Page 8 of The Angel and the Agent

“I don’t see you with him,” Ethan said.

“Then you must not have been paying attention last night,” she said.

“He’s too uptight for you,” he continued.

“Opposites attract and all that,” Amelia countered. “And, you know, he’s a grownup.”

“He and I are the same age,” Ethan said.

“Yes, but he’s an emotional grownup,” she said.

“What does a twenty-two year old know about being emotionally mature?” he asked.

“More than a twenty seven year old, apparently,” she said, and he sucked in a breath.

“You wound me.”

“I wanted to last night,” she said.

“I think we both wanted a lot of unspoken things last night,” Ethan said. “Have breakfast with me this morning.” He sounded as surprised by the invitation as she was.

“Can’t,” she said.

“Why? Don’t tell me you and Bonsnore are exclusive already,” he said.

“Making fun of his name is an example of the emotional maturity you don’t posses,” she said.

“So have breakfast with me.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because you only want what you can’t have,” she said.

“Who says I can’t have you?” he asked.

“I do,” she replied.

“We’ll see,” he said and disconnected before she could fathom a comeback. She thought that was the end of it, but she should have known better. An hour later, as she was stepping out of the shower, a knock sounded on her door. When she stared through the peephole, she saw Ethan on the other side, basket in hand. Her forehead rested on the door as she tried to think of the best way to make him go away.

“I know you’re in there. Don’t make me break in,” Ethan called.

Sighing, she opened the door a crack. “What are you doing here?”

“Breakfast,” he said, holding the basket aloft.

“Ethan…”

“You can’t reject a man who brought you croissants.”

She shifted. “Croissants?”

“One regular, and one with chocolate,” he said.

Overcome by temptation, she reached out a hand toward the basket. Ethan grasped it and pulled her closer until they were chest to chest. “Hey. You wake up even cuter than you go to sleep. How is that possible?”

“Don’t do this,” she said.

---