Page 101 of One Touch

For a moment, things felt a little awkward. His eyes met mine, vulnerability shimmering in their blue depths.

Doubt flashed through me. Maybe I didn’t know him.

“Hope you like it.”

We dug into breakfast, moaning over the custardy bread, licking syrup from our sticky fingers. Despite the earlier moment of tension, it felt good. Right. Like we’d been doing the domestic routine for years instead of hours.

“I know it wasn’t the plan, but I have to admit, yesterday was . . . enjoyable,” Ethan said softly, setting his plate aside.

Why did the word “enjoyable” get me panicking again? “I enjoyed it too,” I said warily. “Do you think we took things too far, though?”

He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Maybe. I’m sorry. I really don’t want to ruin things.”

“Right. Yeah.” I bit the inside of my cheek. I got the funny feeling I was trying to fight back tears.

“Doesn’t mean we can’t have more fun,” said Ethan, reaching for my hand. “Let’s just cool it on the sleeping in the same bed stuff. Ava will be back tonight, anyway. I’ll put together the new sleeper sofa today.”

“Thank you. Great.” I tried a smile. “I think I’m going to the bookstore for a bit.”

“Oh good. I hope you have a good day. You good to pick Ava up after school?”

“Mmhmm. Sure.”

“It’s probably healthy for us to spend some time apart.”

I ignored the sting of his words, forcing a bright smile. “Exactly. I’ll see you later, okay?”

He nodded, but as I turned to leave, he caught my hand. “Lily, wait.”

My heart leaped into my throat as he tugged me closer, his calloused thumb brushing over my knuckles. Hope unfurled in my chest, fragile and fluttering.

“I just . . .” He reached up, tucking a stray curl behind my ear with a wistful smile. “I’ve been wanting to do this since I woke up.”

And then he was leaning in, his lips barely grazing the freckles dusting my cheekbone. The touch was so light, there and gone in an instant, but it sent tingles radiating across my skin.

I blinked up at him, stunned, a furious blush staining my face. “What was that for?”

“Sorry things aren’t straightforward.” A warm smile quirked his mouth. “Now go on, get out of here. Enjoy alphabetizing your books.”

“Is that what you think I do all day?”

“Isn’t it?”

“Well, I mean. There is a certain amount of alphabetizing, that’s true, but—”

“See you later, nerd.”

As I got dressed and then walked into town, I couldn’t shake the memory of Ethan’s lips on my skin. He’d kissed my freckles. Again. It was like he was morphing into a fricking romance hero. A romance hero who didn’t want anything to do with me romantically.

And what about me? Was I a romance heroine?

Hardly. More like a confused stand-in for the hero’s dead ex.

I could see that having me around was helping Ethan work through his old, buried grief. But what about me? Was it helping me? I definitely felt different from the Lily I had been when I’d run away from Vlad at the altar.

I was more worldly-wise. More cautious. More horny.

I unlocked the door of my store and pushed it open. I inhaled the comforting smell, and let my fingers trail along the spines of the books, letting the familiar titles ground me. Maybe if I surrounded myself with romance, I could believe again.

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