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But rumors are a dangerous thing.
“Julia got what she wanted … An edge to trend on social media, and gain a rise in popularity before her studio is open. I, on the other end, will quench every questioning fan who wonders if I’ll be leaving my wife for her because the answer is no. I know what I’m doing, Nelly.”
I sigh and close my eyes for a bit. A part of me had hoped he would confess his feelings last night.
The way he looks at me, how he touches me …All of that suggests that maybe Ethan feels the same way I do.
He plants his hands on my shoulders and peers deep into my eyes. “I’m really sorry about last night, Nelly. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
My neck still feels stiff, and jealousy bites through me. “And Julia? What will your grandfather think if he hears the rumors? We’re pretending to be married, Ethan. Last time I checked, this was what you wanted. Are you going to play fake boyfriend to her and husband to me?”
“No. All I had to do for her was spark some rumors. It’s over now. Finished. She got what she wanted from our deal. I don’t owe her anything.”
“Right,” I murmur dryly.
Ethan shocks me when he frames my cheeks with both hands. “Julia’s my past, Nelly. You’ve got to believe that.”
My lips feel dry, and I lick them quickly.
I want to believe you, Ethan.
But I can’t fight off the knots squeezing tightly in the pit of my stomach. Or the voice in my head constantly warning me to not fall for him all over again.
I wish he would say more as he looks at me, lost in the moment, just as I am. His gaze drifts to my lips before he looks me in the eye again. My heart thuds in anticipation when his lips part, but he only lets out a sigh, then pulls away from me.
“You should rest today. We have a meeting with some potential investors tomorrow. If this plays out well, we might be able to secure a large grant from the government to help push our plans forward. My grandfather can help with that. I talked to him about it, and he’s on board.”
I only nod as he pulls away from me, and I press my lips into a thin line. His shoulders are stiff as he walks away from me, and I let out a big sigh once I am alone.
Ethan is either oblivious to my feelings for him or not interested. One thing is certain—I’m not going to fall for a man who might hurt me again.
***
“Five years ago, he should have known, right?” I lament to Josie when we meet up for lunch that afternoon at Bill's Place, a trendy Asian restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard.
Josie takes off her sunglasses as she settles down in her seat facing mine. “Are we talking about your husband?” she asks with a smirk. “The hot billionaire? You’ve been into him for five years?”
I nod, then lean back a bit to take in Josie’s amused look. “What? You think this is silly, don’t you?”
“Just …” She shrugs before laughing. “He’s insane not to notice you. I mean … You’re hot, Nelly. You’re like drop-dead gorgeous. What guy wouldn’t want you?”
She makes another hand gesture, then snickers with a short laugh. “Such a guy would either be blind or stupid.”
I smile. “He’s definitely not blind, trust me,” I reveal, as memories of our kiss and every near kiss experience we’ve shared since he returned to L.A. flood my mind.
Heat burns my cheeks.How could he not feel this too?
“You should tell him,” Josie advises as our Korean barbecue wings arrive.
“That’s not gonna work,” I reply before having a taste of the soulfully spiced chicken.
“Why not?”
“Because he’s Ethan and I’m Nelly. You know I came close to telling him back then because he wouldn’t make a move on me, but I found him kissing some other blonde before I got my chance. It just proved that he’s a jerk and a flirt.”
“And yet you still pine for him,” Josie said the words teasingly, and the smile on her face made me shoot a playful glare at her before we both break into laughter.
We go back and forth teasing each other about our love lives until my lunch time is finally up, but I know I’m definitely not confessing to Ethan first this time.