Page 60 of The Art of Falling in Love with Your Enemy
Etta doubles over, laughing and wiping tears from her eyes. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Not one bit, unless you want it to be the ‘Thorcules Training Park’?” I laugh as she reaches out and takes my hand. “I’m never going to kid with you again. No bets, no jokes, no more getting arrested…”
“Shush.” Etta’s lips find mine and they do their job of silencing me. Her hand caresses the side of my face, her thumb trailing a line along my jaw, and I fight an inward groan.
Slowly, she pulls her mouth from mine and tugs on my hand. “Come on,” she says with a whisper, “let’s go inside. You need to get that baseball card to Lane. This charity ball just became a party.”
Nodding, I allow her to lead the way. Only, as we’re about to go back inside, I stop her once more. “Wait.”
Etta turns around, looking a touch impatient. “What now?”
“I don’t just love you, you know. I am in love with you. It’s deep. I’m in a freefall and it’s amazing. You’re amazing.” My eyes bounce back and forth with hers, wanting…no, needing her to truly hear me. “I plan to never let you go. Got it?”
“Well, look at that. We agree for once,” Etta says as she takes one step back toward me and falls, giggling, into my arms. “I’m yours. Always.”
I kiss her forehead one more time as we’re both pulled closer, like magnets. Etta McCoy. Not only is she the fire to my ice, she’s also the yin to my yang.
As she drops her head back onto my shoulder, I wrap my arms tighter around her. I can feel the rise and fall of her breath as she nuzzles herself even closer.
I hope this moment never ends.
Epilogue
ETTA
Pulling up outside the police station, I slow my car to a stop and put the gear into park. I have a list as long as my leg to get done today, and Thor choosing this very Saturday morning to pull his runaway-doggy trick is not on there.
But I can’t get mad at the fact he’s here with Zac. So, it’s out of my way? I’ll just sneak in a few kisses before I leave with the little critter.
Pushing open the heavy door on the old building, I’m surprised the lobby area isn’t bustling like it usually is. There doesn’t seem to be an officer or anyone stationed at the front today, so I peer over to the shared open space beyond. My hand flies in the air as soon as I spot Kenny, the guy who shares a desk with Zac. I wave him over, grateful when he obliges.
“You here for the escape artist?” Kenny grins as he crosses the room to meet me.
“Guilty, officer.” I look around the room again, still surprised that I’ve only seen Kenny since I got here. “Is Zac here?”
Kenny nods his head as he points to the back area where the cells are. “You’ll find him that way.”
As I make my way across the room, I stop once to glance back at Kenny. It’s super weird to find him grinning when I do.
A few more steps and I’m crossing the threshold into the jail cells, an area I’m sadly all too familiar with thanks to my boyfriend. It’s fine though. I’ll get him back one day, that’s for sure.
“Zac? Hello?” My voice echoes in the small space. It’s darker here than I remember. “You here?”
“Hey, back here, in the last cell.”
I know the cell only too well. “Ah, the cell you put me in when you arrested me?”
Chuckling, Zac pops his head around the corner and waves. “Come on. I’ve got Thor.”
“I’m coming, but no silver bracelets today, okay?”
He smiles that smile at me, the one that makes my tummy flip and sends a thousand fluttery feathers across my skin.
He holds up his hands for me to see they’re empty. “No bracelets. Just Thor.”
“Sorry about this. I swear, that dog is in love with you.” Shaking my head, I follow Zac inside the lockup area…only to stop in my tracks when I enter. My hand flies to my mouth, my eyes darting around the small cell. “What have you done?”
As the words come out of my mouth, in an instant we’re surrounded by light. The ceiling is layered with twinkling fairy lights of white, and Zac is hopping around the tiny space trying to light some candles. What looks like a bucket of ice is sitting on the bench with two glasses.
