Page 19 of Falling for Them

She snorted. “You’re ridiculous. I was joking, and besides, if you were going to give me a Lambo, I’d want one that was hot pink. Or maybe orange... or I bet they could make one that was pink with orange flames.”

I made a gagging noise. “If that’s what gets you off, then I can make it happen.”

Her eyebrows shot straight to her hairline. “Interesting choice of words.”

I cleared my throat because we did not need to start flirting or spewing sexual innuendos. Especially if I wanted to keep this platonic. “Just a phrase... Anyway... are you already packed? I’m free the rest of the evening to help.” Spending more time alone with Libby was probably not the best idea.

“Thanks, but I think I can manage.” Her eyes met mine for a moment before she looked away.

In that split second, I saw the uncertainty and vulnerability in her expression, but I couldn’t tell if it was from talking about the move or from crossing the line earlier and where that left us now.

An hour later, after a mostly silent car ride, I pulled into the narrow driveway of her townhouse. It was in a quiet neighborhood and there were clusters of connected two-story houses that had one-car garages. Living in the city was going to be a big change for her.

I got out of the car and grabbed her bag from the trunk. Libby led the way to her front door, fumbling with her keys before finally unlocking it. As she stepped inside and disarmed the alarm, I hesitated in the entryway, unsure if I was invited in.

“Thanks for the ride.” She took her bag from me, avoiding eye contact.

“Anytime.”

The silence dragged on for a moment too long, and I knew I should probably leave before making things even more uncomfortable. Should I hug her? Kiss her cheek?

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her in a hug. She hesitated for a moment before hugging me back.

“I’ll see you soon, Elizabeth,” I whispered into her hair, inhaling her scent.

Without looking at her again, I turned and walked away before I did something really stupid like kiss her. As I slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, I couldn’t shake the thought of what it would be like to hug her every day.

Chapter 8

Pesky Boner

Libby

The doorbell rang, slicing through the chaos around me. I shuffled to the door, stepping over a precarious pile of old textbooks, and swung it open, already knowing it was my fae prince in shining armor.

Ethan stood there, his smile fading as he looked past me at the mess that was in my entryway. I’d dubbed it the “donation zone”, and it had gone from manageable to barely being able to open the door.

Normally, my place was neat and organized, so the fact that I’d let packing erupt into a mess said a lot about where my head had been over the past week. The contents of the boxes were even spilling out like the thoughts that swirled in my head.

Leo. Ethan. My breakup. My new job. A new place.

It was all too much, and now here I was, the day before the moving company came, and I wanted to curl into a ball and cry. So, I did the only thing I could think of and called my most trusted friend to come help me.

“Hey, Ethan.” My voice was a mix of relief and embarrassment.

He stepped inside, navigating through the labyrinth of my moving mess with a careful grace before stopping in the middle of the living room. His eyes scanned the space as he turned around in a circle, the usual twinkle in them replaced by a hint of concern.

He set his overnight bag on the coffee table and then put his hands on his hips. “When you said you needed help, I didn’t know it wasthisbad. I was expecting organized chaos, not actual chaos. I should have brought reinforcements.”

“I know it looks like a tornado passed through here, but it’s not that bad.” It really was, though, and I bit my lip to stop it from quivering.

“We’ll get it all packed in no time now that I’m here.” He picked up a shirt that was hanging from the flap of a box. “We’ll call this packing strategy chaotic chic.”

I rolled my eyes, my anxiety melting away. I grabbed the shirt from him and tossed it into a random open box—not where it belonged, but who was keeping track anymore? “The good news is my bedroom and office are all packed.”

“Let me guess, you spent four days on your books and moved most things out here.” He moved around, looking into boxes and pulling out a stapler to back up his assessment.

“Don’t judge me. I started strong and had a system going, but then... I don’t know, it all exploded into this, and I just started throwing things into whatever box was closest.” I gestured helplessly around the room, my original attempt at organization now a distant memory.

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