"Jo…" His breath fanned against her lips, warm and unsteady.
He hovered, lips grazing hers, waiting. Just the smallest sign—that was all he needed to lose himself completely.
But then—
Hic.
A trembling sniff.
JD froze. His head jerked back just as her eyes brimmed with fresh tears, spilling silently down the sides of her face.
"Hey…" He cupped her cheek, thumb brushing away the wet streaks. His voice softened, tinged with alarm.
This wasn't what he wanted. He hadn't cornered her, hadn't forced her—she wanted this too. He was sure of it. But now, seeing her like this, seeing the pain surfacing in waves, he felt something inside him twist and snap.
"Look, I'm—"
But his words died as she sobbed, the sound raw and jagged, pulled straight from the hollow ache in her chest.
"He… He didn't even want to see me," she choked out. "He left. He forgot me. He hated me…"
