Crossing the Line

Ash's POVI stand there, watching Zane walk away from me, his words echoing in my head like a damn mantra."Figure it out."The problem is, I can't. I've never been the type to let someone get under my skin like this, especially not someone like Zane. He's... too much. He makes me feel too much.I don't even realize I'm following him until I catch up, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a stop."Wait," I say, my voice coming out rougher than I intend.Zane turns to face me, his expression tight. "What, Ash? What do you want?"I don't answer with words. Instead, I pull him closer, closing the distance between us before my brain can catch up to what my body's already decided.Our lips crash together in a way that feels explosive—months of tension, confusion, and frustration all boiling over in one reckless move. It's not gentle, not even close. There's heat in it, a desperation that we've both been trying to ignore for too long.For a second, Zane freezes, his body going stiff against mine. But then he responds—his hands gripping the front of my shirt, pulling me closer as he deepens the kiss.It's like every unspoken word between us comes pouring out in that moment, our mouths moving together like they've always been meant to. I taste his frustration, his anger, but there's something else there too. Something raw, something I've been too afraid to acknowledge until now.I push him back against the wall of the alley we've somehow ended up in, my hands roaming over his body like I can't get enough. I feel him arch into me, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps as I kiss him harder, deeper.Zane moans into my mouth, and that sound nearly undoes me. I've been trying so damn hard to keep this professional, to keep my distance, but now? Now I can't think straight, and I don't care.I want him. I need him."Zane..." I murmur against his lips, my hands slipping under his shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my fingers. "Tell me to stop if you don't want this."He doesn't say a word. Instead, he grabs my face with both hands and pulls me back in, kissing me with even more intensity than before. His response is clear—he wants this just as badly as I do.I feel the heat pooling in my stomach, my entire body buzzing with need. But there's still that nagging voice in the back of my mind, the one that's been telling me to keep my distance.This is dangerous. We're crossing a line we might not be able to come back from.But right now, I don't care.Zane's POVEverything about this is reckless, but I've stopped caring about reckless.Ash's lips are on mine, his hands exploring my body like he's been waiting for this as long as I have. It's messy and rough, and I'm completely lost in it. In him.I've wanted this for so long—wanted him for so long—and now that it's happening, it feels even better than I imagined.But it's not just the physical part. It's the way Ash is looking at me, the way his hands tremble slightly as they move over my skin, like he's afraid of what this means but can't stop himself.I feel him press against me harder, his body so close I can barely breathe, but I don't want to pull away. I want more. I want all of him."Ash," I whisper, my voice shaky. "Don't stop."He lets out a low groan in response, his lips trailing down my neck, making me shiver. I can feel the heat between us rising, the tension building to a point where it's almost unbearable.His hands slide down to my waist, pulling me even closer, and I let out a breathless moan, my body reacting instinctively to every touch. Everything about this feels like it's spiraling out of control, and I love it.I've never felt this way before—so completely consumed by someone else.Ash's lips move back up to mine, and we kiss again, more desperately this time. It's like we can't get enough of each other, like this has been building for so long that we're both about to explode.But then, just as quickly as it started, Ash pulls back, breathing heavily. His hands are still on me, but there's a hesitation in his eyes now, a flicker of doubt that makes my heart race for a different reason."Zane," he says, his voice hoarse. "We can't—""Why not?" I interrupt, my own voice coming out more breathless than I'd like. "We've already crossed the line, Ash. There's no going back."He looks at me like he's torn, like part of him knows I'm right but the other part is still trying to fight it. And I get it. I do. This is messy, complicated, and we're both risking a lot by doing this.But I don't care."I want this," I tell him, my hands gripping his shirt. "I want you."Ash's expression darkens, something fierce flashing in his eyes. Before I can say anything else, he's kissing me again, harder than before, like he's finally letting himself give in.I feel his hands move to my belt, and a surge of heat floods through me. This is happening. This is really happening.But just as he starts to undo it, the sound of a phone ringing cuts through the air, startling both of us.Ash curses under his breath, pulling away slightly as he fumbles for his phone. I watch as his expression shifts from frustration to something more serious when he sees who's calling."It's my dad," he mutters, his voice tight.For a moment, I think he's going to ignore it. But then he sighs and answers, stepping away from me as he brings the phone to his ear.I lean back against the wall, trying to catch my breath, my body still buzzing with everything that just happened—and everything that almost did.Ash's conversation with his father is short, but I can tell by the look on his face that whatever was said wasn't good.When he hangs up, he looks at me, the tension between us still thick, but there's something else there now. Something colder."I have to go," he says, his voice low. "This... we'll figure it out later."I don't say anything, just nod as he turns and walks away, leaving me standing in the alley, still feeling the ghost of his touch on my skin.As I watch him disappear into the night, a knot forms in my chest, tightening with every step he takes.We crossed the line.And there's no going back.