Page 72 of Unfaithful

He leaned down, his face near my shoulder, his breath warm as it ghosted over my skin. A shiver ran through me, delicate yet consuming, like a slow-burning flame spreading beneath my skin. He took a deep breath, and somehow, I felt it, like a ripple passing through me, stirring something deep inside. It was intense and electric. Although we weren't touching, we weren't kissing. And yet, the emotions it evoked made it feel as if we were.

That was when it hit me.

I didn't see him as just a friend anymore.

Archie had become more. So much more.

Then I felt his hands on my waist. Tentative, as if he were unsure whether he should touch me at all.

I pressed closer, silently telling him it was okay. That I wanted him to hold me.

He got the message.

His hands slid around my back, pulling me in as we moved together. Our bodies swayed slowly in contrast to the wild,pulsing beat around us. In a room full of frenzy, we found our own rhythm. One that belonged only to us.

I didn't know how long we danced—minutes, hours; it didn't matter. Eyes closed, I let myself sink into the moment, into him.

When I opened them again, I pulled him down, pressing my lips softly to his jaw. A quiet test, a question without words. My heart pounded in my ears, nerves and hope tangling together as I waited, desperate to know if I'd read him right. If he wanted this, too. If he wantedme.

I heard him sigh, a quiet, shuddering breath, before pulling me even closer. Then, in a whisper, he said, "Sara... what are you doing to me?"

His voice was raw, almost pained as if he was fighting something within himself. Something neither of us dared to name.

I whispered his name, the only word I could manage. Too many emotions surged inside me. He nuzzled his nose against my temple, and a soft whimper escaped me—I couldn't help it.

"You have no idea how hard this is for me, Sara."

Another sigh, heavier this time. "But we can't do this."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sara

"Peaches..." Archie reached for me as I pulled away, my face burning with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," I choked out, my voice so small I wasn't sure he could hear it over the music. "I shouldn't have done that."

Archie didn't let me go. Instead, he pulled me back into his arms, holding me close. "If you ask me, I want you to do that. I really do. It's just... not the right time."

I stayed quiet, waiting for him to explain.

"You and me, Peaches," Archie murmured, his breath warm against my ear. "When we happen,ifwe happen, it's going to be real. Not just a moment of weakness. Not just some fleeting impulse."

His arms tightened around me, holding me in place. "Because for me, there's no going back. So you need to be absolutely fucking sure."

Then he pulled away just enough, his hands cradling my face, firm yet achingly gentle, his face so close to mine. "And I'll wait. As long as it takes. Until you tell me that there isn't a single chance for me in this lifetime." His eyes softened, but the certainty in them remained. "Because you're my one, Sara. You're it."

I stared at him, completely at a loss for words.

My heart clenched, then melted, unraveling at the edges. Butterflies stirred in my stomach—restless, thrown into disarray. Emotions crashed over me, wild and untamed, pulling me in every direction at once.

No one had ever said words like that to me. Not like this. Not with such quiet conviction, with a certainty that settled deep in my bones.

Oh, Archie...

My eyes burned, prickling with tears. I was struggling to hold myself together, breaking apart right there on the dance floor surrounded by moving bodies, lost in the deafening beat. And yet, he was the only one I saw.

"And in the meantime..." His thumbs brushed gently against my cheeks, wiping away tears that had yet to fall. "I'll be on the sidelines, looking out for you. Ready whenever you need me. You just have to ask, Peaches, and I'll come running."

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