Chapter 7 The Almost Kiss

• The drive back to the estate felt different. The air in the car seemed heavier, charged with an energy that neither Celia nor Alexander could ignore. They had barely spoken after leaving the shopping center, the hum of the engine filling the silence between them. Celia kept her gaze focused on the passing city lights, trying to distract herself from the growing tension in her chest. The dress, now carefully folded in a bag beside her, felt like a distant memory compared to the electric current running beneath the surface.
• She had expected the drive to be uneventful, a quiet trip home after a day out. But something about the way Alexander was acting made it hard to keep her thoughts in check. His usually composed demeanor had shifted ever so slightly. His jaw was tight, his fingers tapping against the steering wheel in a rhythm that didn’t quite match his usual calm.
• After a few more moments of silence, Celia couldn't help but break it. “I didn’t expect today to feel so… personal,” she said, her voice a little more vulnerable than she intended. “I thought we’d just get some clothes, but…”
• But what? She didn’t know how to finish that thought, didn’t know how to put into words the way the entire afternoon had felt charged with unspoken emotions. She was being too honest, too open, and the thought of exposing herself like this made her heart race.
• Alexander’s eyes flicked to her briefly, a flicker of something crossing his features before he quickly focused back on the road. “It was a good day. I’m glad you found something you like.”
• Celia nodded but couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more beneath the surface of his words. The way he’d looked at her in the store, the lingering silence between them on the drive—there was something there. Something she couldn’t explain.
• The car slowed as they turned down the long drive to the estate, the mansion looming ahead in the distance, its lights glowing softly in the night. Celia could feel the familiar ache inside her, the part of her that longed to be seen by him, to feel that spark ignite into something more. But she couldn’t let herself get carried away. He’s not like that, she reminded herself. He’s your father’s best friend. He’s just being nice.
• But as the car pulled to a stop in front of the house, she turned to face him, her heart pounding. “Alexander… can I ask you something?”
• He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. “Of course. What is it?”
• Her pulse quickened as she tried to find the words. She had to ask, had to know if she was imagining the connection between them or if it was real. “Why are you so… distant sometimes?” she finally asked, the question slipping out before she could stop it. “I don’t get it. One minute, you’re kind, you’re attentive, but then—”
• She stopped herself, unsure of how to finish. But the words were already hanging in the air, unanswered.
• There was a long pause before Alexander spoke again. His eyes softened slightly, but there was an almost imperceptible tension in his posture as he shifted in his seat. “It’s complicated, Celia.”
• The way he said her name, low and soft, sent a shiver down her spine. She could feel the unspoken weight of the words hanging between them, a thread that was slowly pulling them closer without either of them fully acknowledging it. The silence stretched on, neither of them willing to break it for what felt like a long time.
• Finally, Alexander let out a quiet sigh, his gaze fixed ahead. “There are things I can’t explain, things I don’t think I should get into. Things that…” His voice trailed off, and for a brief moment, Celia thought he might continue, but instead, he seemed to withdraw.
• She felt the familiar ache rise in her chest again, the way he was shutting himself off from her. The desire to reach out, to get closer, burned inside her, but she didn’t know how to bridge that gap. She didn’t know how to make him see her in the way she so desperately wanted him to.
• Before she could respond, he shifted in his seat again, his face now inches from hers as he turned toward her with a sudden intensity that made her breath catch. They were so close. Too close.
• For a heartbeat, the world seemed to stop. Celia’s heart pounded in her chest, every inch of her body taut with anticipation. His lips were so close to hers, she could almost feel the heat of his breath on her skin. She didn’t move, couldn’t move. Her entire being seemed frozen, caught in that delicate, charged moment.
• He’s going to kiss me, Celia thought, her mind whirling with the possibility. She could feel the electricity between them, a current that was undeniable, that had been building up all afternoon.
• But just as quickly as the moment arrived, it seemed to evaporate. Alexander pulled away sharply, his face a mask of regret and something else—something deeper, darker.
• “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice strained, as if he were apologizing for something far bigger than just pulling away. “That was… that shouldn’t have happened.”
• Celia stared at him, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath, but words seemed to escape her. The silence in the car felt suffocating, like the weight of his apology was pressing down on her. She wanted to say something, anything to break the tension, but she was caught between a flood of emotions. Part of her wanted to scream in frustration, to demand an explanation. Another part of her wanted to kiss him, to bridge the distance that he’d just created.
• But instead, she stayed silent, nodding slightly, as if the apology made everything clear. In truth, she was more confused than ever.
• “Let’s get inside,” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he shifted the car into park. The moment between them had shattered, leaving behind nothing but an aching, uncomfortable silence.
• Celia didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to fix this. She got out of the car without another word, feeling the weight of the missed opportunity pressing down on her. She tried to steady her breathing as she walked to the front door, but inside, she was a mess.
• What just happened?
• Her heart was still racing from the brief, intense moment in the car, and yet, as Alexander followed her into the house, he felt farther away than ever before.