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Yeah, this isn’t a crush. This isn’t some teenage fantasy.

This is so much more.

I tried so hard to make sure I didn’t fall for him, but I never had a chance.

But that kiss. Good grief, I can still feel it.

Nobody has ever kissed me like that. And all I can think about is doing it again. And again. And again.

It more than lived up to the fantasy, which is impressive because my fantasy kisses with Noble were always epic.

I lean back against my bedroom door, cover my face with my hands and replay it for the second, third, one hundredth time.

How many years did I dream of that exact moment? That Noble would see me—finally—as something other than his friends’ sister. As something other than his friend.

I hurry and change into a pair of leggings and a big, comfy sweatshirt, then pull my hair up into a messy bun on top of my head, the memory of his words flashing back in my mind.

“You should never make yourself up and wear anything you hate just to impress some guy. The right one isn’t gonna care.”

My heart skips at the next thought—Noble is the right one.

I stand in the mirror, searching my lips for any sign that he was there only a few minutes ago, and when I find none, I decide I need to go get one.

Do I have permission to kiss him whenever I want now?

Or is this going to be a secret?

Or will I walk back downstairs and find him full of regret, having decided that yes, this was a mistake?

Oh, gosh. If that happens, how do we come back from that? The reminder of what’s on the line smacks me like a tantrum-throwing toddler.

But then I remember I’ve lived the past thirteen years without him in my life. Surely going back to a Noble-free existence wouldn’t be that painful.

Right?

Stop overthinking, Hattie.

I shake out my hands as if that’ll be enough to get rid of my nerves, then head back downstairs, pausing in the dark dining hall. I stare into the dimly lit kitchen, where I see Noble standing at the counter scooping ice cream into a bowl. He’s wearing a plain gray T-shirt, and his hair is messy because I messed it up when we were kissing.

I press my lips together and inhale a slow breath.

And I remember what I’ve always known.

Noble could break my heart.

I’m a strong person, except when it comes to him.

Never when it comes to him.

I know how real the risk is, but just for tonight, I don’t want to think about it. I’ve been keeping him at an arm’s length, but I don’t want to anymore. I want to see if we could be something good. Maybe even something great.

And just like that, my whole heart is on the line.

I walk into the kitchen and stop in the doorway, watching him for a beat before he realizes I’m there. When he looks up, there’s a flash in his eyes, the kind that makes me feel like he’s happy to see me. He smiles.

I feel it in my toes.

“Hey,” he says.