Page 41 of Accidentally Yours
What unsettled him more was that he truly cared what Paige thought. Maybe too much.
“You remember what we talked about during the show today?” he asked quietly. “About how it’s entirely possible to be both the hero and the villain?”
She nodded, listening.
“It all lies in perspective,” he added. “Only half the truth aired. The producers did a bang-up job of making me look like the bad guy.”
Her brow furrowed, like she didn’t understand, but wanted to. “How so?”
“I found out some information. About Tatianna. Stuff you didn’t see. Let’s just say . . . she was good at playing the game.” And had broken his heart in pursuit of the prize money. In the end, he made the decision that was best for himself, only because he knew Tatianna had been playing him all along.
Paige studied him for a long beat. “Sometimes people show the version of themselves they want you to see, and it’s not always the truth.” Her voice was soft, but the words were heavy. Somehow, they forced the tightness in his chest to wane. “If you ever want to tell me the real story,” she added, “I’d like to hear it.”
She wasn’t pressing, just offering space. And that meant more than he could say. Most people either wanted gossip, or a version of him that fit their assumptions. But Paige wasn’t asking for a performance. She was just . . . here. With him. Willing to listen, expecting nothing in return.
For a second, the story danced on the edge of his tongue. But he swallowed it down.
He wasn’t ready. Not yet. But maybe, with her, he could be.
“Maybe someday.” He smiled, and it seemed to be enough.
She nodded, and they refocused on the bookshelf and the clue. They went to paging through books, fingers brushing paper, thoughts and discussions meandering. Paige told him of a conspiracy she’d read involving King Tut and alien technology—completely absurd, but she made it sound plausible. Her voice filled the office like music.
As the night went on, they made a mess. Stacks of books littered the floor. They opened a bottle of wine. A bag of Doritos lay half-eaten between them. Queenie had joined them, curling up into a little pink bed he kept for her in one corner and burrowing under her blanket. And Ethan . . . Ethan felt like his home had never felt more alive.
But when Paige grabbed yet another stack of books and sat back down on the rug, Ethan noticed goosebumps on her arms. From his spot on the floor, he stopped flipping mid-page and set down the book he’d been perusing.
“You cold?” he asked.
“A little.” She gave her bare arms a rub.
“I should’ve offered something earlier.” He stood, disappearing out of the office and into his bedroom. He returned with a heather gray, zip up hoodie and handed it to Paige. “Here. This one’s my favorite.”
“Thanks.” Paige smiled, slipping her arms through the sleeves and tugging it around herself with a little sigh. The hoodie practically swallowed her—the sleeves too long, the shoulders too wide—but somehow, it seemed to fit her perfectly.
Ethan grabbed a blanket slung over the armchair in the corner. “Take this too.”
Paige looked up at him in a way that made his stomach flip, and he wanted to give her even more warmth. “I’ve got an electric blanket if you want that?”Or you could cuddle up in my arms?
“I’m good.” She grinned, piling the blanket into her lap. “Really. Thank you.”
Ethan sat back on the floor beside her. He took a sip of wine. Paige did the same, before setting down her glass as a big yawn overtook her. She stretched her arms above her head.
“You know, we might not figure this out tonight.” She set her hands in her lap and glanced at the half-empty bookshelf before reaching into the chip bag, making it crinkle.
“We might not,” he replied, and for the first time, he wasn’t ready to find the next clue. He hoped it would take them days . . . weeks. He wanted that time with Paige.
“But it’s nice, sitting here with you.” Her voice was soft, her eyes not meeting his, before she popped a chip in her mouth and crunched. “Wine. Doritos. Books. It’s kind of the perfect combo.”
Something fragile fluttered in Ethan’s chest. He thought so too, but didn’t respond. He just grinned and opened another book, letting the quiet stretch between them.
And beneath the steady glow of the lamp, and the soft sounds of pages turning, he let himself imagine what it might be like if this wasn’t just for now.
But forever.
Chapter Fourteen
Paigeblinkedawakeslowly,the soft hum of city life drifting through the cracked-open window like a gentle nudge. Early morning light bathed the office in a warm glow—golden rays cutting across bookshelves, the floor, her blanket-covered legs.
