Chapter 11: The Line We Crossed

The night air was cold against my skin as I stepped out of the party, my pulse still erratic from what had just happened. The kiss. The fire. The way Ethan looked at me like I was something he couldn't resist.

I needed to breathe.

I walked aimlessly down the quiet street, my heels clicking against the pavement, my thoughts a tangled mess.

This had to stop.

Whatever this was between Ethan and me—it was dangerous. It was wrong.

And yet, every time I told myself to stay away, I failed.

Behind me, footsteps echoed in the silence. Heavy. Purposeful.

I knew who it was before he even spoke.

"Aria."

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to keep walking.

"Aria, stop."

There was something in his voice—something rough and raw—that made my breath hitch.

I stopped. But I didn't turn around.

I couldn't.

Because if I did, I'd fall all over again.

Ethan sighed behind me, his frustration evident. "We need to talk."

A bitter laugh slipped from my lips. "Talk? About what, Ethan? About how we keep making the same mistake over and over again?"

Silence stretched between us.

Finally, I turned, meeting his gaze under the dim glow of a streetlamp. His face was unreadable, but his eyes—his damn eyes—held everything I didn't want to acknowledge.

"This isn't a mistake," he said quietly.

My heart clenched. I shook my head. "It has to be."

He stepped closer, closing the space between us. "Then why can't we stop?"

I had no answer.

Because deep down, I knew the truth.

We had already crossed the line.

And there was no going back.

I didn't move as he took another step toward me, the heat of his body sending shivers down my spine.

"We keep pretending, Aria," he said, voice low, almost dangerous. "But it's not working, is it?"

My nails dug into my palms. "We have to pretend. We don't have a choice."

His jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "Don't we?"

I swallowed hard. "What are you saying?"

Ethan exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his messy dark hair. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just know that when you walked away from me tonight, it felt like I couldn't breathe."

I looked away, my heart aching. "Ethan, we—"

He cut me off. "Tell me you don't feel the same."

I opened my mouth, ready to say the words. The right words.

But they wouldn't come.

Because lying to myself was one thing.

Lying to him?

Impossible.

His eyes darkened. He took another step forward, so close I could feel the warmth radiating from his skin.

"See?" he murmured. "You can't say it."

I exhaled shakily, my resolve crumbling. "It doesn't change anything."

Ethan tilted his head, studying me. "Doesn't it?"

His fingers brushed against mine, the touch featherlight but enough to send a spark shooting through my veins.

I should have pulled away.

I didn't.

Instead, I let my eyes drift shut, let myself get lost in the way his presence wrapped around me like a storm.

His voice dropped to a whisper. "Tell me to leave."

I forced my eyes open, meeting his intense gaze.

Tell him to leave.

Tell him this can't happen.

Tell him anything—just not the truth.

But the truth was sitting heavy between us, impossible to ignore.

"I can't," I whispered.

His fingers curled around mine, his grip tightening. "Then stop running."

The air between us was thick, charged, pulling me closer even when I knew better.

"This is insane," I murmured.

Ethan's lips quirked up in a humorless smile. "Maybe."

He reached up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers lingered against my skin, tracing fire in their wake.

"I don't know how to stay away from you," he admitted.

I let out a shaky breath. "We have to try."

But the words felt empty.

Because in that moment, trying was the last thing either of us wanted.

Ethan's hand moved to my jaw, his thumb brushing over my cheekbone, his touch so unbearably soft it made my chest tighten.

He wasn't just touching me.

He was memorizing me.

Like he knew this was wrong but didn't care.

Like he knew we were fighting a battle we had already lost.

My hands found their way to his shirt, clutching the fabric like it was the only thing keeping me grounded.

Ethan's breathing was uneven, his forehead resting against mine.

"I don't want to hurt you," he murmured.

I closed my eyes, my heart aching at the weight of his words.

"You already have."

And so had I.

Because this wasn't just a game.

This wasn't something we could control.

We had crossed the line.

And now, we were standing on the edge of something we couldn't take back.

Something that could ruin us both.

Yet, even as that truth settled between us, I knew one thing for certain.

No matter how many times we tried to walk away...

We would always find our way back.