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“And if everything you wanted to prevent comes to fruition, then what?”

I bite my lip, taking a leap of faith as I say, “Then we’ll cross that bridge together.” Reaching out, I run my fingers over the sharp line of his jaw, feeling the muscles twitch beneath my fingers. “Because I love you, Damon. I never stopped. And maybe it’s selfish, but I’m done sacrificing my happiness for everyone else’s.”

His expression shifts, his gaze guarded. “And you think we can just pick up where we left off?”

The interior of the car shrinks, the space between us charged. “I don’t know, but even if I did, I can’t answer that for you. All I know is I couldn’t go another day wondering if you’re okay, if you’re happy.” I pause, my voice cracking. “If you hate me.”

Damon’s jaw works, his eyes focused on mine. “I wanted to. God knows I tried to hate you, Avery.”

My stomach sinks, taking my heart with it. Dropping my gaze, I stare at our clasped hands, wondering if this is it, if we’re really over. No more imagining what he might say when he knows the truth. No more hoping it might make a difference.

But then I feel the hot press of his fingers beneath my jaw, tipping my chin and urging me closer. “I could never hate you, though,” he whispers against my lips, and my heart flips. “No matter how hard I tried.”

His gaze drops to my mouth, and his breath fans across my face, warm and sweet, as the space between us disappears.

When his lips finally meet mine, the world falls away. The kiss is soft at first, almost tentative, as if he’s afraid I might shatter beneath his touch. Then he deepens it, his hand sliding to cup the back of my neck and drawing me closer.

I melt into him, my fingers threading through his hair, holding on as though he might vanish if I let go.

The kiss tastes like forgiveness and longing, like rain after a drought. Years of separation dissolve in seconds.

Lord knows I’ve imagined this moment a million times, but the reality of his kiss, his touch, after so much time apart is so much better than any dream I could ever conjure.

The blood buzzes in my veins, and my thoughts scatter, unsurprised to find my body remembers his touch like it was yesterday. Sliding my shaking hands from his hair to his face, my fingertips trace the sharp line of his jaw, feeling the slight rasp of his stubble beneath my touch.

Damon groans, the sound deep and primal as he pulls me closer, his tongue sweeping against the seam of my lips, beckoning me to open for him. Without hesitation, I part my mouth, and the taste of him is minty and sweet and so achingly familiar.

The calloused scrape of his palms slide from my jaw to the back of my head, tangling in my hair as he cradles me like I’m something precious, something he’s afraid might disappear.

Shifting in my seat, I angle into him as the center console digs painfully into my side, wanting nothing more than to be closer when a shrill ring pierces the air, vibrating between us.

Damon leans away from me with a jerk, breathless and disoriented, the spell of our kiss broken, as his gaze homes in on the direction of the sound coming from my purse.

“Shit,” he exhales as he pinches the bridge of his nose, then tries to catch his breath.

With my heart pounding through my ribs and my head in the clouds, I try to come back to Earth while the fear he might regret kissing me threatens to drag me down and ruin the moment.

The incessant ringing stops, then starts up again, as he nods toward it. “You should probably get that.”

I exhale a shaky breath, feeling slightly numb as I wordlessly reach for my purse.

With shaking hands, I unzip it and slide my phone out, glancing at the screen. In truth, I don’t really give a shit who’s calling me, but my thoughts are muddled, my brain kiss-drunk. I’m not thinking as I turn it over, only for my father’s name to be illuminated on the screen.

Hitting ignore, I glance back up at Damon to see his gaze harden on the caller ID, and my stomach drops, knowing I’ve ruined the moment.

I practically float down the hallway of Hyde Hall, my heart still doing cartwheels in my chest. The memory of my kiss with Damon still lingers on my lips, making it impossible to stop smiling. Never in a million years did I imagine our night would end like this, and despite the call from my father interrupting us, I’m calling it a win.

With a bounce to my step, I find Brynn’s dorm room and knock with more enthusiasm than necessary, needing to tell someone about my evening before I explode.

Shifting from foot to foot, I’m practically bursting at the seams by the time Charlotte opens it. One look at my face and she grins. “Well?”

Without saying anything, I bulldoze past her, finding Brynn and Samantha huddled on one of the bunks. “We kissed,” I blurt.

Charlotte gasps, slamming the door behind me. “Shut up!”

Brynn squeals and leaps off the bed, like it’s spring-loaded. “Are you serious? Like—actuallykissed?”

Samantha shrieks, grabbing a pillow and clutching it to her chest. “Tell useverythingright now or I will combust.”