Sophie took a seat on one of the built-in benches, her posture tense but determined. "So," she said, meeting his eyes directly, "are we going to keep pretending that night didn't happen?"
"I wasn't planning to," Noah replied, settling across from her. "But I also wasn't sure how to bring it up without making things weird between us."
"Things are already weird between us," Sophie pointed out. "Have been since we woke up in that bed with three other people."
Noah ran his hands through his hair, a gesture that had become habitual when he was trying to organize complicated thoughts. "Sophie, you know it wasn't our fault, right? The pheromones, the chemical manipulation—we weren't in control of our decisions."
"I know that," she said quickly. "My rational mind knows that. But..." She trailed off, looking down at her hands.
"But?"
