ELLIE
Boyfriend? The word made something stir deep inside me. Suddenly, the stranger stood up and left, as if he had finally realized how inconvenient his presence was.
Ethan stayed where he was, leaning against the counter. Damn, he looked sexier than ever. Maybe it was the alcohol, but what he’d just done had awakened my entire body.
Or maybe it was the self-confidence and arrogance in his tone and demeanor. It reminded me of how he’d been when we first met. Back then, I could barely stand him.
While trying to figure out how he’d managed to excite me so easily, I realized we were still staring at each other.
I cleared my throat and looked away.
“Boyfriend?” I asked, focusing on my hands on the counter. “What was that? Are you trying to mark your territory like some kind of animal, just like the old days?” I turned to look at his profile.
“You looked like you needed help,” he said with a shrug.
“And you thought it was a good idea to show up and act like a prince, after not even saying hi when you got here?”
His eyes met mine again, and he seemed to think over my words.
“I didn’t know you’d be here. You caught me off guard. I didn’t know how to handle it or if you even wanted me to.”
I nodded. Maybe he really wasn’t ready yet.
“Looks like a potential threat was all it took for you to figure it out pretty quickly,” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
“And, as always, you’re being annoying when you should just say, ‘Thanks for saving me from that idiot,’” he said in the same sarcastic tone, drawing a genuine smile from me and filling my chest with a familiar feeling.
God, how I’d missed this.
“How are you?” he asked next, his voice taking on a softer, more careful tone.
“Do you want the standard answer or the truth?”
“What do you think?”
I glanced away.
“Okay, honesty it is…” I took a deep breath. “I don’t think I know how to answer that right now. See? The standard answer would’ve been more satisfying.”
"Do you think you can still be honest with me?" he asked, making me look into his eyes.
I swallowed hard.
“I’m being honest.”
“I know when you’re keeping me out.”
It felt like we were stepping into a zone that required caution. I stared at my hands, reflecting and feeling a bit nervous.
“Maybe it’s just the effects of time.”
What I meant was that after the time we’d spent apart, it was hard to know how to act now. I didn’t know if or how much he’d changed. I didn’t know what to expect—or even if he was still my Ethan.
“Yeah, maybe. And that’s why I have to ask…” He paused, his hesitation evident in the silence. “Do you think you need more time?”
All the arrogance from before had completely disappeared from his gaze, and now he seemed more hesitant, waiting for my answer.
“I never needed it,” I said finally.
“You said it was the best thing for us.”
“I said I’d wait until you were ready. So, I think it’s you who needs to answer that question.”
“I might think I’m ready, but what if I’m still not what you expect?”
“Sounds like you still have doubts.”
“They all disappear when I think about being apart from you any longer,” he said, holding my gaze, making me melt. I had to hold myself from throwing myself into his arms.
“Just stop worrying about what I expect. What you feel is what matters.”
“Don’t ask me to do that. You know you’re the biggest reason behind all of this.”
“The reason should’ve been yourself.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve never been better.”
“You have no idea how good it is to hear that,” I said, smiling.
“Mentally, of course, because you know I’ve always been perfect in every other way,” he teased, raising his eyebrows with a cocky grin.
“Okay, maybe therapy destroyed what little humility you had, but we can’t have it all, right?” I teased back.
We both laughed.
“I missed you,” he said, holding my gaze.”
“I missed you, too.”
“I think we have a lot to talk about.”
I nodded.
“I think so.”
“Maybe we should do that somewhere else.”
Was he suggesting we go home? The idea sent a chill through my stomach.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“I know I’ll regret saying this later, but… I promise we’ll just talk.”
“I guess that’s okay, then.”
“Shall we?”
I nodded.
After we left the bar, Ethan followed me to my building in his car. But it wasn’t until we got into the elevator to head up to my apartment that I realized bringing him here had been a terrible idea.
He was so close I could smell his cologne and feel his warmth. After so much time apart, I wouldn’t be able to stay near him for long without losing control. And that wasn’t how things were supposed to go—we had a lot to talk about.
The seconds in the elevator felt like torture, the tension building to an unbearable level. My heart was pounding when the doors finally opened on my floor.
When we stopped in front of my door, and I was about to unlock it, I suddenly froze. I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words.
“I can’t do this,” I said, turning to face him.
“What?”
“If you come in, we both know how this will end. And I think we should take things slow.”
“I promised it would just be a conversation.”
“I know, but it’s me I don’t trust. I’m sorry. Maybe we can schedule something tomorrow—dinner, perhaps?”
A mischievous smile spread across his lips, and then he took a step toward me. I swallowed hard, his approach making me step back until I was pressed against the door.
My breath caught when he placed one of his hands on the door, right next to my face, trapping me and invading my space.
“Or… you could let me in, we talk, and then I could fuck you against the kitchen counter…” he whispered, looking into my eyes, sending a wave of adrenaline rushing through my body and making my heart race in my chest.
“Ethan…”
“I’ve always wanted to do that,” he said, his eyes drifting to my mouth.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Damn it, I could feel my reason slipping away, replaced by desire, which had already started throbbing between my legs.
“You know you want this…” he whispered, stroking my face, making me open my eyes, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. “So, what’s it going to be?”