Chapter 4 I will walk

For the next couple of days, Jacinth did everything she could to avoid me.

She barely looked at me during meals, kept her conversations short, and always found a reason to leave the room if I came in. At first, I tried to convince myself that I was imagining it. But I wasn't. She was avoiding me like the plague, and it was starting to get under my skin.

I knew why, of course.

That night-when she came into my room, the things we almost did, the heat in her eyes before Daniel knocked-I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it. I could still feel her weight against me, the softness of her skin, the sound of her voice saying my name in the dark. But now, she acted like none of it had happened.

And her rejection? that messed with me more than I expected.

Daniel and the others were already off to the internship site for the day. I had taken the morning off to rest after finishing some reports ahead of schedule. The house was quiet, too quiet, and it made me restless. I paced around my room, trying to distract myself, but my mind kept drifting back to her.

Jacinth.

That name alone stirred something in me I couldn't explain.

I stepped out into the hallway, stretching my arms and cracking my neck. The corridor was quiet. As I turned to head downstairs, a door on the far end of the hall opened-and there she was.

Jacinth.

She had just come out of the bathroom, wrapped in a white towel that clung to her damp skin. Her hair was wet, and water dripped slowly from the tips down her shoulders. She froze when she saw me, eyes wide like she hadn't expected anyone to be around.

Neither of us moved.

For a moment, time felt suspended. My heart thudded against my chest. I tried to look away-tried-but my eyes refused to listen.

She was beautiful.

Not in the typical way people throw that word around. Jacinth had this quiet, mature beauty, the kind that made your throat tighten just by looking at her. Her curves, her confidence, the way she carried herself... it did things to me I didn't understand.

She blinked. "You're still home?" Her voice was soft but carried a hint of something else-surprise, maybe even nervousness.

"Yeah," I said, forcing my eyes up to her face. "Took the morning off. Needed a break."

She nodded slowly, tightening her grip on the towel. "I didn't think anyone was around."

I swallowed hard. "I didn't mean to... stare."

She looked down, then back up. "It's fine. You just caught me off guard."

"I should go," I said, turning slightly. But my feet didn't move.

Neither did hers.

There was something thick in the air between us, something real. I could feel it pressing against my chest, heavy and hot. She looked at me like she wanted to say something-anything-but couldn't find the words. Her towel slipped slightly at the top, and she reached up to hold it in place.

That simple movement almost undid me.

"Jacinth," I said, stepping forward before I could stop myself.

She didn't back away.

"You've been avoiding me," I added, voice low.

"I had to," she said quickly. "That night was a mistake, Dami. It shouldn't have happened."

"But it almost did," I said. "And you felt it too."

She shook her head. "No. I can't-this is wrong. You're Daniel's friend. You're a guest in my home."

"I'm also a grown man," I said. "And you're not just some random woman, Jacinth."

Her eyes locked on mine, full of conflict and emotion. She opened her mouth to respond but said nothing.

"I can't stop thinking about you," I whispered. "Tell me you don't feel the same, and I'll walk away right now."

She looked like she wanted to say no, but the words didn't come. Instead, she stepped back into her room and left the door open.

That was all I needed.

I followed her in, heart pounding like a drum. She stood near the window, back to me, arms wrapped tightly around herself. I moved closer, slowly, giving her space to stop me if she wanted to.

She didn't.

"Jacinth," I said again, softly.

She turned around, and before I could think or talk myself out of it, I stepped forward and kissed her.

Her lips were warm and soft, and for a second, she froze. But then she kissed me back-hungrily. Desperately. Like she had been holding it in for years. My hands moved to her waist, and hers tangled in my shirt. Her towel loosened a little, but I didn't dare go further.

This wasn't just about sex. It was more.

I kissed her like I meant it-because I did.

But then she pulled back. Hard.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "No, no, no."

She stepped away, breathing heavily, eyes wide with panic. She grabbed the edges of the towel and clutched it to her chest. "We can't do this, Dami. We can't."

"Why not?" I asked, confused and out of breath.

"Because it's not right," she said, voice trembling. "You're too young. You're Daniel's friend. This... this can ruin everything."

"I don't care about any of that," I said, stepping forward again. "I care about you."

She held up her hand to stop me. "Don't. Don't say that."

Her eyes glistened, and I realized she wasn't just scared of what could happen. She was scared because she wanted it, too. She wanted me, but the weight of everything around us-Daniel, the house, the past-was too much.

"I need you to forget this ever happened," she said quietly.

I clenched my jaw, heart sinking. "Is that what you really want?"

She didn't answer.

Instead, she turned and pointed to the door. "Please, Dami. Just go."

I stood there for a moment longer, hoping she would change her mind, hoping she'd tell me to stay. But she didn't. She turned her back to me again, and I knew I had to leave.

As I stepped out and gently closed the door behind me, I leaned against the hallway wall, breathing hard.

One kiss.

One taste.

And already, I knew-I was in too deep.