Chapter 15: The Almost Kiss

Olivia wasn't sure when things had started to shift between her and Ethan.

Maybe it was the way he looked at her now—like he actually saw her.

Maybe it was the way her heart did an annoying little flip every time he smirked.

Or maybe it was the way last night, when she had woken up tangled in the sheets, she'd realized—somehow, at some point—she had drifted closer to his side of the bed.

It was dangerous.

And tonight, it was about to get worse.

---

A Late-Night Encounter

Olivia tiptoed down the dimly lit hallway, her bare feet silent against the polished wood floors.

She had woken up restless, thoughts of the day swirling in her head. She just needed some fresh air—maybe a quiet moment on the terrace to clear her mind.

But she wasn't alone.

Ethan was already there, leaning against the stone railing, a glass of whiskey in hand. The moonlight cast soft shadows over his features, making him look unfairly good.

Olivia hesitated. She should turn back. Go back to bed.

But then Ethan looked over his shoulder, catching sight of her, and it was too late.

"You couldn't sleep either?" he asked, his voice low.

She sighed, stepping onto the terrace. "Too many thoughts."

Ethan smirked. "That happens when you spend the day lying to an entire family."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You make it sound so bad."

"It's horrible," he teased.

She huffed a laugh.

For a moment, they stood in comfortable silence, the cool night air wrapping around them. The distant sound of crickets filled the space, along with the faint crash of waves against the nearby shore.

Then, Ethan spoke.

"You were good today."

Olivia glanced at him. "Good at what?"

"By pretending," he said, taking a sip of his drink. "At handling Vanessa. At making my mother like you."

She smirked. "That last one was the hardest."

Ethan chuckled. "Trust me, I know."

Another pause.

Then Olivia asked the question that had been bothering her since dinner.

"Did you ever love her?"

Ethan didn't respond immediately.

For a moment, she thought he wouldn't answer.

Then he exhaled, staring into his glass. "I thought I did."

Olivia studied him carefully. "And now?"

He turned to face her, his blue eyes piercing. "Now, I know the difference between loving someone… and just wanting to."

Something in the way he said it made her chest tighten.

Because she knew exactly what he meant.

---

A Moment Too Close

The wind picked up, sending a shiver down Olivia's spine.

Ethan noticed. Without thinking, he shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

The warmth of it—of him—wrapped around her.

She looked up, intending to thank him.

But then she realized how close they were.

His face was inches from hers, his expression unreadable.

Olivia's breath caught.

Everything—the world, the lies, the reason they were even here—faded into the background.

Because suddenly, the only thing that mattered was this.

The space between them.

The way his gaze flickered to her lips.

The way her heart pounded in anticipation.

He was going to kiss her.

She could feel it.

And the worst part?

She wanted him to.

---

Interrupted

A loud crash from inside the house shattered the moment.

Olivia jumped, stepping back.

Ethan cursed under his breath.

Voices filtered in from the hallway, someone laughing drunkenly. It sounded like one of his cousins had knocked something over.

Reality came rushing back.

Olivia tightened the jacket around her shoulders. "We should… get back."

Ethan didn't move. His eyes were still on her, something unreadable flickering in them.

Then, finally, he nodded. "Yeah."

She turned quickly, heading inside before she could do something reckless—like grab him by the collar and kiss him herself.

Because that?

That would be dangerous.

And Olivia was already in enough trouble.