sets down her mug, her playful expression sobering as she looks at him. “What’s up?”

“I’ve been thinking,” Orion says, sitting up straighter. “It makes the most sense to have the meeting here. Neutral ground, but also controlled. Less chance of surprises.”

I frown slightly, considering his words. “You think something might happen?”

He shrugs, but his expression is serious. “I don’t think it will, but I don’t want to take any chances.”

I nod slowly, the weight of reality settling back in. The warmth of last night, the fluttering excitement, it all feels distant now, overshadowed by a heavier emotion. “Okay, we can have it here. Tonight?”

“Tonight,” he confirms.

And just like that, the bubble bursts. Whatever lightness I had left over from last night slips through my fingers. Because tonight isn’t about me and Theo or stolen kisses in a quiet kitchen. It’s about a larger threat, something more dangerous. And as much as I want to let myself get lost in the happiness of last night, I know better.

I have to be ready for whatever comes next.

After breakfast, I dive into cleaning the house, my mind drifting back to last night more often than I’d like to admit. I’m scrubbing the counters when the memory of Theo’s voice—low and teasing—sends a shiver down my spine. The way he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered, is burned into my brain.

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