Thursday evenings had settled into a predictable rhythm. After a full day of classes, I'd head to Bryan's house to babysit Lily. Usually, it was a time of calm—a reprieve from the chaos of school and the constant back-and-forth with Bryan. Tonight, however, was shaping up to be anything but calm.

Lily sat cross-legged on the living room rug, surrounded by a mess of brightly colored DVD cases. The glow of the fireplace flickered across her face as she stared intently at each cover, her small hands holding one while her feet nudged another into place.

"This one?" she asked, holding up Superhero Squad, a brightly animated action film. "Or this one?" She swapped it out for Princess Adventure, a pink and sparkly extravaganza that looked like sugar in movie form.

"I don't know," I said, sipping my hot chocolate as I leaned back on the couch. "You're the expert here, Lil. What are you in the mood for?"

"All of them!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air and flopping onto her back. Her dark hair fanned out like a halo on the rug. "But we can only pick one!"

"That's how movie night works," I teased, pointing to the towering pile beside her. "One movie, one choice. No pressure."

"But what if I pick the wrong one?" she groaned dramatically, covering her face with her hands. "What if it's boring?"

"There's no wrong choice," I assured her. "Except maybe that creepy clown one." I pointed to the case with a painted grin that made me shudder. "That's a definite no."

She giggled, setting the clown movie aside with a decisive shove. "Okay, but I still can't decide!"

Her pout deepened, and I sighed, setting my mug on the coffee table. The cozy atmosphere of the house—soft lamplight, the faint hum of the fridge, and the crackling fire—should've been relaxing, but Lily's inability to pick a movie was a marathon in itself.

The sound of the front door opening snapped both of us out of our deliberation.

Bryan stepped in, his presence filling the room effortlessly. He looked like he'd just come back from an intense workout, his dark hair damp and clinging to his forehead. His gray T-shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging to his chest and shoulders in a way that made the definition of his muscles and the faint edges of his tattoos impossible to miss. The fabric stretched across his biceps as he adjusted the gym bag on his shoulder, and his joggers hung low on his hips, giving him a casual, effortless air.

"Hey," he said, his voice slightly breathless as he kicked off his sneakers. His eyes swept over the living room before landing on me. "What's going on here?"

"Movie night!" Lily exclaimed, sitting up. "But I can't pick a movie."

Bryan's gaze shifted to the pile of DVDs, then back to me. His lips twitched into a smirk. "She's been at this for a while, hasn't she?"

"Feels like forever," I muttered, gesturing to the mess on the floor. "At this rate, we might not watch anything."

Bryan chuckled, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water. His movements were unhurried, the light catching on the edges of his tattoos as he leaned against the counter. "What about me?" he asked, unscrewing the cap. "Don't I get a say?"

"You want to join us?" I asked, surprised.

"Why not?" he said with a shrug. "I'm home, I'm sweaty, and I've got nothing better to do."

"Ew, Bryan!" Lily wrinkled her nose, glaring at him. "You can't sit with us all gross. You need to shower first."

He grinned, ruffling her hair. "Fine. I'll be back in ten. Don't pick anything without me."

Bryan returned freshly showered, his dark hair damp and tousled in a way that gave him an annoyingly casual charm. He'd changed into a fitted black hoodie and gray sweatpants, the combination somehow managing to highlight his broad shoulders and lean frame even more than his workout clothes had. The faint scent of soap and something clean and sharp followed him as he dropped onto the couch.

"All right, Lil," he said, nudging her gently. "What are we watching?"

"Princess Adventure," Lily declared, holding up the case with a triumphant grin. "Amber loves princesses."

My cheeks flamed instantly. "I never said that."

Bryan's smirk deepened. "Didn't peg you for the sparkly tiara type, Ballerina."

I shot him a glare but grabbed the remote. "Let's just start the movie."

The movie began, and Lily immediately snuggled up between us, her focus glued to the screen. The warm glow of the TV flickered across her small face, making her look even younger as she clutched a blanket to her chest. Bryan, of course, couldn't resist commenting.

