Page 265 of Iced Up Love: Part Two
It’s not showy.
It’s… intentional.
Every step measured.
Every movement connected.
We move together easily, my body falling into the rhythm without thought, his hand guiding, steady, grounding.
I can feel people watching.
I know they are.
But it doesn’t touch me.
Not here. Not like this.
“I’m glad we came,” I murmur softly.
Zach’s hand tightens slightly at my waist.
“So am I,” he says quietly.
We turn slowly, the room blurring around us, the music wrapping around us in a way that feels almost private despite everything.
By the time the song ends, my skin is warm, my breath just slightly uneven.
“You okay?” he asks, his voice low.
“Yeah,” I say, though I press a hand lightly to my chest. “Just… a little hot.”
“You want to sit?”
I shake my head.
“I think I just need some air.”
He nods immediately. We move off the floor, passing Elijah.
“Just stepping outside for a minute,” Zach says.
Elijah’s gaze flicks over me, sharp, assessing.
“Don’t go far.”
“I won’t.”
And then we step out into the night. The cool air hits my skin instantly, and I inhale deeply, letting it settle into me.
Everything feels lighter. Like something has shifted. Like something has finally started to move forward.
And for the first time in a long time, I feel it.
Not just survival.
Not just recovery.
But something else. Something steadier. Something real. Something like… hope.
