Untouchable

0.47

Ivy’s POV

The door clicked shut behind us, sealing me in Adrian’s dorm. It still smelled like him—fresh laundry, something woody, and that faint hint of cologne that had clung to my sweater once when we’d accidentally bumped into each other in class.

I sat down on the edge of his bed, my heart still a little unsteady. I could feel his gaze on me as he leaned against his desk, arms crossed like he was deep in thought.

“So…” I started, glancing up at him. “That happened.”

His lips twitched like he wanted to smirk, but he just nodded. “Yeah.”

A weird silence settled between us—not quite uncomfortable, but definitely charged. It was like neither of us knew where to start, how to untangle whatever this was.

I sighed, looking down at my hands. “What now?”

Adrian exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “What do you want?”

I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. “I don’t want to do this if it’s just going to end in disaster.”

His jaw tightened. “You think we’d be a disaster?”

I hesitated. “I think we could become one if we don’t figure this out first.”

Adrian pushed off the desk and walked over to me, crouching slightly so we were at eye level. “I don’t want to mess this up,” he said, his voice quieter now.

I studied him—the way his dark eyes held something real this time, something vulnerable. “Then don’t.”

A ghost of a smirk tugged at his lips. “You make it sound so simple.”

I exhaled. “It should be. But with us…” I trailed off, shaking my head.

“With us, it never is.”

“Exactly.”

Adrian’s gaze dropped to my lips for a brief second before he met my eyes again. “I meant what I said earlier.”

I swallowed. “About hating me but not really hating me?”

A slow, almost amused breath left him. “That. And about you being stubborn.”

I rolled my eyes. “And you’re not?”

His smirk widened. “I never said that.”

I nudged him with my knee. “Then maybe we are the disaster.”

“Maybe,” he murmured, his fingers grazing my hand. “But I think we both know it’s too late to turn back now.”

I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head. “God, this is such a bad idea.”

Adrian tilted his head. “And yet, you’re still here.”

I met his gaze, something settling in my chest. “Yeah,” I whispered. “I am.”

A flicker of something passed through his eyes before he leaned in, his lips brushing against mine in a kiss that was softer than the last one—more sure, more deliberate. Like we weren’t just colliding this time, but actually choosing this.

His fingers traced my jaw, tilting my face toward him, and I melted into it, into him.

And then—

“What the hell is this?”

We jumped apart just as the door swung open.

Nathaniel stood in the doorway, one brow raised, looking between us with something that was not amusement.

I groaned, pressing my fingers to my temples. “Of course.”

Adrian let out a sigh, muttering under his breath. “Fantastic.”

Nathaniel crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. “So, are we talking about this, or are you two just gonna pretend I didn’t just walk in on you?”

I exchanged a glance with Adrian, my stomach flipping.

This was definitely not how I pictured figuring things out.