"Let me guess," he muttered during a particularly cheesy scene. "The guy trips over his own feet but still gets the girl?"

"Shh," I hissed, throwing a piece of popcorn at him. "Don't ruin it."

"Enhancing it," he whispered, catching the popcorn midair and popping it into his mouth.

Lily giggled but hushed him with a glare that was more adorable than intimidating. "Bryan, no talking!"

"Fine, fine," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

By the halfway mark, Lily had fallen fast asleep, curled up with her head against my arm. Her small body took up the entirety of the blanket, leaving me shivering in the cool air of the living room. I tried to adjust without disturbing her, but every movement seemed to leave me colder.

Bryan noticed. Of course he noticed. His dark eyes flicked to me, studying me for a moment before he let out a quiet sigh. Without a word, he reached over to the back of the couch, grabbing the fleece blanket draped there.

"Here," he said, his voice low as he unfolded it. "Take this."

"I'm fine," I whispered, though my teeth almost chattered.

He rolled his eyes. "Stop being stubborn." He draped the blanket over both of us, his arm brushing against mine as he settled it around our shoulders. "There. Better?"

"Thanks," I mumbled, my voice barely audible as I adjusted the blanket. The warmth of it was immediate, but it was nothing compared to the warmth of Bryan's proximity.

The blanket forced us to sit close—too close. Our sides pressed together, his arm resting casually along the back of the couch. I could feel the heat radiating from him, the slight shift of his muscles as he leaned back, his presence impossible to ignore.

"Warm enough?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost soft.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

After a moment, Bryan's voice broke the silence again. "You seem tense,Amber. What's wrong? Nervous about Costa Rica?"

I stiffened, my cheeks heating. "Why would I be nervous?"

He tilted his head, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, I don't know. Two weeks away from your precious Nutcracker rehearsals? Having to speak Spanish the entire time? Sounds like a nightmare for someone like you."

I glared at him, pulling the blanket tighter around myself. "I'll be fine."

"Sure you will," he said, his smirk widening. "Just don't freak out when Señora Álvarez throws a curveball your way."

"I don't freak out," I shot back, though my voice wavered slightly.

"Really?" he said, leaning a fraction closer. "Because you kind of froze the last time we were, you know, this close."

My breath caught as his gaze lingered on mine, the flickering light of the TV casting shadows across his sharp features. "I didn't freeze," I muttered, though the memory of the kiss from spin the bottle flashed through my mind.

"Sure you didn't," he murmured, his voice dropping lower. "But don't worry. If it happens again, I've got you."

The air between us felt heavy, charged, and I turned my attention back to the screen, determined to ignore the way his words sent a shiver down my spine—not from the cold this time.

The blanket wrapped snugly around both of us, and Lily's soft breathing filled the space between the flickering light of the TV and the weight of Bryan's presence. It wasn't just the closeness—it was the tension humming just below the surface. The kind that made me hyper-aware of every movement, every breath.

Bryan, of course, wasn't helping.

"You know," he said, his voice a low murmur as he shifted slightly closer, the edge of his knee brushing mine beneath the blanket, "for someone who claims they're not nervous, you're doing a terrible job hiding it."

"I'm not nervous," I said quickly, though my voice betrayed me with its waver. "I'm just... cold."

"Cold?" He smirked, leaning back just enough for his arm to brush against mine, warm and solid. "Doesn't feel like it. You're practically radiating heat."

"That's called being annoyed," I shot back, glaring at him from the corner of my eye.

He laughed softly, the sound low and rumbling in his chest. "Sure, Ballerina. Annoyed. Is that why you're clutching that blanket like your life depends on it?"

"Because you took the other one!" I said, my voice rising just enough to make him chuckle again.

He shifted his weight slightly, his movements unhurried and deliberate. His arm resting along the back of the couch dipped lower, brushing the bare skin of my shoulder. His fingers grazed lightly, almost absently, over the edge of the blanket.

