I toss and turn in bed that night, and no matter how hard I try, I'm unable to turn off my brain. The thought of Sully alone, weighing heavy on my mind.

Hartley's snuggled beside me, her breaths slow and even. She looks peaceful lying there, the curves and angles of her heart-shaped face relaxed as she nuzzles closer in her sleep. It reminds me of the Hartley I knew back in Ohio, before her dad died, and she had to move away. The girl who'd always been strong-willed and quick with a joke.

The screen on my phone reads 1:13 am. I could text Sully to see if he's still awake. I know he is.

And there's something I need to do.

After one final glance at Hartley, I slink out of bed, careful to move soundlessly across her hardwood floor.

I slide into navy blue joggers and my favorite Harry Potter T-shirt, a pair of Converse hugging my bare feet. I jot down a quick note and place it on my pillow, then creep to the window and wiggle it open.

With my feet safely planted on the roof, I peer down at the sprawling neighborhood, the rooftops easing their way toward the glowing lights of downtown. Crickets chirp from nearby bushes, their calls carrying on the breeze through the dark.

Goosebumps dot my arms as I make the slow descent down the side of the house and into the yard, my gaze darting erratically, making sure the coast is clear. I saddle up to the tree line like a ninja, weaving my way through manicured shrubs and brush before inching along the perimeter of Sully's two-story house to the sound of leaves rustling overhead. Once in front of the porch, I stop and stare.

He's still awake. A bluish tint from the television transcends through the picture window as different scenes flash across the screen.

He's going to think I'm crazy showing up in the middle of the night, uninvited.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I knock twice. The hinges creak open.

Sully peeks through the screen, his hair rumpled around his face. "Gwen?"

"Hey." I rock back on my heels. "Did I wake you?"

Heavy brown eyes scan the space around me. "No, I'm just watching TV. Where's Hartley? Is she okay?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't she be?"

His shoulders rise in a blunt shrug. "No reason. Why are you here?"

"I couldn't sleep and wanted to make sure you were ... okay." I shift backward toward the steps. "I should have just texted. Sorry to bother you. Have a good night."

"Wait!" The door swings open and he steps onto the porch wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of black and red plaid pants. "Does anyone know you're here?"

Blood rises to my cheeks. I shake my head.

His eyes scan what I'm wearing. "You mean, you came all this way in the middle of the night just to check up on me?" His lips quirk up at the corners and the tension melts from my shoulders. "I'm flattered. You're like the female version of a knight in shining armor."

Our eyes meet and he takes a step closer.

"You can come inside if you want. I have popcorn. And the mindless yet comedic ramblings of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim."

A slow grin spreads across my face. "How can I say no to that?"

"You can't. It's not possible."

He holds the door open and I slip inside. The house is dark, the only light is from the television screen fastened to the wall like a painting. A hot dog-shaped ball of fur lifts its heads from the center of a nest of blankets on the couch and hops down, its tail wagging furiously.

I crouch down. "Hey, Oscar. Long time no see." My fingers tickle the silky hair between his ears. "I've missed you."

"He's missed you, too," Sully says, his tone playful. "No one ever pays him attention around here."

I smile and fiddle with the hem of my shirt. "I can see that. He looks completely deprived."

"That's Oscar. The most impoverished wiener dog in the world." He slaps a hand to his thigh. "Go on, Oscar. Get in your crate."

Oscar's brown tail sags as he sulks around a corner and disappears from sight.

Sully looks at me, his expression a puzzle I'm not able to piece together. He nods toward the couch. "Do you want to sit down?"

Uncertainty creeps back in and I rub the back of my neck. I've never been alone with a boy in an empty house.

"Gwen?"

My eyes jerk toward his. "That would be great."

Sully heads toward the couch while I follow several feet behind. Once he's sitting, he scratches his head, mussing his hair even more.

I drop down next to him, my back as rigid as a plank of wood. The glow from the TV washes over us.

He holds a large dish in front of me, just under my nose. It smells buttery.

I give him a smile and reach inside the bowl. "Thanks." I turn back, taking my time as I nibble each kernel, acutely aware of Sully watching from the corner of my eye. The characters on the screen rattle on about something I assume is supposed to be funny, but I'm too caught up in my own awkwardness to decipher their words.

I fold one leg under me and turn to face him. "How are you feeling?"

He winces, but I catch it. "Uncomfortable. But it's alright. Who needs sleep anyway?"

He looks exhausted, but it's probably more from nerves than lack of rest. "Do you think you'll be able to sleep if I'm here?"

Sully's expression softens.

My finger traces a seam on the couch as I summon my courage. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything."

I pause. "Why exactly are you afraid of being alone? It's okay if you don't want to tell me," I add quickly. "I know it's none of my business."

His eyes move to the staircase across from the front door, not really focusing on any one thing. "You'll probably think it's stupid."

My brows slant into a frown. "I would never think it's stupid."

His gaze moves back to mine and he shifts his position until our knees are touching. "When we were little, Sawyer and I used to promise each other that if one of us ever died, we'd come back to let the other one know we're okay."

My heart seizes in my chest. "You're really afraid he'll come back?"

"Ridiculous, huh?" Embarrassment rolls off of him in waves but he forces a chuckle. "I've never told anyone that before."

"Not even Hartley?" I ask.

"Not even Hartley."

I can't stop myself from asking, "Would you be scared of him if he came back?"

Sully looks at me, his eyes round with shock. "Wouldn't you be?"

Before answering, I give it serious thought, then shake my head. "I don't think so. I mean, hunting for ghosts at an old plantation is one thing, but getting the chance to see someone you love one last time would be a gift." I sit back, getting more comfortable. "When my grandpa died, my mom swore he came back to visit her. Just to let her know he was okay."

