She's my stepsister. The one girl I shouldn't want... and the only one I can't resist.

A car door slams in the driveway. We both freeze. Still standing close, still trying to catch our breath. The dryer rumbles beneath us like it's trying to rat us out. No. Not now.

"No," Harper whispers. "No, no, no, no."

I can feel her heart pounding against my chest. Another door slam. Voices—Mom's laugh, Silas's deeper one behind it.

Our parents are back. Early.

The basement suddenly feels smaller. Hotter. The warm, reckless bubble we were in starts collapsing under the weight of reality.

Harper's hands are still gripping my shirt. Mine are still at her waist. Neither of us moves.

"They're early," she whispers, eyes wide, cheeks still flushed.

I should step back. I should put actual feet of space between us before we get caught like this.

I don't.

For three more pounding heartbeats, I pull her close again, lingering in the moment and memorizing the exact way it feels to hold her right now—

Before I force myself to let go.

Pulling back is the hardest thing I've ever done.

And the way her fingers catch in my shirt at the last second—like she doesn't want to let go either—nearly undoes me.

We didn't mean for this to happen. We tried to keep our distance from each other. But neither of us has ever been very good at following the rules...

Book one of a two-book completed duet. For mature listeners.