I didn't even know how I got back to my room, but as soon as I did, I crawled into my bed, hoping I could just fall asleep and when I woke up, everything was just a dream.
But I was over optimistic.
Joshua's kiss played over and over in my head—his warmth, the way his lips moved against mine, the way I had felt safe and wanted. My heart clenched at the thought of it.
But his words hurt more.
“It'll never happen again."
I tossed and turned, pulling the blankets tighter around me, but there was no escaping the chill that settled in my chest. The more I tried to push the thoughts away, the more they consumed me. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his conflicted expression and his intense gaze when he gently pushed me away.
I never expected the night to end this way—a kiss seared in
