Jason's POV
As we lay there—our bodies tangled, her head on my chest, our breathing finally slowing—I knew I couldn't keep it in any longer. Not if I ever wanted a real chance with her.
This moment… it felt sacred. Honest.
And I was about to ruin it.
But she deserved the truth.
I shifted slightly, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear like I hadn't done that a hundred times in my dreams.
"I need to tell you something," I murmured, my voice barely above the silence between us. "And I know the timing sucks… but I don't want to lie to you. Not anymore."
She tensed, just slightly, but didn't pull away. That gave me hope. Just enough.
"The bet," I began. "It was real. We were assholes, immature idiots, thinking it would be funny or whatever. And it was me. I was the one who started it."
Her breath hitched, but she stayed quiet.
