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The slow drag of his thumb over her wrist grounded her. She hadn’t even noticed him take her hand. “Come on. Walk with me. I decided what my favorite place is.”
* * *
Nothing in the bookstore matched. Bookcases hugged the walls and squeezed into corners, each and every one bursting with stories. The shelves, chipped and worn, would have been the first thing her parents threw out if they renovated this place. Seeing them here, cherished, always soothed her. Yes, there was joy in creating something from nothing. In refining the rough parts until someone could look at it with pride. But these squeaky, chipped bookcases, with their pen marks and wobbly shelves, still had value. And in the hands of the right person, they could still be loved.
“You were supposed to show me your favorite place, not mine.”
Ethan slid his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Maybe it could be ours.”
There was no way to hide the pleased shiver that ran through her.
“I’ve never had anyone look at me the way you look at books,” Ethan said, standing close, his tone fond.
Indy surveyed the shelf, her own name facing her. She hadn’t even meant to stop at this particular one.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She should writeThis author is a hackinside. Warn people before they wasted their money.
She wouldn’t have the forever kind of romance her family had. Indy could live without an all-time love. She still had her writing, if anyone would want to read it after this.
Write what you know.That’s what they always said.
Indy’s heartache would look pretty sprawled out like spilled ink over the page.
She needed to stop fooling herself. Destiny? Fate? For so long, she’d let it define her, blindly trusting that what was meant to be, would be.
It pained her now.
No wonder Ethan had asked her why. But he hadn’t gone far enough. She’d been a colossal fool. Chasing after Nick like a lost puppy. And for what?
It was clear to her now. If she had been paying attention, she would have seen the signs the universe had been sending. Signs she’d been purposefully ignoring.
Why else was he always one step out of reach? She’d done everything she could think of, and still she hadn’t been able to catch up. She hadn’t only been chasing her tail, but a fantasy.
Not only that, but she’d dragged Ethan along with her, even when it was obvious that he didn’t want to be there. Because she was a liar. And a fraud.
“I’m sorry to make you drop everything this morning. And I’m sorry for”— this was harder than she expected it to be— “running after we kissed. I don’t regret it, but I needed to think, and it was kind of difficult with your lips on me.”
His eyes were soft, warm honey. “I know the feeling.”
How could he stand to look at her? Her best bet now was to go home and bury her shame in margaritas and mint chocolate chip ice cream. “It must feel like you’re constantly taking care of me.”
“Ilikelooking out for you.”
“You deserve someone who looks after you.”
“You’re doing a pretty good job.”
Yeah, right. “I mean it, Ethan. You should listen to your sister and start taking what you want more.”
“All right, where do you want to be taken?”
His bed sounded great. “You’re being deliberately obtuse.”
“You want me to put myself first? Then I’m calling your bluff, Indy. Because the only thing I want right now is you.”
ChapterThirteen
“Hey, wait, look at me.”
