Her hand went to her hair, feeling the various waves and curls she had so carefully put together herself.

“Is something wrong with it?”

I watched as a blush ran up her neck and cheeks, and I closed the space between us in a few strides, my hands coming to her hair. Gently, I tugged the bobby pins away one by one, careful not to pull too hard. When I was done, her long, blonde hair was cascading down her back in waves.

“Not one thing is wrong.” I tucked a strand of hair behind her diamond-decorated ears. “I just like it better down.”

Her eyes searched my face and then, slowly, fell to my lips.

Fuck me.

The air stilled between us.

Whatever this was… Neither of us could move.

I had felt the way she shivered as I took out every individual bobby pin. I had felt her lean into me.

But I didn’t. I stayed firmly rooted in place.

I want to kiss her, but I want her to want me to.

“The bobby pins hurt anyway,” she murmured, and the sound of her voice broke through the silence of the room and snapped the connection between us.

My eyes traveled down her body and stopped at her wrist.

“What is that?”

I watched as she flushed and her eyes went angry. I could now see it was a simple gold chain with two heart charms. One had a P engraved on it and the other a V. The initials of her friends, I assumed.

A friendship bracelet.

“It’s a bracelet,” she said with a huff.

“And you’re wearing it to the gala?” I asked with a raised brow. “You know people will be taking your picture, right? Is that what you want them to see?”

She glared up at me.

“Afraid I’ll embarrass you, Warren?”

A smile pulled at my lips.

“Nothing you can do would embarrass me, babygirl,” I answered and watched as she blushed deeper.

With another huff, she undid the bracelet and placed it on the bedside table. To anyone else, it might look like she didn’t care, but I saw right through her.

The trinket mattered.

Is this the first time she has one?

“Happy?” she asked me teasingly, and I stood straighter.

“Hurry up, Addi. We have places to be.”

She flicked her hair over her shoulder and turned back to finish getting ready, but I couldn’t leave it like that. So I reached out to stop her, and I could tell she was ready to snap at me.

It didn’t matter.

I grabbed the bracelet again and used both hands to carefully place it back on her wrist.

“Such a simple, childish thing,” I murmured, rubbing the chain against her skin. Goose bumps broke out over her arm.