Maria.
The moment we stepped outside, my face flushed red instantly.
The cool air brushed against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the sudden heat rising to my cheeks. My heart was still racing, my body tense, and being in Noah's arms only made it worse. The closeness, the warmth, the way he held me so effortlessly, it all made me painfully aware of everything at once.
"Can you put me down, Noah?" I said quickly, my voice coming out a little more breathless than I intended. "He is already out of sight."
The moment the words left my lips, Noah didn't hesitate.
He lowered me gently to the ground, his hands lingering for just a second longer than necessary before pulling away. Then he cleared his throat softly, the sound breaking through the silence that had suddenly settled between us.
And just like that, everything felt… awkward. The kind of awkward that made it hard to look at each other.
