Chapter 32 What do hat do you mean f mean four years ago ? " I said it fast , my voice shaky . " Rick . What at do you mean ?! " I stared at him in shock He didn't answer , he just looked at me blankly with no anger and no smirk , just this weird emptiness that made me feel cold all over I sat up and reached for him without thinking . My palms pressed against his cheeks . His skin was warm . " Answer me . " I said , heart racing cir " Rick . Do Do you remember something ? " I knew I was going to collapse if he told me that he had recovered his memory just like that But still he said nothing . " What did you remember ? " I pushed again . But before I got another word out , his body slumped forward . " Rick ? " I caught him as best I could , hands sliding under his arms . " Rick , Hey . " He collapsed into me with his full weight . I struggled to get him down slowly , guiding him onto the mat . His eyes were barely open , lathes twitching . " God , " I whispered , brushing the hair from his forehead . " You got this drunk ? What were you thinking ? " I sat there for a second , trying to steady my breath . His shirt clung to him with sweat and the remnants of the hike . I reached for the hem , carefully lifting it over his head . His skin was warm to the touch . His chest rose and fell slowly , his brows twitching like he was in the middle of some kind of dream . I folded the shirt and set it aside , pulling the blanket hallway over him . i dipped the cloth into the water bottle and gently patted his forehead , wiping off the sweat . He was quieter now . He looked so different when he wasn't trying to prove something or act like the world was on his shoulders . I let my hand linger , just for a second . How could someone like him drive me so insane and still make me feel like this ? I pulled back quickly , standing to leave .. " Alright . Rest . I'll just … go to my own tent now , " I whispered to no one , already reaching for the flap . His hand shot out . I gasped when his fingers wrapped around my wrist " Rick , " I said , frozen . He didn't open his eyes . " Don't leave me , " he mumbled , his voice husky and slow . Sleep soaked every word , but it hit me deep . I tried to breathe . " You're drunk , let go , " Chapter 37 He pulled my arm , not harshly but strong enough that had to step back . He tugged again , and I stumbled forward . I caught myself right before falling into him , but he was already shitting He dragged me down against him , my back pressing into his bare chest . His arm slid around my waist and locked them . My heart raced . His nose brushed the side of my neck , his breath warm against my skin " Stay with me . " he whispered , voice cracking , " Please . " I couldn't move . I didn't know if it was the way he held me or the way he said please like it physically hurt him to say it . I didn't know if it was exhaustion or emotion His breath was steady against the back of my neck , his arm still wrapped around me , heavy but somehow.comforting I stared at the wall of the tent for a while , wide awake , even though exhaustion weighed on every inch of me . I didn't move , not because couldn't , but because I didn't want to . I slowly turned in his hold , careful not to wake him . His face was right there , inches away . Relaxed , soft , unguarded . The tension he always carried between his brows was gone . I let my eyes trace the curve of his lashes , the gentle dip above his nose , the faint scar near his left eyebrow . I remembered once wondering how he got that scar . I'd never asked , His lips were slightly parted . His hair had fallen messily over his forehead , still damp from sweat . My fingers itched to brush it away , them curled under my chin . I shouldn't have been staring . I knew that . But I couldn't stop . Something about the quiet , the dark , and the way his arm stayed around waist made it hard to remember why I'd been angry at him just hours ago . I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until I let it out in a shaky exhale . My chest ached a little , from confusion , from guilt and from the fact that a part of me liked being here , like this . I needed to remind myself that even before the accident he had liked Benita and not me so it was time to wake up from this fancy fantasy . I stared at his jawline , the stubble there catching the light from the small lamp we had left dim . y palm. I wanted to press my hand to his chest and feel it rise and fall under my p But I didn't move . I just kept watching him , swallowing the knot in my throat . It shouldn't be this way , it shouldn't be complicated . I should hate him for how he treats me sometimes , I should remember the contract . The power plays . His father . Everything that made this situation a mess . But instead , all I could think about was how close his mouth was to mine . How it had felt against my neck that night in the pool . How my body had melted like it belonged to him the second he touched me . God , what was wrong with me ? Ishifted slightly , just enough to adjust the blanket around us . My eyes were still on his face when his brows twitched faintly . Then his eyes opened . Barely , just a ta thin slit , still heavy with sleep . He looked at me like he wasn't sure if I was really there , His hand tightened at my waist . Chapter 32 Before I could say anything, before I could look away , he leaned in slowly . His lips brushed against mine , warm , soft , hesitant and then he fully closed his mouth over my own . AD Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!