Page 20 of When We Ignite

“Thanks, little brother,” I said appreciatively.

“Anytime,” he said, looking toward the table. “Do you think this is why Oli never wants to take us anywhere?”

I laughed loudly. Henry laughed along, lifting his hand to order us another round.

Ethan was glancing our way, a hint of a smile.

Damn it.

We stayed outside, keeping our distance the rest of the time. When we left, I barely looked at Ethan, avoiding a direct goodbye. After kissing Charlotte’s cheek, I gave a general wave to the table. The confusion in his eyes didn’t escape me.

I hated it.

* * *

On Saturday morning, I sat at my computer, sipping coffee and sharing breakfast with my overnight guest. I’d taken Henry’s offer to hit his club last night and had called up a friend who was always game for that sort of thing. Chris was blond, twenty-five, and enjoyed being bossed around—exactly what I needed to unload my frustrations.

As Chris chatted away, I half listened while scrolling through emails. He was attractive but too talkative, never quite grasping when it was time to leave. My phone vibrated. Expecting a message from Aria or something work-related, I glanced at it.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Ethan Bennett

are you still in town?

Well, fuck me. And here I was, trying to be good. This was the first time Ethan had ever reached out to me first. I smiled to myself, looking it over.

I really shouldn’t.

Me

have you been missing me darling?

Shaking my head at myself, I placed the phone face down. It was like I couldn’t control myself around him.

“Who are you texting?” Chris asked in a singsong voice. I looked up and found him grinning. “You’ve got your game face on.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Fuck off.”

His laughter echoed through the space.

The phone vibrated again. I resisted the urge to check it.

Chris smirked. “Is he from DC? That explains why you were so rough yesterday.” Absentmindedly, he rubbed his wrist, which looked a bit red.

“Sorry. Did I hurt you?” I asked, frowning. I knew I’d been too forceful—I couldn’t get Ethan out of my head the whole time.

Chris smiled. “No, babe. You know I like that. It’s a good kind of sore. Thanks for breakfast.” He shot my phone a quick glance. “I’ll leave you to it.”

“See you,babe,” I teased.

Chris chuckled, sticking his tongue out. He leaned in to kiss my cheek before leaving. Once I heard the door close, I turned my phone over.

Ethan Bennett

you said you were leaving next week

but you haven’t been around