CHAPTER 104

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Instead, I just shook my head. "I'm not upset."

I heard him sigh, and then, slowly, he moved closer to me. Before I could react, he reached for my hands, holding them gently yet firmly. His touch was warm despite the cold air around us.

"Then what's wrong? I don't want us to be like this." His voice was calm, steady, but I could hear the concern underneath. It only made the guilt inside me grow stronger.

I swallowed hard. My mind screamed at me to keep it in—to brush it off like I always do—but for some reason, I couldn’t. Not this time.

I exhaled sharply. "I'm jealous."

Damn. I said it.

His eyes widened slightly, and I immediately wanted to take it back. But there was no going back now.

"Jealous?"

I looked away, feeling embarrassed. "Forget it."

"No," he said quickly. "Tell me. Jealous of what?"

I clenched my jaw, staring at the flickering shadows on the wooden walls. "That boy you talked about."

Chase was silent for a moment before—

He smiled.

And for some reason, that only made me more annoyed.

"What? Why are you smiling?" I snapped, narrowing my eyes at him.

He let out a small chuckle. "I just... can't believe you're jealous of that boy."

I scoffed, feeling my irritation rise. "Yeah?" I yanked my hands away from his grip, crossing my arms over my chest.

"It's not funny, Chase."

"I'm not laughing," he said, though his amused expression remained. "I just find it kinda cute."

I shot him a glare. "Shut up."

"I'm serious!" He leaned closer, his smile softening. "I never thought you'd get jealous over something like this."

I looked away, my face heating up. "I'm not jealous."

"Uh-huh. Sure." He nudged me lightly.

"Tss." I clicked my tongue in frustration. "Whatever."

But then, his hand reached out again, this time gently holding onto my wrist. His touch was warm, reassuring.

"Austin," he called, his voice softer now. "You don’t have to be jealous. The only person I see—right here, right now—is you."

"Yeah. Whatever." I looked away, trying to act indifferent, but my heart was betraying me, hammering against my chest.

He chuckled. "I really like you, Austin."

For a moment, I was left speechless.

I knew he liked me. He had already confessed before. But hearing him say it again—so casually, so sincerely—felt like it was the first time all over again.

A warm feeling spread through me, making my annoyance from earlier seem insignificant.

I cleared my throat, shifting awkwardly. "You don’t have to keep saying that."

"But I want to," he said without hesitation. "Because it’s the truth."

I finally looked at him, and the way he was gazing at me—soft, warm, and so damn genuine—made my stomach twist in a way I wasn’t ready to admit.

"Fine."

He smiled, and before I could react, he cupped my face gently.

I knew what was going to happen.

My breath hitched, my heart pounding wildly against my chest. The warmth of his hands against my skin sent a shiver down my spine. His gaze flickered between my eyes and my lips, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.

I closed my eyes as he slowly moved his face closer to mine. Then, I felt it—his lips pressing gently against mine.

He kissed me.

His lips were warm, soft, and hesitant at first, as if waiting for me to pull away. But I didn’t. I couldn't. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

The rain continued to pour outside, but in this moment, it didn’t matter. The only thing that existed was the feeling of his lips on mine, the warmth of his hands still resting on my face, and the strange yet undeniable pull between us.

I didn’t want this to end.

I was about to kiss him back when he suddenly pulled away, but he didn’t move far. Our faces were still inches apart, breaths mingling in the small space between us.

Neither of us spoke.

The only sounds were the rain tapping against the wooden roof and the faint rhythm of our breathing. My eyes flickered to his lips, slightly parted, still so close. I wondered if he was thinking the same thing as me—if he wanted to close the gap again.

My heart pounded as I swallowed hard. Should I say something? Should I kiss him back?

But before I could decide, he whispered, “Austin…”

"Hmm?"

"I really like you."

I swallowed, my heart pounding louder than the rain outside. "I know."

He chuckled softly, his breath warm against my lips. "I want to let you know over and over again."

Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten. My fingers twitched at my sides, debating whether to pull him closer or push him away before I lost myself completely.

"Then tell me every day," I muttered, my voice quieter than I intended.

Chase smiled, his eyes holding something deep—something I wasn’t sure I was ready to fully understand.

"And I will," he murmured. "I will tell you every day, and I will make you feel it."

Before I could even process his words, he leaned in and kissed me again.

This time, I didn’t hesitate. I kissed him back, my hands gripping his shirt as if anchoring myself to this moment. Our lips moved in sync, deepening the kiss, filled with something raw—something we had both been holding back for too long.

His hands tightened around my waist, pulling me impossibly closer, and I let him. The sound of the rain outside faded, drowned by the way he made me feel.

As our kiss deepened, I found myself moving without thinking, climbing on top of him. My hands rested on his shoulders, steadying myself as his fingers traced slow, burning paths down my back.

Chase’s breath hitched, and I felt his hands settle on my waist, gripping me gently but firmly, as if afraid I might slip away.

The warmth between us grew, our bodies pressed close, the sound of the rain outside fading into the background.

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