Brandon's POV
The moment we pulled up in front of the house, the night tilted sideways. My headlights washed the porch in pale silver, bouncing shadows against the neat shrubs and trimmed grass. From where I sat, the place looked quiet—too quiet. No movement, no figures shifting in the glow. Just silence clinging to the air, heavy and expectant.
I cut the engine, but the stillness inside the car didn't break. Chloe and I hadn't spoken the entire ride back. The silence wasn't exactly uncomfortable—it was charged, like there was something humming between us we couldn't name. My hands stayed tight around the steering wheel longer than they needed to.
All I could think about was how close I had been to kissing her earlier. That almost-moment still burned in my chest, stealing words from my mouth. Every time I thought to say something, anything, my throat locked. Thank God it was a short drive, because I don't think I could've handled the silence stretching any longer.
