Page 23 of A Certain Step (Midnights at Pemberley #1)

ETHAN

H is lips had trailed along Willa’s neck, and his hands had grazed her thigh, albeit covered in three layers of pantyhose, but still.

The kisses— each one, in their distinct way, had wrecked him to a state of no return.

During intermission, he had bolted to his dressing room, catapulted himself against the small couch, and tried to catch his breath.

She had to feel the same way. He couldn’t be the only one whose entire being felt like it’d been shoved into an inferno.

Ethan had kissed countless co-stars before, but it never did anything for him. None had converted every cell in his body into blazing embers.

It couldn’t have been Elizabeth responding to Darcy’s fiercely misplaced kiss. It surely wasn’t the heat of the number. It also wasn’t Elizabeth finally accepting Darcy’s offer and realizing how deeply he loved her.

It couldn’t have been.

It was Willa opening her lips for Ethan. It had to be. He desperately hoped that he was right.

He couldn’t hold back anymore and continue fighting against the relentless emotions keeping him up every night.

He couldn’t come into wor k the next few days and put on a show while hiding the fact that he was longing for her.

Ethan couldn’t be selfless here—he was too fragile for that, a shell of himself brought down by the force of feelings demanding all his attention. He was too far gone.

He had to try.

He had to be honest with her.

He had to beg her to try.

He had to know how she felt.

She did owe him for the standing ovations he was sure she’d get. Maybe this could be it. A chance. An honest conversation, if nothing else.

Ethan’s feelings were clearer than the sky after a dreadful storm. He’d never been more sure of anything in his life than the way he felt about Willa.

While changing out of Darcy’s clothes into jeans and a grey T-shirt, he debated switching out his contact lenses but decided against it to save time. He’d do that at home.

He wasn’t even sure how he’d say it. What could he possibly do to get her to talk to him?

He closed his dressing room door and walked toward Willa and Sahar’s, knocking quietly.

“Come in,” he heard Sahar say.

When he stepped in, Willa was applying some kind of balm on her lips. God, she was beautiful—so indescribably radiant. His breath hitched. She perked up when she saw him and stood to face his direction. Her stance was more rigid than he would’ve preferred, but he understood it fully.

Sahar looked from Willa to Ethan, got up, grabbed her tote bag, and grinned. “I’ll wait outside for you two,” she stated before leaving them alone.

Ethan drew closer to Willa. Her eyes gleamed despite the apprehension stuck in her gaze .

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi,” she replied.

“You were sensational tonight,” he asserted confidently, the words slipping from his tongue more effortlessly than he uttered any line written for him.

Her cheeks flushed prettily. He wanted to press his lips there.

“Thank you. You’re an A+ scene partner.”

God. A compliment from Willa, no matter how simple, had a way of getting to him.

His heart hadn’t thumped this rapidly since his very first curtain call.

He wanted to profess it all right at this second, but he knew that would overwhelm her.

He had to wait. A few more minutes, until after they left the theatre grounds at least—until their workday was well and truly over.

They stood there for a beat, holding each other’s gaze, a promising stillness stretching between them.

For a few more minutes, he had to be her best friend first. He had to give her a safe space to release the anxieties he knew she’d be harboring. “How are you feeling?”

Willa then shut her eyes and swallowed. “Overwhelmed,” she whispered.

“I don’t know if I can go out there and face everyone’s reactions.

But I also don’t want to sprint out of here and be rude.

I haven’t processed half of what went on tonight, and I don’t think I can do it with a whole herd of people who came here hoping to see Naomi. ”

Ethan’s eyes narrowed, disbelief slamming down on his face. “Did you not hear the part when I called you sensational? Willa, you were perfect. You were transcendent. You’re the best damn scene partner I’ve ever had. Did you not hear the standing ovation?”

She leaned forward, laying her head against his shoulder.

God, he was so appreciative they’d always been like this, close and familiar in the small but monumental ways they’d touch each other.

“They get louder with every show, but I’m also about ninety percent sure I mu st’ve been on another astral plane during the entirety of the second act. ”

He cradled her head. “You know I’d never lie to you, Wills, just like you wouldn’t lie to me. If you don’t feel comfortable going out there, we can leave together, but I’m positive there are people who’d be excited to meet you. Whatever choice you make, I’m with you on it.”

He felt her exhale against his neck, making his heart drum faster. She propped herself up, then turned and reached for her denim jacket. She put it on over her white crop top and black jeans, then squared her shoulders.

“Okay. Maybe for a little while. I keep trying to be in the moment and actually take in what’s happening, but I feel like I’m somewhere else.”

He pulled her in for another quick hug. “You’ll get used to it. You deserve the spotlight and so much more,” he stated.

Chuckling, she said, “Be mean for once.”

“Never,” he disputed.

She shook her head playfully and walked toward the door.

He followed behind her, wishing he could take her hand in his and show the world how much he loved her off-stage, too. It wasn’t just their characters.

He might’ve been reciting lines from a script, but Ethan was very much talking to his best friend.