CAUGHT IN THE STORM

The next morning, I woke up tangled in my sheets, my mind still hazy from the night before. Ethan's kiss still burned on my lips, a lingering reminder of the choice I couldn't escape. My heart ached, torn between two men who each held a piece of me. I had two days to decide-but what if I couldn't?

I dragged myself out of bed, the weight of my thoughts pressing down on me. The moment I stepped into the kitchen, Olivia was already there, perched on a stool with a cup of coffee in hand. Her gaze flicked to me, sharp and knowing.

"Rough night?" she smirked, sipping her drink.

I rolled my eyes and poured myself a cup, avoiding her gaze. "You could say that."

She set her cup down and folded her arms. "So, are you going to tell me what's going on, or do I have to pry it out of you?"

I hesitated. Olivia and I had always been close, but this-this was too complicated. "It's just... Ethan. And Daniel."

Her brows shot up. "Ah, the great love triangle. Classic. So, who's winning?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't know. Ethan makes me feel like I'm alive, like I can't breathe without him. But Daniel... he's safe, steady. He makes me feel like I can be myself."

Olivia tilted her head. "And which one do you want more? The one who sets you on fire, or the one who keeps you warm?"

Her words settled deep in my chest, stirring more questions than answers. Before I could respond, my phone buzzed on the counter. I grabbed it, my pulse quickening when I saw Ethan's name.

Meet me at our spot. Now.

My breath hitched as I stared at the message. No explanation, just a demand. Typical Ethan.

Olivia peered over my shoulder. "Guess that answers that."

I chewed on my lip, my fingers hovering over my screen. This was dangerous. I knew that. But still, I found myself replying.

On my way.

Olivia chuckled, shaking her head. "You're playing with fire, Hazel. Let's hope you don't get burned."

As I grabbed my keys and hurried out the door, I couldn't help but wonder if it was already too late.

The drive to our spot felt both too long and too short. My thoughts ran wild, looping through every heated moment Ethan and I had shared, every soft promise Daniel had whispered. I had no idea what I would say to Ethan when I saw him. Or what he would say to me.

When I arrived, Ethan was already there, leaning against his car, arms crossed, looking like he had all the time in the world. His dark eyes locked onto mine the moment I stepped out, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Took you long enough."

I swallowed, nerves twisting in my stomach. "What's this about, Ethan?"

His smirk faded slightly as he stepped forward, closing the space between us. "I couldn't stop thinking about you last night. About us. About how you were in my arms one minute and talking to him the next."

I crossed my arms, trying to shield myself from the intensity in his gaze. "Ethan, you know this isn't easy for me."

His fingers trailed down my arm, his touch igniting goosebumps. "It should be, Hazel. Because we both know what we have is real. You can feel it."

I exhaled shakily as he tilted my chin up, forcing me to look at him. "Tell me you don't want me," he challenged, his voice husky and low. "Tell me, and I'll walk away."

I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn't come. Because it would be a lie. And we both knew it.

Ethan took my silence as confirmation. With a groan, he pulled me against him, his lips crashing onto mine with an urgency that left me breathless. My hands fisted into his shirt as he deepened the kiss, his body pressing me against the car. Every thought, every doubt, melted under his touch, leaving only fire in its wake.

But just as I surrendered to the moment, a voice shattered the intensity.

"Well, isn't this cozy?" Daniel.

I tore myself away from Ethan, my heart slamming against my ribs as I turned to face Daniel standing a few feet away, arms crossed, expression unreadable. The tension in the air became suffocating.

Ethan's grip on my waist tightened. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Daniel's gaze flickered between us before landing on me. "I could ask you the same thing, Hazel. But I think I already have my answer."

Guilt and desire warred inside me as I stood between them. The storm I had been trying to outrun had finally caught up to me. And this time, I wasn't sure if I would survive the aftermath.