He didn’t interrupt, just listened and leaned closer.
“I can’t afford to fall apart,” I finished quietly.“Not now.”
He nodded slowly.“I know.”
And somehow, that made it worse.
The ferry rocked gently beneath us, the ocean rolling on without regard for our timing.
“Anna,” he said again, softer.“I’m not asking you to choose anything today.”
My breath caught.
“But I don’t want to pretend this is nothing.”
In that moment, I met his gaze, the softness dancing behind the intensity, and everything slowed.
His hand lifted slightly, hesitating between us.Not touching.Asking.
The space between us felt charged, electric.My pulse pounded everywhere.
The wind ruffled his hair, softened the edges of him, and for a split second he looked younger; like the boy I’d once known and the man standing in front of me all at once.
I leaned in without fully deciding to.
He did too.
The world narrowed to breath and salt and the faint warmth of him.One more inch and ...
“Attention passengers—”
The announcement crackled overhead, sharp and jarring.
We both froze until a wave of laughter bubbled out of us.
“Of course,” I muttered.
“Wouldn’t be us without an interruption,” he said, voice low.
I stepped back first, heart racing.He let his hand drop.
We stood side by side again, closer than before but pretending nothing had almost happened.Holding tight to that feeling, neither of us moved.
Tristan shifted his weight a fraction, like he was testing the ground beneath us.His mouth curved, not quite a grin, more like a decision.
“Well,” he said lightly, glancing around the deck as if taking inventory.“Since we’ve already missed the obvious cue...”
I frowned.“Cue for what?”
He stepped close enough to feel the warmth of him again, like my body hadn’t quite let go.
“For this,” he said.He extended his hand like he wanted to dance.
“Tristan...”My pulse stuttered.“There’s no music,” I whispered urgently, my face heating.“People arewatching.”
“They’re watching the ocean.”However, he had eyes only for me.“And if they’re not, that’s their problem.”
I let out a half laugh, half plea kind of breath.“This is ridiculous.”
