Chapter 145

Summer's POV

"Shh," he murmured, his voice a low, commanding vibration near my ear. "Not a sound, June. Just focus on the movie."

My heart slammed against my ribs as his presence felt more insistent under the cover of the jacket. The air in the theater grew thin, replaced by a searing, magnetic energy that made my head spin. Every nerve in my body was hyper-tuned to the subtle movements beneath the fabric. It was a reckless, exhilarating kind of tension—being so close to him in a room full of people, sharing an unspoken secret that no one else could perceive.

Brandon didn't rush. He was slow and calculated, a silent challenge that demanded my complete focus. I gripped the armrests until my knuckles turned white, fighting to keep my breathing steady as the anticipation coiled tighter and tighter within me. The thrill of our shared secret mixed with the raw magnetism he always exerted over me, creating a storm of emotion that left me breathless.

"Brandon—please," I whispered, the words barely audible, my voice breaking. I was caught between the urge to pull away and the desire to stay lost in this moment. But he didn't look at me; he stared straight ahead at the screen, his expression calm and composed, even as the intensity between us reached a fever pitch.

The world outside the sanctuary of his jacket ceased to exist. As the film reached its emotional climax, I felt an overwhelming wave of connection crash over me—a deep, rhythmic pulse of shared fire that left me trembling. I bit my lip hard to remain silent, my body quaking slightly as the overwhelming tension finally broke, leaving me spent and breathless in the cool darkness of the theater.

Finally, the movements ceased, and his hand came to rest possessively over mine. He leaned in close, his breath warm against my skin. "You're perfect for me, June," he whispered, his voice thick with a dark, quiet satisfaction.

I couldn't answer. The exhaustion from the emotional roller coaster and the aftershocks of that intense connection pulled me under. My head nodded forward, and the next thing I knew, Brandon's arm was steadying me, offering his shoulder as a pillow.

"Tired? Go ahead and sleep," he murmured gently.

When the movie ended, I felt weightless. I woke to find Brandon carrying me through the thinning theater crowd toward the exit. I was mortified to realize I'd fallen asleep in his arms in such a public place.

"Is the movie over?" I croaked, my cheeks burning as I saw people staring and whispering about how "attentive" he was.

"Almost," he said, his tone even and unshaken. He set me on my feet in the corridor once we were away from the main crowd, but then he crouched in front of me, his broad back turned.

"June, climb on."

"What? No!" I hissed, embarrassment flooding me again. "I'm fine! I can walk!"

"June," he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Get on. You need the rest." Reluctantly, I leaned against his back, wrapping my arms around his neck, and let him carry me out into the cool night air, the lingering heat of our secret encounter still glowing quietly within me.