Page 46 of Accidentally Yours
“You have a great imagination.” Alice stepped around the table and nudged her. “But that man kissed you like he forgot the world existed.”
“You seriously think that was fake?” Gigi asked.
Paige pondered the question. “It was supposed to be,” she admitted, quietly.
“But what if it wasn’t?” Gigi asked, putting her hands on her hips. “You’ll never know unless you really go for it.”
Paige crossed her arms over her chest, trying to settle the uncertainty pinballing through her. “I’ve never really put my heart out there before. Not really. With Derek, I was doing what I thought I was supposed to. Playing the part. And that . . . didn’t end well.”
They were quiet for a moment, letting the truth settle.
“What if I ruin everything?” Paige added, her throat tightening. “The writing, our friendship, the book deal. If I say something and it goes sideways, it’s not just my heart on the line. It’s my career.”
And her heart and career were one and the same. Destroying one would crush the other.
Alice reached over and took her hand, grounding her. “You can’t spend your life avoiding love just because heartbreakmighthappen,” Alice said, staring straight into Paige’s eyes.
Gigi nodded. “Especially when the person you’re scared of losing looks at you like Ethan does.”
“I just . . .” Paige breathed in deeply. “I wish someone could tell me how to make this fake relationship real without wrecking everything else.” And that was the truth of it, the part she hadn’t dared to say out loud until now—she didn’t want this to be pretend anymore. She wanted Ethan. For real. But wanting him meant risking more than she ever had before.
Before Alice or Gigi could respond, the gate opened, and the crowd poured in.
“Hold that thought,” Gigi said, snapping the lid shut on the cooler. “We’ll definitely be circling back to this.”
“Yappy hour at my place?” Alice offered. “I’m stocked up on margarita mix, and I’ve got a new knitting project we can try. Knitted book covers!”
Paige nodded and managed a smile at Alice’s enthusiasm, though panic still fluttered in her chest. She wasn’t sure which scared her more—telling Ethan how she felt, or never telling him at all. Somewhere along the way, she’d lost her grip on what was real and what was pretend. And if she didn’t get brave soon . . . she might lose the first real connection her heart had wanted in a long time.
Chapter Fifteen
Thepastfewweekswith Paige had been blissful. Yes,blissful. Ethan wasn’t sure he’d ever used that adjective before, but that night on the floor of his office had kindled something inside him . . . something between them. Whatever line they’d been walking had blurred. Now, they were comfortably tangled in something that felt easy. Intoxicating.
And Ethan swore Paige felt it too. She had to. Because they’d eased into this rhythm, this quiet intimacy that he hadn’t known was possible. It was friendship laced with wildfire chemistry. Stolen touches that turned into holding hands. Inside jokes and lingering glances that did more to his heart than a jolt of electricity.
Pretending to date her had become wonderful and agonizing all at once—an internal tug of war. Because now? It wasn’t pretend. At least not for him. He was dreaming of more and wanted to find the courage—and the right moment—to tell her. To say the words that had been pressing against his chest every time she smiled at him.
“I hope there’s an open table,” Paige said as she stepped onto the library escalator. Her chocolate-brown eyes danced, making his heart want to salsa. “The one we had last time was perfect.”
“It was perfect,” Ethan agreed, though it had nothing to do with the table and everything to do with Paige. He followed a step behind her, their rhythm as familiar now as the scent of old books and sun-warmed marble. For the past few weeks, they’d been inseparable, spending every day together in different corners of the library. Writing, researching, laughing.
Today, they were headed to the top floor—the garden atrium. Books filled Ethan’s backpack, and Paige’s crossbody bag contained both their laptops and notebooks. It was her turn to write. His turn to hunt for the clue.
And he was looking forward to the day ahead.
Not yet finding the next clue should’ve made him restless. On edge. But with Paige, the days had passed in a blur of easy conversation and stolen glances. If he was being honest? He wasn’t sure he wanted to find the clue anytime soon.
What if it was the last one?
What if the necklace was hidden with it?
What if this whole treasure hunt ended today?
The thought hollowed him out. He needed more time. With her.
As they rode higher on the escalator, Ethan leaned forward, drawn to Paige like a dropped stone to gravity. With her a step above, they were almost the same height, and he had the strong urge to take her in his arms. His stomach somersaulted, just thinking about it. He touched her waist and Paige glanced over her shoulder. She grinned—playful and a little mischievous. Her dark hair spilled around her shoulders, and when she tucked a piece behind her ear, he was done.
Ethan slipped his arms around her shoulders from behind, pressing his face into the curve of her neck, grateful for the charade that allowed him to act like she was his. He took in her sweet scent. Vanilla? Honey? Warm maple syrup? She was the perfect mix of comfort and temptation.
