Page 107 of One Touch

Had I changed my mind about that? If I did change my mind, what if I just got hurt again? Even though I’d been about to marry Vlad, something told me that if things didn’t work out with Ethan, it was going to hurt me much, much more.

“Yeah, you’re right,” I said. “I don’t want a relationship.”

“Right. So, the way I see it, because we’re both clear on that, we should have a look at these rules.” He brought out a sheet of paper and laid it between the plates of food.

“You brought the rules with you?”

“I did.” A spark of mirth played in his eyes. “Now, I think, personally, we could get rid of this one.” He pointed. “We must not give meaningful or sentimental gifts. Well, I gave you flowers today. I doubt that made you fall in love with me.”

“Well, no.” It had been nice, though.

He crossed out the rule.

“This one.” He jabbed with a finger. “We must not have deep, meaningful conversations late at night.”

“That’s sensible, surely?”

“There have been times when I’ve literally stopped myself talking to you in the evening, which feels so weird. Even friends are allowed to talk late at night.”

“Fine, fine!”

“I think we should get rid of this one, too. ‘We must not have physically intimate, non-sexual moments like brushing hands or touching each other’s faces.’ I think that’s kinda tricky because it almost heightens all the touches that happen by accident.”

“Right. I guess that makes sense.”

He crossed that one out vigorously, including the words “one touch” that I’d underlined about a million times.

“The other rules, I think we can keep.”

“You’re still not willing to nurse me back to health, huh?” I asked with a wry smile. “And we’re still counting to five when we look into each other’s eyes.”

“Okay, well I’m definitely not taking care of you when you’re sick, but I’ll cross out the eye contact thing. I’m fed up of counting to four and a half and then looking away.”

I snickered.

“Also, I think we can write a couple of new rules,” said Ethan.

“New ones?”

“Number one,” he said, “we’re allowed to go on dates. Dates don’t mean that we’re in love. It means we’re having fun.”

My heart raced. “I actually like that one.”

He wrote it down. “I’ve got another one that’s a bit more controversial. It might blur the lines too much. I want your opinion.”

The server came over to check everything was okay with our food. Possibly because we hadn’t really started eating it yet. “It’s delicious,” I told him. “We’re just a little distracted deciding on the parameters of our relationship, but then I assure you, it’s gonna be all about the bulgogi.”

The waiter gave us a polite but confused smile and retreated.

“I think that I’d like to be exclusive,” said Ethan.

My heart soared at his words, a giddy smile spreading across my face.

“Now, I’m not saying that you had any plans to date anyone else, or that I did, but—”

“Ethan McCoy, are you asking me to go steady with you?”

He chuckled. “I guess I am. But I realize it’s slightly strange seeing as we aren’t, you know, in an actual relationship.”

---