You shift slightly on Nathan’s lap, his arms loosely wrapped around you as he tilts his head, pressing playful kisses along the curve of your neck. His teeth graze your skin, sending a shiver down your spine before he bites down just hard enough to make you gasp. His warm breath fans over the mark as he soothes it with another slow kiss.

Your voice comes out softer than you intended. "What are we?"

Nathan stills. For a moment, the air between you feels heavier—thicker. Then, a low chuckle escapes him, cool and unbothered, as if the question itself is amusing.

"Friends."

His tone is light, but there’s something unreadable in his eyes when he meets yours. His fingers trace absent patterns on your thigh, his grip neither pulling you closer nor pushing you away. Everything—the way he holds you, the way he touches you, the way his lips linger—only platonic.

And yet, the way your heart pounds? That feels like something else entirely.