Page 42 of The Paris Chapter

He smiled. ‘We’ll make you fluent one day.’

I liked the idea that Ethan could be around for that ‘one day’.

18

We ended up sat on the bed side-by-side with my laptop perched on the ottoman at the end, a hot drink each and an array of snacks scattered around the bed. We both wore a pair of jogging bottoms and a T-shirt.

As soon as I had suggested we could stay in, it started to rain, making us both happy to curl up and get cosy together. I glanced across at Ethan whenRatatouillestarted on my laptop. I had laughed when he suggested watching it – it seemed perfect to me, a film about cooking set in Paris. And I’d seen it before so I didn’t need to concentrate on it. I could just relax here with Ethan. And this man was very relaxing. Without even trying, he seemed to make me feel calmer.

‘I can feel you looking at me,’ Ethan said then.

I jumped. ‘Oh, sorry,’ I said, shifting my eyes back to the screen.

‘I didn’t say I didn’t like it.’ Ethan turned to me on the bed. ‘What’s up?’

‘I didn’t think we’d end up sharing this bed.’

‘No.’ His mouth twitched. ‘You were really pissed when you found me in this apartment.’

‘More pissed at Joe than you,’ I reminded him. ‘I was worried it would be so awkward staying in this place together. But it wasn’t. I think you could make any situation chill.’

‘You should see me at work, I’m not as unruffled there. Here with you, it’s easy to be.’

‘I’d love to see you at work,’ I said.

‘Yeah? Well, you can come to the restaurant in London anytime.’

‘I wish I knew how things will be when I go home. What if staying here longer doesn’t help with my book like I hope it will?’ I leaned back against the pillows with a sigh. ‘I still don’t know if I can write again.’

‘I think you can,’ he said. He climbed across the bed and paused the film before kneeling beside me. ‘Let me ask you something – when you wrote your first romance novel, were you in a relationship with your soulmate?’

‘Hell, no. I had just been dumped by my boyfriend of almost four years over the phone. And I thought,Fuck this,I’m going to write a novel, because what did I have to lose?’

Ethan’s mouth twitched. ‘I hope you dedicated it to him.’

‘He emailed me when it came out and told me he regretted dumping me.’ I shrugged. ‘As much as I love reliving my terrible love life, your point is?’

‘My point is you wrote a happy ending then even though you’d been dumped. You still loved love.’

‘I was younger and more hopeful then,’ I said. ‘I think it’s because I thought Joe was it, you know?’ I saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes. I sat up on my knees. ‘Of course he isn’t now, I realise it was all an illusion and he’s not who I want, but what if I never get it right? What if I never meet The One?’

‘Maybe there isn’t a one. Maybe we just have to hold on to love for as long as we have it and keep opening ourselves up to it even after we’ve been hurt. I honestly don’t think I really have been in love though. Not the kind of love in your books.’ He saw my raised eyebrow. ‘Yeah, I started reading your book on the way back from my course. You’re talented, Tessa; don’t let Joe ruin what you’re good at, what you enjoy. And think about the readers who love your books. Some of them have found their soulmates, others haven’t, some are in love, some are heartbroken, some are going through a tough time, but your books are an escape for them all. Something to brighten up their days. Whatever they are going through. Reading has always been that for me.’

I nodded. ‘Me too.’ I thought about readers who had reached out and told me the same thing. I was so proud when someone told me one of my books had made them smile. ‘Damn, you’re right. I don’t write for people like Joe. I write for people like us.’

‘The hopeless?’

‘The hopeful.’ I leaned in and kissed him. When our lips met, I felt it.

Hope.

Ethan pulled me closer, his hands touching my hips and sending heat through them. I wrapped my arms around his neck and the squishy bed coupled with us both on our knees didn’t really work out. Ethan tipped backwards and pulled me down onto the bed with him. We laughed and I looked down into his blue eyes. ‘You know, it would be kind of a shame not to make use of the one bed in this apartment. Just once.’

Ethan reached up and brushed my hair from my face. His eyes turned hungry as his lips met mine again. This time, he kissed me harder, and his hands on my back slid down to my bum and he squeezed it. When he moved to kiss my neck, I let out a little gasp. ‘God, that sound,’ he groaned.

I shifted and sat astride his lap again. I ran a hand through his hair then leaned down to kiss him. When his tongue touched mine, I whimpered and Ethan pulled me closer. He slid his hands up from my waist to cup my breast through my T-shirt as he moved his lips to below my ear, kissing me there and moving down to my collarbone. ‘Is this okay?’ he said, looking up at me.

‘Yes,’ I breathed.

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