Page 104 of Fame & Chaos

For now, I’ll give her what she needs. And maybe, eventually, she’ll realize we don’t have to end up in chaos like her parents. We could be different. We could be good together if she’d just let herself believe it.

“It’s getting late,” she says softly.

I lick my lips, still tasting her there. “I’ll take you home.”

She nods and starts walking back toward the car while I trail after her, occasionally glancing at her ass because apparently I have absolutely no self-control where she’s concerned.

When we reach the Lexus, I step forward and open the passenger door for her.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” she says quietly. “It’s important we understand the rules before this turns into something that is not sustainable for me.”

I nod slowly.

She lifts her hand and strokes my cheek gently. Instinctively, I lean into her touch, and the look she gives me nearly kills me.

She knows this is hard for me.

She knows, and she’s still asking it of me anyway.

Leaning forward, she presses a quick kiss to my lips before sliding into the car.

I close the door softly, then glance back up at the full moon overhead. “Fuck you, you crazy-arse moon,” I mutter before climbing into the driver’s seat. I start the engine and pull out onto the road.

A few minutes later, her voice breaks the silence. “I’m sorry.”

I glance across at her. “Why are you sorry?”

She’s staring down at her hands. “Because I can tell you want more than this. And while I’m around, you’re never going to find happiness with someone else.” She hesitates. “Maybe we should just end this tonight.”

My heart slams violently against my ribs, and I turn toward her, nostrils flaring. “No.”

She stiffens immediately.

“Eyes on the road, Caleb,” she mutters.

I huff and force myself to look forward again. “Indi, don’t do this. Please. I can handle just kissing, I swear. Just… don’t disappear on me again.”

“There is no ‘this’ to end, Caleb,” she says softly. “That’s what scares me. I’m worried you’ll start believing ‘this’ means more than it does. This is friendship. Nothing else. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Losing you would hurt me. This doesn’t.”I glance sideways at her.

“If all you want is kissing and friendship, then fine. We’ll be friends who kiss. I can do that.”

She looks close to tears, and without thinking, I reach over and take her hand in mine. “Just friends, Indi,” I say again.

She takes a shaky breath. “Okay… but the second this turns into something more—”

“It won’t,” I interrupt quickly.

That’s a lie.

And we both know it.

Still, she nods.

I intertwine our fingers and stare back at the road. Her hand fits perfectly inside mine, and Christ, this is going to be torture.

But I’ll take any version of her I can get.