HENRY POV
I couldn’t believe it. Dax’s plan was actually working. I had my doubts at first—treating Maria like a normal friend, keeping our distance emotionally and physically—seemed impossible. But here we were, sitting through a whole dinner without any major mishaps, no jealousy explosions, no awkward confessions. For once, everything felt under control. It wasn’t easy, though. Far from it. Every look she gave me, every casual touch, had my mind spiraling, and don’t even get me started on my body’s reactions. One glance from her and I was ready to jump out of my seat, or worse. But for the sake of this plan, I was holding it together.
The teasing was hard to suppress. Not because I didn’t want to mess with her—I mean, that’s half the fun—but because every time she smiled at something
