Page 18 of Sweet Heart

That feeling is too big to put into words, too fast and too soon, but it sits in the back of my mind, impossible to ignore. I nod again and smile softly.

“It would have haunted me too,” I admit softly, and she tilts her head.

“But you almost walked away.”

“Yep,” I agree. “Because I won’t stay where I am not wanted.”

“Even if it is where you want to be?”

“Those two cannot coexist. If I am not wanted, I have zero interest in being in that place.”

“An unstoppable force and an immovable object,” she mumbles under her breath.

“What?”

Her eyes dart back up to meet mine, and I make it a point to hold her gaze. I am not asking just to be polite, but because I really want to know. She smirks and nods as if she approves of that.

“There is a logical paradox that asks what would happen when an immovable object is met by an unstoppable force.”

I frown and hum. It doesn’t seem that paradoxical to me. If one is unstoppable, there cannot be such a thing as an immovable object, and vice versa. If they collided, one would either stop or the other would move. I huff out a laugh as I realize that’s why she referred to it.

“So, which one am I?”

“Definitely the unstoppable force.” She smiles, and her whole face lights up.

The soft lines around her sparkling eyes become visible, and her lips curl up just enough to soften the hard features of her face. She must be the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen. Not just because of her looks—granted, she is smoking hot—but because I can see right past that frozen exterior of hers and into what she is guarding with her life. Her soul.

It’s only when her expression changes that I realize I’m staring at her, and I swallow hard. Her hand darts toward my arm, and she brushes her fingertips softly against it.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I say, nearly breathless. “God, yes.”

She frowns as I chuckle nervously and shrug. My cheeks are burning, and I can’t help but want to change the topic. I nod toward the curb, and we start moving again.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You just did.”

My head snaps to the side, and she chuckles. The light sound catches me so off guard that I instantly chuckle too, the blush creeping further down my neck.

“Go ahead,” she says, chuckling again.

“It’s silly, really,” I backpedal, suddenly questioning my life choices.

“None of that. Out. Now.”

Her voice is still warm, but there is a firmness to it that makes me look up at her instantly. Her eyes are piercing and pin me into place. No room for discussion. I start to laugh nervously, but she just raises one perfectly shaped eyebrow. Oh shit, I’m in trouble.

“What made you text me?” I say softly, tempted to drop my eyes under her gaze.

She is quiet for a while, looking me up and down as she contemplates her answer. It isn’t a cold stare, not even an uncomfortable one, but it is enough for me to stay quiet. That’s new.

“My best friend took me out dancing,” she eventually says, “and I overdid it with the drinks. I am not usually like that, so it hit me pretty hard.”

I smile a little, slightly cocking my head.

“That’s what removed the boundaries.”