Madison’s POV
I should have pulled away. That was the sensible thing to do. The smart thing. The safe thing.
Instead, I stayed right where I was, close enough to feel the warmth of Austin’s body, close enough to sense the power beneath his skin. The kiss remained in the air between us even after our lips had parted, heavy and undeniable, like a truth neither of us could take back.
“This doesn’t solve anything,” I said quietly, though my hands were still resting against his chest.
“No,” he replied. “But it stops me from lying to you.”
I looked at him, searching his face for hesitation, for retreat. I didn’t find it. What I saw instead unsettled me more than distance ever had, trust and ownership, ownership over me.
“You’re dangerous when you decide things,” I said.
A faint smile touc
