Page 14 of Unfolding Ethan

I smiled at her as we both sobered up from our laughing session. She came closer, laying her head on my shoulder, and I kissed her hair, looking up at the chandelier. We stayed like that for a while, my heart thudding loudly in my ears, and I wondered if she could feel that I was nervous. Her body wasn’t completely relaxed either, her breath warm against my neck and tickling me.

Leaning on my elbow, I faced her, her warm smile igniting flutters in my stomach. “Can I kiss you, Kiara?”

Ariana who?HA!

Her eyes fell on my lips and looked back at me, her cheeks turning red with a blush as she leaned closer and cupped my jaw. “Yes, Ethan.”

Fucking scored it.Pew, pew!

I grinned and pulled her closer, our faces inches away from one another, and I closed my eyes, her breath falling on my lips, urging me to kiss her. I could feel my blood pounding in my ears and her pulse increasing as something stirred in my stomach.

Were those butterflies?

No, no, I don’t think so.

I quickly pulled away and cupped my mouth. “I think I’m going to puke.”

Her eyes widened and she cupped her mouth too. “Now that you’re saying . . .”

That’s how our night came to an end. After puking our guts out and brushing our teeth, we ended up cuddling in the empty bathtub because we were too tired to go to the bed.

I hope she took a fart on the heart too.

Four

I Need to Get a Grip

Kiara

It had been two days since the night at the farmhouse. The night where I was drunk and alone with Ethan. That wouldn’t make me nervous daily, but it was making me nervous because we almost kissed each other. I almost kissed my best friend.Mybest friend.

Damn it.

I stumbled into someone and muttered a quick sorry. I had been zoning out all day, thinking about Ethan and that almost kiss. I could feel the way his warm hand cupped my cheeks and the spicy, musky cologne when he leaned closer, his eyes a turmoil of emotions. I shook my head to erase those thoughts. It didn’t happen and I should be thankful for it.

But why was a part of me disappointed and sad?

A strong hand held my wrist and I stopped to look at the person. Clenching my jaw, I followed him as he dragged me to the nearest empty classroom.

“What the hell are you doing, Liam?” I asked, rubbing my wrist when he let go of me, slamming the door behind us.

His stormy gray eyes were livid. “Me? I should be the one asking you that. What the hell are you doing with Ethan?”

Nothing.Yet.

Scolding my mind, I crossed my arms. “What do you mean? I’m his best friend.”

“Best friends don’t hide things from each other.”

Ignoring the pang of hurt, I snapped, “Best friends also don’t betray them by kissing their girlfriends and have sex behind their backs.”

That shut him up. I walked closer to him and pushed his chest, my eyes gleaming with tears. “You betrayed Ethan and me, Liam. If you didn’t have any feelings, then why would you ever—”

His eyes averted to my lips and trailed back to my eyes. I hastily wiped the tear because I didn’t want him to know that what he did had affected me.

“Did you tell Ethan about us?”

I scoffed, “There was nous. And why would I ever tell him about that?”

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