Page 106 of One Touch

“Is it?”

“Mmhmm. I would live everywhere. And I would do everything.”

“That’s cheating.”

I shrugged. “No, it’s not. It’s why I like reading. It lets you live more than one life. You wouldn’t believe how many different book boyfriends I’ve had over the years. I’ve dated billionaires, bikers, mountain men. Even a secret royal or two.”

Ethan narrowed his eyes. “So does that mean if you read a romance novel about a hunky guy, you’re cheating on me?”

“Wait, you’re jealous of an imaginary book boyfriend?” I couldn’t help but notice that phrase.Cheating on me. You couldn’t cheat on someone unless you were in a relationship.

“Yes. No. Maybe? Fuck. Maybe Iamjealous of—what’s he called—Chad McStudden?”

I laughed. “Chad McStudden?”

“Right. That’s the kind of name these book boyfriends have, right? Chad’s definitely a billionaire. Made his fortune from . . . sex toys. All based on the unlikely proportions of his own enormous dick.”

“Hesoundslike an enormous dick.”

“He’s a real bad boy. But he’ll grow on you.”

“I doubt it,” I replied. “He sounds more like a villain. The evil ex.”

“Well, I’m still jealous of him,” Ethan huffed. “For his enormous dick if nothing else.”

Trying not to think about Ethan’s extremely generously sized penis, I said, “Getting jealous is against the rules, remember?”

Just then, our food arrived. Lots of different plates of colorful-looking food. My mouth watered. I had been so nervous about the date that I hadn’t eaten any lunch, so I skewered a forkful of noodles and started chewing them immediately.

Ethan didn’t start to eat. He cleared his throat. “You know, on the subject of rules . . . they’re part of the reason I invited you here tonight. I wanted to talk to you about us. What’s happening between us.”

Shit. Maybe thiswasa break-up. I’d never be able to eat Korean food again. Kimchi? Dead to me.

Ethan reached across the table and took my hand. “Lily,” he said quietly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I know we agreed to keep things casual. To follow the rules you set out for us. But it’s hard.”

I put down my fork. “It is hard, isn’t it?”

He met my gaze, his blue eyes intense. “I thought we could . . . relax some of the rules.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding. “Ethan, I. . . .”

“I know it’s risky,” he said, squeezing my hand. “I know we both have baggage. But look, we’re both adults. We know that what’s going on between us isn’t a long-term thing.”

“Right. Yeah. Of course.”

I swallowed away a pang of irritation and stared at the flame flickering inside the lantern between us. The wick was running low, and the light would go out soon. It would end. Like everything.

“So, I figure there’s no harm in changing the rules a little,” Ethan continued. “Just a smidge.”

“Why?”

“To make life easier. Plus, it feels . . . cold to have sex but not be able to have a meal together. Because there are times when I want to talk to you about howyoufeel and howIfeel.”

I blinked at him. “But you don’t want to just, I don’t know, say ‘Fuck the rules’ and have a relationship?”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” he said shaking his head. “I know you don’t want that from me.”

My chest tightened. I’d literally told all my nearest and dearest that I was never going to marry again. That I was done with relationships. That I didn’t believe in love.

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