Page 50 of Accidentally Yours
“Morning,” Paige said, trying to keep her tone light as she approached. “Did they have our favorite again? Apple Cinnamon?”
Ethan handed her the bag with a quiet smile. “They did. And I got you the brown sugar cream cheese. I know better than to mess with your breakfast carbs.”
His words were playful. But the warmth behind them? Missing. Like someone had dimmed his light. She didn’t like it one bit.
“Thanks.” Paige tucked the bag in her messenger bag. She studied his face as they walked side by side toward the library. The concrete beneath her sneakers was much steadier than the swirling thoughts in her head.Is he just tired? Or is it me? What is going on?“Breakfast is on me tomorrow.”
He nodded, and they walked in silence. Paige wanted to ask what was wrong, but before she could, they stepped through the front doors of the library and stopped short. It looked very different from yesterday. The library wasbuzzing. People milled around the main floor like they were waiting to be let into a concert. Cell phones suddenly whipped out of pockets. Chatter started. There was pointing. Eyes followed them, and then they were being encircled.
A group of teenage girls called Ethan’s name loudly before immediately turning and snapping selfies. “Are you going to kiss her on the escalator again?” one said, and then breathlessly added, “So sexy!”
From the opposite direction, a man eagerly asked, “You guys here to look for the next clue? Where do you think it’s hidden?”
“Yeah, tell us!” a few people in the crowd piped up.
Paige’s feet anchored to the ground, and she was suddenly feeling like a trapped animal, but Ethan took hold of her arm and broke her free. He guided her through the chaos.
“We’re just here to work,” he said, waving a hand, dismissing the endless questions.
As they neared the escalator and got on, Ethan put himself between Paige and the crowd that followed them. Camera flashes continued, but Paige was more concerned about the way people were shouting questions about the clue and the necklace. Their stares bored right through her, like all they cared about was the treasure.
Ethan’s jaw tightened. He still had a hand on her arm, protective. “We should get out of here.”
Paige leaned into him. “Yeah, I don’t think we’re going to get a lot of writing done here today.” She scanned the packed escalator behind him. Most were staring at her like hungry wolves. “I guess going viral has a downside.”
“When we get to the top, follow me. Quickly.” His voice was low, guarded. Her eyes flicked to his.
“Like run?” Paige jested, but Ethan’s quick nod gave her a dose of reality. “Really?”
“Yes,” Ethan replied, and she didn’t have time to press further. They hit the top of the escalator, and he launched into a sprint. Paige followed.
She clutched her bag as she ran after Ethan down a quiet hallway. Behind them, teenage girls squealed in delight. Their heels clicked across the marble floor as they scrambled to follow, and Paige was grateful for their poor footwear choices. Their high-heeled sandals allowed Ethan and her to get a good head start.
“This way,” he said, glancing back, and his speed impressed Paige. She could barely keep up with his long stride, but at the end of the hallway, he slowed to tug open a heavy, unmarked door. It opened to a stairwell. They scrambled through and the metal door clanged shut behind them, muffling the chaos. Ethan didn’t hesitate. He took the stairs up, two at a time, and Paige followed, the breath hot in her throat. On the next landing, he opened another door and peeked through before waving her forward.
They slipped into a forgotten room full of historical archives and dusty encyclopedias, a place they had been a few days prior, looking for the clue. Thankfully, there wasn’t a soul in sight.
Ethan grabbed her hand and pulled her into a quiet jog, down one of the towering aisles, books looming high above them, like silent witnesses. At the end of the row, a narrow gap came into view. Between the last shelf and the wall, there was a hidden nook just big enough for two people to disappear into. Ethan tugged her into the shadows, and suddenly they stood chest-to-chest.
Paige’s back pressed against the wooden shelf, the cool grain grounding her for a second—until Ethan inched closer. Her heart already raced from the run, but Ethan’s proximity jolted it. It nearly landed in her throat as his hand came to rest on the bookshelf beside her head. His other took hold of her waist, caging her in. Ethan leaned in, breathless, listening, encircling her with his powerful presence and intoxicating scent.
Her heartbeat echoed through the tight nook, especially as the giggling girls burst through the door and bound down the aisle like dogs on a chase. Even though she was still breathing hard, Paige held her breath as theyclip-cloppedright past their hiding spot. A few stragglers followed and when the room finally went silent again, Paige let out a whooshing breath.
Ethan stilled. “I think we lost them,” he whispered, his voice low and warm against her cheek.
She nodded, but her brain wasn’t processing words. Not when he eased back to look her straight in the eyes. Not with the way his eyes flicked to her lips, or how his thumb absentmindedly brushed her hip. Every inch of her wanted to lean in and close the small space between them.
Kiss me, already,her insides screamed, and Paige thought Ethan might’ve heard her proclamation, because his sky-blue gaze locked on hers, bright and brilliant. And for a moment—a few electric seconds—she thought he might take hold of her, kiss her, and steal the last of her breath. And she knew in the deepest, most foolish part of her heart that if he kissed her right now, she was going to fall for him.
No hesitation.
No safety net.
Maybe she already had?
But then Ethan blinked, and the heat in his eyes faded away. His grip on her waist loosened. Slowly, carefully, he let his hand fall away, like she was something fragile. Breakable.
Paige inhaled sharply, the air burning her lungs. The moment shattered, leaving only silence—and her own spiraling thoughts.