He sets the bowl of popcorn on an end table. "Was she afraid?"

"She said no. It happened while she was in bed, trying to fall asleep. She said she never cried about his death during the day, she always waited until night. Partly because she didn't want anyone to see her, but also because that's when she had the chance to really think."

Sully leans in a little closer. "What happened?"

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. "She said she was lying there crying, thinking about how she'd never get the chance to tell him she loved him again when she felt someone come into the room. She sat up and looked around, convinced my dad had decided to come to bed early or that my brother or I had wandered in, but no one was there. So, she laid back down and started crying again—and that's when it happened."

He's hanging on my every word. Heats radiates off his body as he leans closer. A thrill shoots through me. "That's when what happened?"

I choose my next words carefully so I don't freak him out. "She said all of a sudden, something very gently brushed the side of her face. It started at her hairline and caressed all the way down her cheek, like a hand."

"And that didn't scare the hell out of her?"

The look on his face makes me laugh. "No. She said the only thing she felt was peace. Like maybe her dad was there to comfort her."

He leans into the back cushions. "So, what'd she do?"

The corner of my mouth lifts into a smile. "She took the opportunity to tell him she loved him, something she never thought she'd get to do again. And you want to know what happened after that?" He nods. "That was the last time she ever cried herself to sleep. She felt so much better afterward, knowing they had the chance to love each other in the first place."

Sully sits up straight and bumps his knee against mine. "Thank you for sharing that story."

"You're welcome." I stifle a yawn and glance down at my phone. It's 3:16 am.

"You look tired," Sully says, nudging my knee with his.

"Yeah. I should probably go."

His chin dips, his eyes looking up through long, black lashes. "You could sleep here if you want to."

My breathing shallows. "But where?"

"Right here. With me." His palm pats the cushion. "I mean, you don't have to. I just—" He shrugs a shoulder. "I like having you here."

"I like being here," I admit, my insides all wobbly. "Okay. But I should probably set my alarm for five. That way I can sneak back home before anyone wakes up."

He looks surprised. "Okay."

We readjust on the couch. Sully snuggles up beside me along the back cushions and flips off the TV, covering us with a thin blanket. The only light left is the street light seeping through the curtains. I lean back and attempt to relax as he hugs me to his chest, the length of his body against mine.

"I really like you," he says, his warm breath against my ear.

My heart is pounding so hard I'm certain he can feel it.

"I like you, too."

And before I can second guess myself or find a million and thirty-seven different reasons why I shouldn't, I tilt my head. Sully leans in, his nose trailing down the side of mine, his mouth warm and gentle as it moves against my lips.

My breath quickens and my body tingles, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I never want the kiss to end, but it does, and a couple hours later I'm jarred awake by the unwanted beeps of my alarm. Sully's fast asleep beside me, barely stirring when I sit up. My muscles cramp as I rise from the couch, but the memory of spending an entire night cuddled against Sullivan Reed is the only pain relief I need. I stretch my arms overhead, not bothering to hide my smile, and peer through the window at a lone jogger hustling by, the fleeting beams of moonlight guiding their way.

"Do you have to leave already?"

I turn back to find Sully propped up on an elbow, the heel of his hand rubbing weary eyes.

"I wish I didn't have to," I tell him. "When will I see you again?"

"Well," he releases a long breath, "I'm supposed to go to dinner with my parents tonight, and I have to help my dad at work tomorrow. So, probably when we go to the shelter with Lady Bijou."

I'm disappointed. "That seems so far away."

Sully pushes the blanket to the side and rolls away from the cushions. "I'm sorry." He takes a step forward until we're almost touching. "Thank you again for last night. I don't think I would have slept at all if it weren't for you."

I cover his hand with mine. "You're welcome."

We share one last kiss, and several minutes later I'm crawling through Hartley's window, my eyes struggling to adjust in the darkness.

"Well, it's about damn time!" A shadow moves in front of me. "I thought I was going to have to drag you away from him. What would your mother say?"

Before I can respond, a table lamp blinks on, the cone of yellow light flooding the room.

"What are you doing awake?" I ask Hartley.

Hartley's sitting on the edge of her bed in a bathrobe, a white towel wrapped around her head like a turban. "Waiting for you, of course. I cannot believe you snuck out without me. Way to grow some balls!"

I choose to ignore her accusation of phantom body parts. "But it's just after five and you've already been in the shower. We haven't been up this early since we used to run."

Hartley frowns. "What's with the inquisition? I want to hear all about what happened last night. And don't you dare leave out any details!"

I drop onto the bed, exhausted. "Nothing happened."

She doesn't look convinced. "Oh my God. You cashed in your V-card, didn't you?"

"What? No! Gross." My face plants into the closest pillow. "I couldn't sleep. That's all. And I figured Sully would be awake."

"Yeah, right. And I can quit smoking anytime I want." Hartley rolls her eyes but actually looks impressed. "I've got to hand it to you, Gwennie. You've made some serious strides this summer. I mean, sneaking out to a boy's house in the middle of the night? That's totally something I would do!"

I crack a smile. "Well, I did learn from the biggest delinquent I know."

"Damn straight you did!" And then her face falls. "Just don't fall madly in love with him, okay?"

I sit up in bed. "Why not?"

Hartley fidgets with the tie on her robe, wrapping and unwrapping it around her wrist. "Because you have to go back to Ohio soon, and I don't want you to leave broken-hearted."

I stare at her and she stares back, the idea rooting in my brain. I know I have to go home, but I never imagined how I'd feel when it comes time to leave.

Her expression saddens as she places a hand on my arm.

And just like that, all the air leaks from my lungs.