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“So, yeah, I haven’t really…” a chuckle slips out, “old-fashioned in a while.”

I turn to him again, feeling as if I could sway off-balance at any moment. His warm breath slides along my cheek and I swallow a bit of the saliva building under my tongue.

“Detective,” he whispers.

His hand moves up my side.

“Yeah?”

Our lips graze as I speak, but neither of us moves. We sit still, silently staring at each other from an inch apart. His mouth opens, words building on the tip of his tongue, and I beg inside for him to say it. My ears twitch pleasantly as they wait to hear his voice again.

Say it. Whatever it is. Just say it.

“Mommy?”

I turn away from him to look at Charlotte standing in the open doorway behind the couch.

“Hey, honey…” I slide out of his arm and onto the floor. I quickly right myself and push up to stand. “Are you okay?”

“I can’t sleep,” she says.

I take a wide step around the couch toward her and — more importantly — away from Milo. If I don’t, the heat on my skin may ignite and burn this whole building down.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I tell her, bending over. “You want some water?”

“I got it,” Milo says, standing up. He bolts into the kitchen, his eyes down and away from mine.

“Come on.” I take Charlotte’s hand. “Let’s go back to bed.”

I lead her into the room, and she climbs back up under the covers. She leaves an edge open for me to get in and looks up at me with those frightened, multicolored eyes. The same eyes I was just gazing into with his hands on me…

“Okay…” I sigh, feeling instantly sober.

“Are you leaving again?” she asks.

“No, honey. I’m staying right here.” I glance up and swallow as I see Milo lingering in the doorway. “I’m going to go grab your water. I’ll be right here, okay?”

Charlotte watches with unblinking eyes as I stand back up and walk to the doorway.

Milo holds out the water glass. “Here.”

I take hold of it, accidentally swiping his fingers and feeling a shot of warmth up to my elbow. “Thanks.” My eyes fall to his mouth as disappointment churns my insides. “I’m gonna…” I point behind me, “stay with her. She’s still a little freaked out, I think.”

“Yeah, sure.” He casually waves. “Go ahead. I’ll take the couch.”

“You don’t mind?” I ask.

“Not at all. Be my guest.”

I look down into the glass, focusing on the dim lights as they refract along the water, distorting the images on the other side. “Goodnight, then,” I say, turning away.

“Anna.”

“Yeah?”

Milo grabs my arm and spins me toward him, locking his lips with mine before I even know what’s happening. My entire body goes numb, but I feel every single move of his lips as they embrace mine. One hand cups my cheek, keeping the pressure on the back of my head, and I feel my mouth moving on its own to kiss him back.

We pull away to breathe. He looks at the floor.