Page 20 of It Has To Be You

She’d never been reckless, wild, devil-may-care. She wasn’t sure she had the stomach for it. But she loved the idea of an adventure. And maybe it was time for one of her own.

This washerstory.Herfate.

“No, I want to do it myself. I want to see it through.”

“Okay. Where’s your phone?”

Curious, she plucked it from her jacket pocket.

Ethan took it from her, the dusting of hair on his forearms, from this close, appearing soft enough to touch.

“There.” A corresponding ping sounded from his own pocket, but Ethan didn’t move to get it. “Nick has a knack for evading the consequences. I think if we want to find him, we need each other.”

Their fingers brushed as he handed her phone back, and Indy reminded herself there was no way he could tell how her heart had skipped a beat.

* * *

As she stepped outside, she found the sun had passed low enough to wink between the surrounding buildings. They must have been talking for hours, and yet, she didn’t feel drained by the social interaction like she normally would.

Instead, there was a hum, not unlike the purring of Ethan’s motorcycle, an itch to race home and write.

“So…” Indy started. Goodbyes were always awkward.

Of course, Ethan didn’t look awkward at all as he angled in to kiss her on the cheek. And when he pulled back, she was practically vibrating with the need to surge forward and close the distance between them.

“Huh” came his satisfied reply. He stood close, all tall and bold, a wicked gleam in his eye that Indy would be trying to depict as soon as she could get to her laptop. “You want to kiss me.”

“Do I?” she asked, with no hope of hiding the truth. She couldn’t stop picturing his crooked tooth, the way it might drag against her lip.

Even his dimples had dimples. “Yes, you do.”

She wanted to do far more than that.

“So what if I do?”

He raised a brow. “You should. I want you to.” He really was incorrigible.

Indy stepped back, breathing easier with the added distance. He might be able to read her like an open book, but giving in to him was entirely within her control. “Goodbye, Ethan.”

“See you soon, Snoopy.”

ChapterSix

Indy stared at the text she’d drafted, debating whether to send it. What if Ethan was only being nice? What if he didn’t expect Indy to message? Or didn’t want her to at all?

Indy:You have Nick’s number, right?

Ethan:…

Ethan:…

Ethan:Yes, why?

Indy:What if I messaged him and pretended to be another recruiter? He doesn’t know my number, so there’s a better chance he won’t back out of meeting with me. Then I can bring you up and see why he hasn’t paid you back.

Ethan:And when he figures out you lied?

Indy:…

---