Chapter Thirteen
SKYE
I practically bolted out of the classroom, my heartbeat thundering in my ears.
The echo of the door clicking shut behind me should have been a relief, but it only amplified the emotions swirling inside me.
My face burned, my skin still tingling from the memory of his hands, his mouth, his everything.
What did I just do?
The cool air of the science building did nothing to douse the fire that still smoldered beneath my skin.
I’d been careful—so damn careful—for the past three years.
And now, one tutoring session and a quiet, empty classroom later, and I’d unraveled every inch of progress I’d made.
I was ignoring the handful of steamy kisses we’d shared—this was my fault because I let it happen. Liam was clearly my weakness.
It had been three years since I’d been with anyone—Liam was the last. The connection we shared had gone beyond physical, though even that had been explosive. At times, the emotional bond between us felt almost overwhelming, impossible to ignore.
I hurried down the hallway, my sneakers squeaking faintly against the linoleum as I deliberately chose the opposite direction from the one I knew Liam would take.
It wasn’t cowardice. It was practicality.
Even I didn’t believe that lie, but I was going with it.
Because if I saw him again, if he caught my arm and gave me that look—the one that always seemed to see past every defense I tried to throw up—I didn’t trust myself not to go back for more.
My grip on my backpack strap tightened as I pushed through the double doors and into the crisp night air.
The sting of the cold against my overheated skin was almost a relief, but not enough to stop the memories flashing through my mind: the way his lips had brushed against mine, how his hands had anchored me to him like he was afraid I might disappear.
I shouldn’t have let it happen. I knew better. But I’d never been able to resist him.
I reached my car and slid into the driver’s seat, locking the doors behind me like that would somehow keep out the memories.
My hands trembled as I gripped the steering wheel, my breathing uneven as my mind betrayed me again.
Liam’s low voice, the way he’d whispered my name like it was a lifeline.
The press of his body against mine, the unspoken promise in his kiss.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the images away.
I couldn’t do it. Not again. Look what had happened the last time.
The thought twisted in my chest like a blade, sharp and unforgiving.
Falling for Liam once had left me shattered.
Picking up the pieces had been hell, but I’d done it—for me, for Lily.
And I’d sworn never to let him back in, no matter how much he made me feel like I already belonged to him.
But now? Now, I wasn’t sure I would survive another whirlwind romance with him. I couldn’t let myself go there. Not when the stakes were so much higher. I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel, drawing in a shaky breath. I had to be stronger than that. For Lily. For myself.
With a deep breath, I straightened, started the car, and forced myself to focus on the road ahead. I wasn’t that girl anymore—the one who’d believed Liam Cartwright was her happily ever after. No matter how much my traitorous heart wanted to believe otherwise.