Page 5 of When We Ignite
I gave it a try but couldn’t hold back my grimace. “Why does it taste like that?”
“It’s mint flavored.”
“That’s not fucking mint. It’s fruity,” I argued.
“Minty watermelon.”
“Why would you want to smoke a watermelon?”
He chuckled before taking another drag. Ethan looked great—his lips wrapping around it, hair falling over his forehead as he leaned forward.
“I don’t know. It tastes better than that,” he said, nodding at my cigarette. I offered, and he shook his head. “I’ve never met anyone who still smokes those.”
“Well, we do have a significant age gap,” I told him.
He looked up at me, holding my gaze steadily, “How old are you?”
“Thirty-four,” I said, seeing surprise in his eyes as a response. “Do I look younger or older?”
“Younger. You’re the oldest, then?”
“The firstborn.”
Ethan kept his eyes on me, and his shyness slipped away with each passing second. It was beautiful to witness. I had been right about that.
“I like your glasses,” he said, the corners of his lips curving upwards.
I pulled them off and placed them on his face.
“How do I look?”
“Dashing,” I said honestly.
Ethan removed the glasses and looked them over before handing them back.
“I’m not gay,” he stated bluntly, pressing his lips together to hold back his smile. Definitely not shy.
“Yes, Oliver mentioned that. I wasn’t gay when I was nineteen, either,” I joked.
An enticing laugh escaped his lips.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out, reading Warren’s name on the screen. “I have to take this.”
Ethan made to go, but I grabbed his wrist before he left. “Can you be a dear and fetch me my drink?”
I didn’t wait for his reply before answering the call. From the corner of my eye, I saw him hesitate before nodding. I smiled to myself. He might need a little work, but he can take orders.
“Has Ida picked a hotel for us yet?” I said into the phone, smirking at Warren’s sigh.
Ethan came back with my drink in his hand. I smiled and winked at him in thanks as he ducked his head with a small grin and made his way back to the table.
He was flattered by the attention, and that was the first step in the right direction. The call with Warren took longer than expected, and I watched them order and start to eat while I stayed away. Ethan glanced my way twice, but nothing more than that.
A while later, he got up from the table and hugged them goodbye.
“Hold that thought, Warren,” I said, holding my phone away from my ear as Ethan made his way toward me. “Are you leaving?”
“Yeah. It was nice meeting you, Sebastian.” He held his hand out, but I grabbed his wrist and pulled him in, kissing his cheek.
