Page 31 of When We Ignite

Finally, I glanced at Maya. She was watching me with an expression that said she wasn’t going anywhere until I spilled.

“Sebastian Langley.”

Her eyes widened comically. “What? Why?”

I leaned back, letting my head rest against the couch, closing my eyes against the inevitable flood of questions.

“I’ve already told you why,” I muttered.

Maya gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “E, has he been hitting on you this whole time?”

I nodded, sighed, and turned to face her. “You can’t tell anybody about this, Maya. Nobody. Promise me.”

Her expression sobered. “I promise. Is there something going on? Is that why you were so mad at him?”

“Nothing is going on between us,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “Yet.”

Maya’s jaw dropped. “Oh my God, Ethan, are you serious?”

“No. I have no idea what to do.”

“But you’re considering it?”

I rubbed my knuckles over my lips, biting down on the skin before nodding reluctantly. “Yeah, I am. Or at least I’m not flat-out refusing him. I did at first, but then we talked on Friday.”

Her brows shot up. “When did you even talk to him? Is that why you disappeared?”

I nodded again.

Taking a deep breath, I looked down at the box. It felt like it was holding more than just a gift—like it carried the weight of a decision I wasn’t ready to make. Slowly, I lifted the lid.

Inside was a thin gold bracelet, its rounded links catching the light. It was understated, yet expensive-looking—undeniably him. I held it out for Maya, and she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand as her eyes grew wide.

“Ethan, what the heck?” she whispered, taking it from me to inspect it more closely.

I leaned back, exhaling sharply. “This is so like him. It’s like he’s branding me,” I said, taking it back and holding it in my palm. After a moment, I set it back in the box and pushed it to the far end of the table, as though distance might lessen its weight.

“E, how old is he?” Maya asked softly, cautiously.

My stomach dropped. “Thirty-four,” I said, meeting her gaze.

“I can’t believe you’re considering this,” she whispered.

“Believe me, neither can I. If you met him, you’d understand. It’s like…you can’t refuse him.” I groaned, throwing my arm over my face to block the light. “Can you please tell me what to do? I can’t make this choice. Tell me I’m insane.”

“You are insane,” she replied without missing a beat. “I didn’t even know you were into guys.”

“Trust me, neither did I.” Putting a pin on my sexual confusion was easier. Focusing solely on who he was and why this was such a bad idea rather than what this said about me. Was I supposed to pick a label now?

“So, it’s just him?”

I peeked at her from under my arm and nodded. “He calls me ‘darling,’” I admitted.

Maya pressed her lips together before bursting into laughter. I couldn’t help but laugh along with her, rubbing my hands over my face and nudging her with my foot.

“I can’t do this.” I grabbed my phone, staring at it before glancing back at her.

“What?”