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Declan kissed Theadora on the cheek again. They were such a beautiful couple. Not just physically. They radiated such warm, inclusive vibes. Like their inner light shone outward and their hearts were big enough to hold the world.
“You both have such a loved-up aura,” I said.
Declan’s eyes slid to his wife. “If you’re saying we look madly in love, then yes, I’m madly in love with my beautiful wife.”
Ethan squeezed into our huddle and stuck his finger in his mouth. “Will you two stop it? Have a fucking argument. Do something normal, will you?”
I had to laugh, despite my determination to avoid eye contact. He regarded me as he would any friend, almost as though we hadn’t fucked in positions that would have impressed yoga masters.
“We have our moments,” Theadora said. “Like jam all over the butter. Or leaving the seat up in the loo.”
I let out an exaggerated hiss and added jokingly, “Oh, that’s bad.”
“That’s why God invented bathrooms in the plural,” Ethan retorted.
I was about to respond when a blonde girl, who was screaming with laughter over something Savanah said, hooked her slim arm through Ethan’s.
I turned away sharply like someone had slapped my face, praying Ethan didn’t notice that visceral reaction. After excusing myself, I stepped outside for a cigarette, my first in a week. Ethan Lovechilde was a bad influence on not only my sanity, but also my health.
Just as I was lighting my cigarette, I saw a shadow and pivoted to find Ethan wearing an infectious honeyed smile. One couldn’t deny the man anything when he looked like that.
“Do you mind if I have one?” His eyebrow raised. “Again.”
The last time I gave him a cigarette, we’d shared more than just tobacco.
I persisted with my Ms Cool act. “Sure. But I’m not talking to you. Remember?”
He spread his hands out. “Why are you punishing me?”
I studied his face for a hint of that playful smirk, but he’d turned deadpan.
“I just don’t want to turn this into a thing between us. We’re too different. And you’re going to keep doing awful things like inappropriate developments. I’ll end up carving an effigy of you and tossing it in boiling oil.”
His face scrunched in shock. “Ouch. That’s pretty severe.” His dark chuckle dragged me along. It was a crazy thing to say, and I had to laugh at myself. Reverting to straight-faced, he huffed, as though frustrated by something. “I’m not interested in Sienna, by the way.”
My jittery fingers made rolling that cigarette difficult. I licked the paper and passed it to him. “It’s none of my business.”
I lit his cigarette, and his eyes scanned mine as though looking for some hidden meaning behind my words.
A plume of smoke exited his mouth. “I just wanted you to know that.”
I shrugged one shoulder. “Whatever.”
We smoked in uncomfortable silence, then he butted his cigarette and left.
His sudden departure felt like a punch in the gut. I wanted him to keep trying. Or win me over with his cute gestures.
He paused and swirled. “You’re the best fuck I’ve ever had.” He then walked off.
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. What gave me the edge over all those beautiful women who breathed down his neck?
He’s probably only just saying that… Then why did those brown eyes shine with depth?
As I tried to make sense of Ethan’s jaw-dropping admission, I went back inside and got caught up in a crowd of friends, who invited me onto their table. Grateful for the distraction, I joined the farmers and their girlfriends.
Steve, who worked on a farm next to the Newmans’, bought me a drink and sat next to me. We’d grown up together. He was my age and had always liked me. I wasn’t into him that way, and he knew it. So now when we caught up, it was more a sibling connection rather than flirtatious. Unlike Ethan. Even before we’d hooked up, Ethan flirted openly with me, which I secretly enjoyed.
Speaking of the devil, across the bar, Ethan kept stealing glances, rattling my nerves, despite the warmth in my chest.
