Page 78 of A Certain Step
“I would hate to think I gave him the impression that he could burden me.”
Her fingers traced along the side of his face. “It’s not something you did or an impression you gave. It’s just something people feel sometimes. I could go to Alex about many things, but when I need him, I opt out. I close in on myself and try to handle everything on my own because he’s already done so much for me. I don’t want him to do more.”
“He’s your brother. He’s supposed to be there as much as he can.”
She shook her head slightly. “Tell that to an anxious person’s brain.”
“It’s not like I can do anything anyway, which sucks. I have nothing to do with the academic world.”
Willa moved her hand along his shoulder, down to his bicep. She held onto his forearm then. “Don’t wait for him to tell you then. You know. Reach out and tell him that you’re there for him.”
“Nick can be stubborn. He’ll get pissed at my parents for telling me. But maybe I can risk it.”
“I see.”
He nestled his nose in the crook of her neck and breathed her in. It sent tremors down her spine. “Would you want to come with me when I go visit them?” he mumbled.
“So, I was the someone you were referring to?” she asked, holding her breath at the touch of his lips against her pulse point.
He lifted his head so she could see the obvious answer plastered on his face.
“How are you going to explain why you’re bringing me?”
Ethan’s mouth lowered, trekking to the juncture of her throat again. “You’re my best girl. We don’t need an explanation.”
He kissed her impatiently, greedily sucking and biting down, forcing a low whimper to rise from the pit of her stomach.
“Except it’s never happened before. So, why now?” Willa continued.
“Because I want you to. You’ve met them before; they’d be delighted to have you. Plus, I have plans for you and that first date, remember? And I’m working on a project at the cabin with my dad for my nephew that I want to check in on, too.”
“Aww, like a swing set?” she wondered.
“Something like that, yeah,” he answered.
“That’s adorable.”
He took his glasses off and set them aside. His fingers circled around Willa’s jaw and ear while he continued to kiss her like he didn’t just spend hours tangled with her body in various dance numbers.
“Wait, wait,” she called out.
He lifted his head rapidly, eyes blown wide. “What? Did I go too far?”
“No, but you were about to tell me about the first time you saw me before you got the phone call.”
The line of his lips curled into an expansive, bright smile. He rested his forehead against hers, “You were wearing that oversized Muppetsshirt, black shorts, and choreographing a number to Billie Eilish’s ‘Bad Guy’ with Miles. I walked in just as you came up from the ground, and all I could hear was your stunning laugh. I thought you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, and I would’ve killed to hear you laugh like that all the time. I still would.”
She couldn’t believe it. She recalled meeting him and introducing herself, but she didn’t recollect anything else about that day. “I—” she started.
The pads of his fingers traced along her arm, interlacing their hands together. He brought hers to his lips and kissed it leisurely. “Since it hit me that I had feelings for you, I’ve almost blurted it out every time you’ve worn that shirt.”
“I hate my memory for being such shit. I don’t remember anything about that day other than we met. I remember you being the only person who understood my jellybeans reference, and that’s how we got close, but I don’t necessarily rememberwhenthat was,” she replied.
“That was two days later. When we first met, I mentioned liking your shirt, but you didn’t seem to think anything of it.”
She smiled. “I rememberthat. To be fair, I just thought you were being polite. I’d heard you were one of the kindest people to work with, but how was I to know that you’re just as obsessed with the Muppets as I was.”
He chuckled. “I would’ve said it, but I stopped myself. I got weirdly shy. I was too stunned by your pretty face.”
