Sophie didn’t expect much when she agreed to go out that night. Definitely not him. The stranger with the quiet intensity and a devastating smile. At eighteen, with graduation on the horizon, Sophie let her guard down and allowed him to pull her onto the dance floor, getting lost in a moment that would change their lives forever. No names. No expectations. Just a connection that lingered long after the night ended. She thought she’d never see him again. Until he walks into her high school classroom and introduces himself. Mr. Hayes—her new English teacher. Now he’s untouchable. Distant. Pretending like nothing happened. But Sophie can’t forget the way he looked at her, or the way her heart skips a beat whenever he’s near. He’s guarded by grief and guilt. She’s desperate for freedom and chasing a future that finally feels possible. Neither of them planned for this. Neither of them should want more. But the line between right and wrong is starting to disappear. Falling for each other could cost them everything. Because some connections don’t fade. And some rules are meant to be broken.