"You know," he said, his tone soft and teasing, "you're not as good at pretending as you think."

I froze, my grip on the blanket tightening. "Pretending what?"

"That I don't get to you," he said simply, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips as his fingers brushed the top of my shoulder again, this time just a fraction longer.

"You're delusional," I snapped, willing my voice not to betray the way my heart had begun to hammer in my chest. "You don't get to me."

"Oh?" His fingers moved again, this time tracing the seam of my shirt lightly, almost idly. "Then why are you shaking?"

"Because it's cold," I lied, gripping the blanket tighter around myself and glaring at him. "And you're the most irritating person I've ever met."

Bryan tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement as he leaned closer. His shoulder pressed against mine now, the warmth of him seeping through the layers of fabric between us. "You're really bad at lying, Amber."

My breath caught, but I refused to let him win. "And you're really bad at minding your own business."

"Maybe," he murmured, his voice dropping lower, the teasing edge softening. "But it's a lot more fun getting under your skin."

As the movie played on, Bryan leaned in closer under the guise of adjusting the blanket. His arm pressed lightly against mine, his movements unhurried and deliberate. He let out a soft chuckle when I shifted, trying to create space but failing miserably.

"Relax," he said, his tone almost amused. "We're taking a break from tutoring tonight, remember? I'm giving you a free pass."

I glanced at him, suspicious. "Why?"

"Because you've been stressing over the project and the trip," he said with a shrug, his dark eyes gleaming with something I couldn't quite read. "Consider it my way of being... nice."

I scoffed. "You? Nice?"

"Don't get used to it," he said, smirking. "I figured you could use a break before you overthink yourself into a coma."

"I don't overthink," I muttered, though we both knew it was a lie.

Bryan leaned closer again, the smirk still playing on his lips. "Sure you don't. That's why you've been fidgeting this whole time."

I rolled my eyes, turning my attention back to the movie. "I'm not fidgeting."

"You're definitely fidgeting," he teased, letting his arm rest casually along the back of the couch, his fingers brushing my shoulder again.

The movie played on, a cheerful song blaring from the TV as the princess burst into a dramatic musical number. But all I could focus on was Bryan. He shifted again, this time pretending to adjust the blanket, his arm brushing against my side deliberately.

"Oops," he said with mock innocence. "Sorry."

I narrowed my eyes at him, though the heat creeping up my neck was impossible to hide. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" he asked, his smirk widening as he leaned a little closer. "I'm just sitting here."

"You're not just sitting here," I said, gritting my teeth. "You're... doing that thing."

"What thing?" he asked, feigning confusion. His dark lashes framed his eyes as he glanced at me, his gaze lingering for a moment too long.

"That thing where you act like you're not trying to—"

"To what?" he interrupted, his tone light and teasing. "Distract you? Make you nervous? Fluster you?"

"I'm not flustered," I snapped, though the warmth in my cheeks begged to differ.

"Sure you're not," he said softly, his hand shifting ever so slightly beneath the blanket, brushing against my hip for just a fraction of a second. It was nothing overt, nothing anyone else would notice—but in the charged space between us, it felt like everything.

Lily stirred then, letting out a sleepy sigh and clutching the blanket tighter to her chest. The moment shattered, and I exhaled a breath.

Bryan pulled back slightly, his smirk still firmly in place but his eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Looks like the princess has better timing than I thought."

I shot him a glare, ignoring the way my pulse raced. "You're stupid."

"And you're fun to mess with," he said, standing and stretching lazily, his sweatshirt lifting just enough to reveal a sliver of toned abs and the edge of a tattoo curling along his hip.

I looked away quickly, focusing on Lily's soft breathing and the faint sound of the movie credits rolling in the background.

"Night, Ballerina," Bryan said, his voice low and lingering before he walked toward the hallway. "Enjoy your break."

The door to his room clicked shut, and I let out a long, shaky breath, clutching the blanket around me like it could shield me from the chaos he always managed to leave in his wake.