“Turns out good guys do finish last.” Joe tucks a lock of hair behind my ear, shaking his head. He looks wrecked. I hate what this is doing to him. “I should’ve just done it.”

“Should’ve done what?” I put my hand over his so he can’t pull it away from my cheek.

“Should’ve just walked to you and kissed the shit out of you the day before Christmas. It was my knee-jerk reaction when I saw your face again. I chose to act civilized. In retrospect—fuck civilization.”

A chuckle escapes me. I press my forehead against his and close my eyes. Our fingers lace together. He ignores the big diamond on my engagement finger. For the first time in months I do too.

“Come with me to Boston,” he croaks.

Something warm swooshes in my stomach. I want to. I really do. But that’s what scares me. Joe is right. I am terrified of loving him. He means so much to me; the idea of trying and failing with him is . . . paralyzing to me.

“It’s not a good idea,” I say.

“Why?”

“Because I still haven’t figured out what I want to do with my life. My family expects some firm resolutions from me. They want to know what I’m going to do. I can’t just up and leave again.”

Dad is going to kill me if I pull another Ever circa 2015. Where I just left for Boston and never looked back.

“Just for a few days.” He brackets my face, kissing my lips softly. Sweetly. A faint brush of a touch. My whole body breaks in shivers. It remembers. It remembers Spain, and it remembers Joe’s hallway. There’s a memory album of all the times we touched tucked deep inside me.

I pull away from him. “We can’t have sex.”

“It’s not sex.” He kisses my nose. “It’s not even in the same neighborhood as sex.” His lips brush my collarbone. “Sex has nothing to do with it. Just come with me for a few days. Please.”

“Okay, let me talk to my dad. I’ll join you tomorrow or the next day.”

“No time.” He grabs my hand between us and tugs me to his body. I let myself enjoy his warmth. His hardness. “Tomorrow morning. Let’s go grab your suitcase. You don’t even have to bring your purse. My treat.”

I kiss the side of his neck. “All right, Bill Gates. That’s enough. I need to head back home. Dad and Donna are going to Mexico tomorrow.”