The next few days were a strange, delicious kind of torture, the secret of the club hanging between them, too potent for daylight. They were lying in bed one night, and while Jack was tracing idle circles on Tina’s stomach, his mind was miles away. "You've been quiet," Tina murmured, breaking the silence. "Just thinking," Jack said softly. "About...?" she prodded, her heart starting to beat a little faster. He took a brea...

It all started with a question. That led to a dare from her mother, Vi, which led to the kitchen, where Tina caught them and joined in. The encounter continued in the living room, crossing a line none of them could ever uncross. That was two days ago. Now, a thick silence hung in the air, a shared secret that hummed just beneath the surface of their normal lives. The low murmur of the television filled the living room, a...

The click of Tina’s seatbelt was the signal they were finally free. Another Sunday survived at Grandma’s, a marathon of stale cookies, forced pleasantries, and the overwhelming scent of potpourri and mothballs. Jack was slumped in the back seat of the sedan, already mentally checking out, as Tina eased the car back out of the driveway. Vi, her mother, was riding shotgun, scrolling through her phone. The silence was comfor...

Lynn was the first to move. She rose slowly, giving Allie time to feel her own breath settle, time for the last echoes of sensation to fade into something steadier and more grounded. When Lynn stood, she did not rush to adjust her dress or reclaim composure. She simply came back into herself, calm and certain, like someone returning to a familiar room. Allie watched her with a softness that surprised her. Jack remained be...

Allie emerged from the bedroom slowly, as if she were aware of every eye on her. The dress clung to her in a way that felt intentional, dark, known, and unapologetic. It was one she used to wear years ago, back when experimentation had felt like permission rather than possibility. Back when she and Jack had gone looking for something unnamed and electric, but never fully found it. Lynn felt it immediately. Not just attrac...

Lynn scanned the crowd at baggage claim, her heart racing. A familiar figure stepped into view, Jack. He looked taller than she remembered, broader, and impossibly calm. Her pulse jumped. Jack spotted her immediately, a grin breaking across his face. He strode over, arms open, and she stepped into them. The hug was brief but electric, and then, without thinking, they kissed. Just a quick press of lips, teasing, testing, b...

Lynn gripped the armrest, staring out the small oval window as clouds scrolled by beneath the plane. The engines hummed steadily, the seat vibrating gently under her. She hated flying, always had, but here she was, thousands of feet in the air, heart racing for reasons that had little to do with turbulence. It wasn’t the plane that made her tense. It was Jack. It had all started innocently enough. After graduation, Jack,...