Page 34 of Awakening

“Me either,” Anthony says as he rubs my knee. The glare that Chloe throws his way does not go unnoticed by me, though Anthony behaves as if he doesn’t see it.

“Well,” Chloe says. “As you kept pointing out, Anthony, Olivia needs to rest. So, shall we head to bed?” she asks, standing and looking at me.

“Sounds good,” I say standing as well. “Any problem slumbering it with me in a king size bed?”

“Please,” Chloe says. “We’ve slept in smaller spaces together. It’ll be like old times.”

“Good night, Anthony,” I say, going to give him a hug. Chloe doesn’t budge, and I know she’s keeping her promise to Ethan. She’s not about to let this hug last longer than necessary.

“Night, Liv,” Anthony says, kissing me on the forehead.

The bedroom door barely closes behind me when Chloe whispers, “That one is a little overbearing these days.”

I giggle and shake my head. “He’s just being protective of me. I understand why there would be tension between him and Ethan, but Anthony has been amazing. I don’t know what would have happened to me if he hadn’t recognized me at the hospital.”

“I know,” Chloe says, “but he needs to realize you have a new life now, and he’s not a part of that life.”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, Chloe.”

“If that’s what he actually wants,” she says as she raises her eyebrows. “I tend to think he’d like to be more than that. Speaking of more than friends, what do you think of Ethan?”

I immediately think of those gorgeous blue eyes, and how absolutely, freaking amazing he smells.

“I would just like to point out that you’re smiling right now. Just saying,” Chloe says with a shrug.

I laugh and nod. “I mean, there’s no point in denying the obvious. He’s gorgeous.”

“Obviously,” Chloe agrees. “And?”

“And, he’s…intense.”

“He can be a little intense, but he’s a good man, Liv.”

“He seems a little aggressive.”

Chloe nods her head from side to side. “I think you have to understand what he’s been through. His pregnant fiancée just disappeared, and he was beside himself. Then he finds you only to learn that you have no idea who he is, sadly, your baby is gone, and then he finds out that you’re staying with your old boyfriend.”

“Yeah, I guess that would be enough to send anyone over the edge.”

“He loves you fiercely, Liv.”

“I just wish I could remember how I felt about him, other than the obvious physical attraction.”

“You got there once. You can get there again.”

“Maybe you’re right,” I say with a yawn.

“Of course, I am,” Chloe says with a smile, playfully hitting me in the arm. “But, we can talk more about Ethan tomorrow. You’re tired. You need to sleep.”

I couldn’t turn my brain off last night. All I could think about was the look on Ethan’s face when he had to walk out the door. Finally falling asleep in the early morning hours after a restless night, I wake up to the smell of a caramel latte.

“Mm. Do you smell that?” I ask Chloe.

“I do,” she says with a smile. “Why don’t you go see what’s for breakfast. I’m going to take a quick shower, and I’ll join you soon.”

“Sounds good.”

Walking into the kitchen, I see Anthony sitting at the island in plaid pajama pants and a T-shirt that shows off the width of his chest. As attractive as he is, my thoughts now seem to immediately drift back to Ethan and those steel blue eyes. My chest physically warms when I think about his leg touching mine as we sat on the couch yesterday.

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