Chapter 2 Siblings turn into lovers

Chapter 9: Fragile Mornings

Morning arrived too quickly.

Olivia woke to sunlight streaming through the tall windows of her room, the scent of saltwater still clinging to her skin. Her lips still tingled from his kiss. The memory of the night on the cliffs wrapped around her like a second blanket.

But with daylight came reality.

And reality meant pretending again.

She dressed slowly, glancing at her phone-no new messages. No sign from Elijah. It stung more than she expected.

Downstairs, her mother was making pancakes. Grant sat at the island, reading the news. They looked so normal, so unaware of how much had changed in just one night.

"Elijah went into town early," her mother said as she flipped a pancake. "Said he needed space to think."

Space.

Olivia chewed the word like it had thorns.

She smiled politely, took a seat, and accepted a plate. She even laughed when her mother talked about the neighbor's new golden retriever. But her chest ached, her fork heavy in her hand.

Hours passed.

She wandered the garden. Re-read an old book. But her thoughts kept circling one person.

When Elijah finally returned, he didn't come find her right away. It wasn't until late afternoon that she saw him on the back porch, leaning against the railing, staring out at the horizon.

She joined him without a word.

"I had to clear my head," he said before she could ask.

"And?"

"I'm more tangled than ever."

She nodded. "Me too."

He turned to face her, eyes filled with something she hadn't seen before-fear. "I'm falling for you, Olivia. And I don't know if we can survive that."

Her breath caught. "Then fall carefully. Because I'm already there."

He reached for her hand, held it tight.

The porch was silent except for the wind and the weight of everything they were becoming-something fragile, fierce, and terrifyingly real.

And neither of them wanted to let go.