My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 188: Goodbyes At Sunset

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He stared at me for what felt like forever, the engine’s soft hum and the distant chirping of crickets being the only sounds breaking the silence surrounding us.

The dashboard lights gave a subtle blue glow to his face, accentuating the sharpness of his jaw and the way his lashes cast shadows on his cheeks when he blinked. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Can I... can I kiss you?" he asked, the words hesitant, tinged with such vulnerability it made my heart ache. "Just one last time. Who knows how long it’ll be until we get another chance." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The simplicity and raw honesty of his question brought tears to my eyes. I managed a sad, watery smile and nodded before my voice had a chance to catch up.

"Of course," I whispered. "Always."

Ethan shifted closer in his seat, narrowing the small gap between us in the confined space of the car. One hand cupped my cheek, his thumb gently brushing across my skin as if he wanted to memorize the feel of it, while his other hand slid to the back of my neck, his fingers weaving into my hair. He leaned in slowly, giving me every chance to pull away, but I didn’t. I couldn’t.

When his lips finally touched mine, it was soft and tentative, as if he were afraid I’d break under the weight of it. But as soon as I leaned in, deepening the kiss, a quiet desperation surged between us that took my breath away.

His mouth was warm and familiar, tasting faintly of the Coke he’d just sipped and something uniquely him—clean, like the air after a rain, mixed with a hint of the mint gum he chewed after practice. I could sense a faint tremor in his touch, the way he held me as if I were something precious he was already losing.

My hands instinctively found him, one gripping his jersey while the other wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him as close as the console would allow. I kissed him back, matching his intensity, pouring everything I couldn’t articulate into the kiss—the gratitude, love still alive in me, and the painful regret for what I was doing to us.

His arms fully encircled me then, strong and steady, pulling me into him until there was no space left between us, until I felt the rapid beat of his heart against mine.

This kiss wasn’t rushed or desperate like some we’d shared in secret behind school or in the dark of a movie theater. No, this was slow, deliberate, heartbreakingly tender, as if we were trying to stretch a single moment into eternity. Each gentle press of his lips, every soft exhale against my skin felt like both a promise and a goodbye all at once.

I tasted salt and realized I was crying again, tears slipping down to mingle where our mouths met, but neither of us broke away to wipe them.

Deep down, beneath the warmth of his embrace and the ache blossoming in my chest, a quiet fear whispered that this decision might wreck everything—my first real relationship, the boy who treated me like I was the highlight of his day, and the simple happiness we’d built through late-night texts, shared fries, and lazy afternoons with my head on his shoulder.

I hoped with every piece of my heart that I hadn’t just destroyed something irreplaceable.

Eventually, we had to breathe. Ethan pulled back first, distancing just enough that our foreheads still touched, his eyes closed as he lingered there, clearly reluctant to let go completely.

His hands remained, one still cradling my face and the other tangled in my hair, as if letting me go would make it all too real. I felt the shudder that ran through him, small but unmistakable, and it nearly shattered me all over again.

"I love you, Noah," he murmured against my skin, the words rough and intimate, meant just for me. "No matter what."

"I love you too," I whispered back because it was true, and because he deserved to hear it one last time.

He pressed one last lingering kiss to my forehead, then to the corner of my mouth, soft and reverent, before finally pulling away. The absence of his warmth hit me like a splash of cold water.

He gave me that warm, charming smile of his—the one that crinkled the corners of his eyes, the smile that had won me over months ago—even though now it trembled at the edges.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" he said, his voice steady despite everything. "Text me when you get to bed."

I nodded, my voice failing me, and pushed the door open. The cool night air rushed in against my flushed skin. I stepped out onto the gravel driveway, closing the door softly behind me, and watched him back out slowly, headlights sweeping across the lawn before he turned toward the gate.

I stood there long after the red glow of his taillights had vanished down the long drive, long after the sound of his engine faded into the distance, leaving the mansion compound silent once more.

The grand house loomed behind me, its windows glowing invitingly, but I couldn’t move yet. My lips still tingled from his kiss, and my cheeks were damp with the tears I hadn’t bothered to wipe away.

Only when I was sure he was really gone did I turn to the front steps, every step feeling heavy, my arms wrapped tightly around myself as if I could contain the pieces that felt like they were falling apart.

I was nothing but a pathetic idiot right now...

I couldn’t help but wonder...what came next.

I slowly climbed the grand staircase of Oakfield Mansion, each step feeling heavier than the last, as if the weight of the whole evening had settled on my shoulders, choosing to stick around. The house buzzed with the usual post-holiday activity—twinkling lights still strung along the banisters, and the faint scent of pine from the giant Christmas tree in the foyer still lingering long after the holiday had passed. I kept my head down, hoping to sneak by everyone and collapse in the safe haven of my room without any questions.

No such luck, my mom was there...