Page 30 of The Angel and the Agent

“Huh?” she asked.

“Maybe he’s not the one you’re hurting because he’s not the one you’re supposed to be with,” he suggested.

“We’ve been over this, Ethan,” she said.

“Have we?”

“Yes. You want me because you can’t have me, because I’m with Piedmont. If I were available, you’d…” she broke off and shook her head.

“I’d what?” he prompted.

“You tell me. And be honest, for both our sakes.”

He took a breath and reached for her hand again, clasping it and holding it against his rapidly thumping heart. “If you were available, maybe I would realize you’re the best thing that’s ever come along. Maybe I’d fall for you, so deep and so hard I wouldn’t realize other women exist anymore. Maybe I would get my act together and be ready to be the kind of man you need me to be.”

“Maybe,” she repeated sadly. “You want me to upend my life for maybe, but I can’t, and I won’t. And so we’re friends. The end.”

He released a pent up breath of frustration. “Don’t you realize how far I’ve come to get to where we are now?”

“Yes, I very much do. But I’m afraid I need all the way or nothing at all.” She wanted to hug him. He could read it in her expression. Her arms lifted and then she forced them down again because she was afraid. She was afraid if she hugged him, it wouldn’t be enough, that she would lose control and give in to him completely. He admired her self-control because he was lacking it altogether.

“You should go now,” he said. It was all he could do to release her hand and watch her walk away, which she did without needing to be told twice. Before she shut the door, she turned and gave him one sad, little smile, and she was gone.

Chapter 10

Aweek later, Maggie and Ridge hosted a party at the common room of their housing development. The rental also included the pool for the day, good news for Ridge’s former navy buddies who loved nothing better than being in the water.

“If a SEAL goes too long without a swim, his skin dries up and falls off, or so the legend goes,” Jordan told Amelia as they sat poolside with Jordan’s new baby. Amelia spent a long time holding him, giving Jordan a break so she could eat. It was also a handy way to soak up baby time. Between that and Ridge and Maggie’s new puppy, she was in heaven.

Unfortunately for Amelia, Jordan and Shimmer didn’t stay long. “There’s no tired like new baby tired,” Jordan told her.

“If you ever need a break, please give me a call. Seriously, I could hold him all day,” Amelia said.

“I may take you up on that. Having a new baby and being away from family is no joke,” Jordan said, her lip quivering with unshed tears.

“I’m off work in two days. I’ll come over and you can nap or read or do whatever you want to do,” Amelia promised her.

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” Jordan said, hugging her goodbye. When she was gone, Ethan emerged from the water and stood over Amelia.

“If I didn’t know better, I might think you’re avoiding me,” he said.

“I’m not avoiding you; I’m avoiding the water,” she said.

“Why?”

She pointed to her head. “Brazilian blowouts and chlorine don’t mix.”

He squinted. “What gibberish are you speaking, lady? Are you trying to tell me you’re so fussy you don’t want to get your hair wet?”

“Not wet,chlorinated.What part of Brazilian blowout do you not understand?”

“All of it,” he said. He reached down, plucked her phone from her fingers, set it aside, and scooped her into his arms.

“Ethan, don’t.”

“Yep,” he replied as he carried her to the water and jumped in.

“Ugh, boys,” she said when she emerged.

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