Page 46 of Crash & Burn

We are entering a dangerous zone, one I don’t know if we could come back from. One that I don’t know if I could handle.

I lift my gaze back to his eyes, and all traces of that sadness are gone. Replaced with thatsomething elseI saw mixed in before.

Before I can figure out what it is, Eddie’s lips crash into mine, and time stands still.

With every move of his lips on mine, I fall into another world.

A world where we can pretend the broken parts of us are healed.

A world where we are deserving of the happiness we chase.

A world where we don’t have to paint smiles on our faces or bury our feelings.

A world where it is just us.

Butterflies explode in my stomach, and my body feels like it is a million degrees as the kiss deepens and moves with a gentle urgency that tells me he doesn’t want this to end either.

That he doesn’t care that we are falling headfirst to the point of no return.

I hear the push of the metal door behind me, and I slam back into reality as Eddie pulls away from me and steps around me as if to block me from whoever is coming outside.

“Everything okay?” I hear my brother ask, and I hope that Eddie has a better poker face than me because if Mateo saw me right now, he would see right through me.

“Yeah, Mia and I were just talking,” Eddie replies, turning over his shoulder to look at me. I find his eyes and nod, picking up on his subtleplay alongglance.

I let out an exhale before pretending I didn’t just kiss my brother’s best friend and that I’m not about to lie right to his face. “All good. Just talking.”

Mateo gives a curt nod before saying, “Well, I need to talk to Eddie.”

I don’t know how to tell him that we need a few more minutes totalkbecause not only am I currently dealing with the residual shock of what just happened, butIneed to talk to Eddie about what the fuck just happened.

“Yeah, of course, man,” I watch as Eddie flips a switch and resorts right back into his usual, carefree self. “Mia was just heading back in,” Eddie answers for me, and I try to ignore my uneasiness with how easy it was for him to switch gears so fast.

“Right,” I say before sneaking a glance at Eddie as I walk past him to head back inside. He meets my eyes and gives me a small smile. “We’ll talk later. Okay, sunshine?”

I nod, not wanting Mateo to have any idea ofwhatexactly Eddie and I have to talk about, but when I head to the door where Mateo is standing, he does not look happy.

Chapter 15

Eddie

Mateo lets the door shut behind Mia, and my chest instantly tightens when she is out of my sight.

Before she came outside, I felt myself losing control. From the second I spotted that asshole grabbing her, there was no way I was going to be able to stay calm.

Getting away, coming out here, this is what I needed.

I needed to be alone.

If I hadn’t, I don’t know what would have happened.

I hate that she saw me like that, and I hate that I kissed her.

Watching her come out here was watching a dream come true. Her hair flew back as she pushed open the door leading to the lot, and her face was flushed, whether it was from how hot it was inside or from the adrenaline, I don’t know, but it was the most beautiful shade of pink I have ever seen.

She had on my T-shirt and a possessiveness I never felt before bloomed in my chest. And now, I don’t think it will ever go away. I’m tempted to stoop as low as burning all her clothes, so the only choice she has is to wear mine.

When I rushed towards her, my anger was gone. It had completely evaporated with my first step in her direction. All that was left was a magnetic pull, the need to get to her and figure out why she wasn’t at the booth in the first place.

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