“Uh-huh,” I said, and my entire body tensed in anticipation of his response.

“Well”—he leaned down to kiss the tip of my nose—“I would kiss you a lot more, and then I’d reach up”—he brought up his right hand—“and I would do this.” He unbuttoned the top button on my shirt.

I didn’t say anything.

He undid the second button, but still I stayed silent.

Then his fingers hesitated, and I saw the teasing light fall from his eyes. “Juliet, I don’t know how much self-control you think I have, but we are pushing right up against that line.”

“Just kiss me,” I told him, almost not caring what happened next. I just wanted to be with him.

He did as I requested, devastating my mouth and invading all of my senses.

I became aware of a ringing sound. It was my phone. I wanted to ignore it. Given how clever he was with his lips, I really, really wanted to ignore it. But what if it was important? The only people who called me in the evenings were my mom and Shelby.

“Noah, hang on.”

He rolled to his side, and I got up on barely functioning legs to make my way over to where I’d left my phone. I was pulsating with a jittery energy that demanded release. I saw that it was Allan calling. I put my fingers over my well-kissed and slightly throbbing lips and answered it.

“Hello? Allan?”

“Juliet?” He sounded completely distraught, like he’d been crying. I instantly sobered up and turned toward Noah, my eyes wide. He picked up on my distress and sat straight up in the bed.

“What’s wrong?” he mouthed.

“Allan? What’s happening?”

“We were out at dinner, and Shelby said she was feeling dizzy. That she’s been feeling dizzy for the last few days, and we were going to go home, and on our way back to the car she fainted.”

Every last bit of color drained from my face; my heart thunked to my feet. That was exactly what happened when Shelby was diagnosed with leukemia. The dizziness, the fainting. This could not be happening again. It could not.

“What did the doctor say?” I asked.

“We’re still waiting on the test results. They’re going to call her oncologist when they get them back.”

I heard the pain and desperation in his voice; I was feeling the exact same thing. “Where are you?”

“We’re at Patterson Memorial Hospital. We’re in room 1119.”

“I’m on my way.”

Noah was already throwing his shirt back on. “What’s going on?”

“Shelby fainted and has been feeling light-headed. Those were her first symptoms last time, and it’s why she went to the doctor and got diagnosed with cancer. She needs me. I have to get to her.”