Chapter 29

JUNE

The twins nodded as she turned and walked briskly in the direction Ollie had disappeared. Her pulse quickened with every step, the faint sound of her shoes on the tiled floor echoing in her ears.

Why was she doing this again? What would she even say to him? she swore she wasn’t always this reckless.

Rounding a corner, she spotted him slipping into a restroom and followed after him. At the door, she hesitated, her hand poised mid-air. Then, drawing a shaky breath, she knocked. Once. Twice. Then a third time.

When no response came, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Ollie tilted back his head slightly to meet her eyes, addressing her with chillingly empty eyes. It was as if he was looking through her, not at her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a dark, devoid-of-warmth voice that sent cold tremors down her back. She had never heard him sound like this before.

"I… I didn't mean to intrude,” she stammered, taking a tentative step forward. “I just...you left...and I saw you..." Her words faltered under his coppery gaze.

Her eyes dipped to his hand braced against the sink. Her heart lurched into her throat at the sight of his bruised, red knuckles.

Without thinking, she took a step closer. "Are you okay?" she said with concern, taking his injured hand in hers.

His gaze lowered to their joined hands, and then back to her face, his expression deadly cold and unreadable.

"You are hurt,” she managed to croak out.

Finally, his stoic expression crumbled, and a flicker of recognition softened his face. “June,” he called her name with desperation as though she was the single thread tethering him to the earth.

Without a word, June took his battered hand and guided it under the running water. As the water washed away the blood, she could feel his gaze burning into her skin.

When the blood had rinsed away, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a crumpled handkerchief. Gently, she wrapped it around the wounded knuckles, her finger lingering for a heartbeat longer.

She didn’t let go of him as she raised her head to meet Ollie’s gaze.

His eyes—they were now warm.

“Hug me,” he said, his deep, velvety voice sounded like he was pleading.  

Her lips parted to protest, but before she could, his voice came again, this time softer, more desperate to her ears.

“Please, Edelweiss.”

Without a word, she moved closer, her feet shifting toward him. Slowly, almost hesitantly, her arms circled around his neck. His warmth seeped into her, pulling her closer as his hands found their way to her back, urging her into him as if this was a need.

The clean, woodsy sophistication of his scent enveloped her all at once. Then, without warning, Ollie tilted his head, lowering it until his forehead rested gently against the curve of her neck. The soft rasp of his breath against her skin sent a shiver down her spine. And then, that groan—low and drawn out, slipped from him and vibrated through her. She could feel it deep inside her, like it was coming from the very core of him.

They stayed like that, body pressed together and hands clutching each other. His heat seeped into her as his fingers traced slow patterns on her back. The world faded into nothingness under the steady thrum of his heartbeat under her fingertips.

Time seemed to slow as they breathed in each other, each inhale and exhale blending into one. She became acutely aware of the rise and chest of his chest against hers, and the pressure of his hands around her waist.

But eventually, after what felt so long, yet so short, Ollie pulled back reluctantly, just a fraction.

The air between them was still thick and heavy with something she couldn’t name. Her mind fizzled as she tried to make sense of the moment. Unable to look into his gaze, she faced upward, then down before she finally looked at him, with a smile that was always hard for her to pull, except with him.

His eyes held hers as she said as a tease because if she didn’t, the tension would swallow her whole.

"Are you okay?"

"I am now."

Urgh, what did that even mean? Could she not be awkward for once? This was the kind of embrace that shouldn’t leave her spiraling, but here she was, questioning everything. What he felt, what she felt, and whether she was reading too much into this.

He took a step toward her, and June instinctively took a step back, not sure she could survive another tight hug from him.

A small smile curved his lips. "Thank you."

Butterflies fluttered deep in her stomach and warmth rushed through her chest. “I didn’t do anything,” she grumbled the words out, her gaze on her fidgeting fingers.

His hands twitched at his sides, as though he was about to reach for her, but he didn’t. Instead, he said, “Let me take you home.”

“The twins,” she winced. They’d been waiting for her for god knew how long. she turned to Ollie. “I’m blaming you for this,” then she turned to the mirror to adjust herself.

Ollie leaned casually against the counter as his voice dripped with amusement. “You look good to go to me.”

“Not that your opinion matters.” She shot him a harmless glare.

His head rolled back, clearing enjoying her sarcasm. “How much I miss your sweet words.”  

She rolled her eyes, trying to hold back a smile. For a moment, she forgot just how cocky he could be.