here's too much at stake." That one sentence was the weight that pressed down on him, crushing the sense of freedom he had felt moments before.

phone calls, the endless parade of tasks-everything felt meaningless. He could picture her face, feel the sharpness of her wi

couldn't just dive into this without consequenc

tending like it didn't matt

motions of his life without truly living it. He avoided Evan's calls, ignored t

imself standing outside Evan's door. His mind was racing. He didn't know what he would say to Sophia if she was there. He didn't know

like he was an alien. "What are you doing here

there was a desperation there, something that didn't belong in Caleb Steele's world. He wasn't used t

en back at Caleb. "You're really

ow how to fix it, but I have to tr

slowly. "She's upstairs. But

ok in her hands. But when Caleb stepped into the room, her gaze snapp

him, but somehow, she had. She set the book down, her eye

en after the kiss, even after the tension, he didn't want to walk away. But hearing

his voice rough. "But I can't keep pretending that I

itation in her. The same fear he felt in his chest was mirrored in her. Sh

d, stepping closer, his voice softening. "But I need you to

ad, she simply looked at him, her eyes searching his face, as if

't just about you and me, Caleb. There's more at stake. There's so m

eant to get involved with someone like her. Evan's sister, the woman who had always been just a shadow in the background.

low. "I'm just asking you to give me a chance to prove I'm not li

them. Something hesitant. She was trying to protect herself, to

"But I can't walk away from thi

ught she was going to push him away, that the distance they had bui

asking," she whispered, her

" Caleb said softly, his voice barely

them like a thread about to snap. They stood there, inches

hat moment, so

est of touches. Caleb's breath caught in his chest, his heart racing. He could feel th

but full of promise. It wasn't urgent. It wasn't desperat

between them was still hanging in the air. But it was d

ered, her forehead resting against his. "But

breath shaky. "Then we'll