I muffle another giggle. “You fell.”
“And then you laughed at me.”
“Because you never fall. And I knew you were okay.”
He shakes his head, but he’s still smiling. And then his expression shifts into something softer. His gaze drops to my mouth before returning to my eyes, making my heart race.
“Rue,” he says.
“What?”
He hesitates. “None of this—” he gestures vaguely between us “—feels fake anymore.”
I’m at a loss for words. “I?—”
His eyes search mine. “I don’t want it to be fake.”
My heart races. Adrenaline rockets through me as his gaze tenderly searches mine.
“I don’t either,” I whisper.
His shoulders sag in relief, but a soft smile appears on his mouth. “Then what are we doing?”
“I don’t know,” I admit, because I don’t. I don’t know anything except how badly I want to press my lips against his, right here and now.
He must feel the same way because he nods, and his next words come out so soft they’re almost a whisper. “Can I kiss you for real?”
Everything in me stills, but I nod.
He doesn’t rush it. Ezra leans in slowly, like he’s giving me time to change my mind, but I don’t. When his lips meet mine, they’re soft, careful, and real. Something inside me lifts, like I’ve been tethered to the ground this whole time and just now realized I can fly.
When we pull back, I’m breathless.
“So,” he murmurs, forehead touching mine, “that felt pretty legit.”
I laugh softly. “Yeah.” Somewhere in the distance, music thumps, voices echo, and the party keeps going. But in this room, it’s just us. And for one perfect, dangerous moment, I forget everything else.
And then my phone alarm blares through the room from my back pocket.
My stomach drops the moment it goes off.No, no no.
There’s no way I forgot. How could I?
But when I check the screen and see that it’s practically eight at night, I realize it’s true.
I missed my Little Birdie posting deadline.
Chapter 23
Ezra
The next morning, I feel like I’m flying. I want to pinch myself to make sure last night wasn’t a dream or something.
I kissed Rue for real. Not as her fake boyfriend. And she kissed me back.
Not only that, but we had a moment together, one that finally reassured me all these feelings might not be so one-sided.
Olivia was right after all.
