Page 57 of Gone for You

So much but there’s no way I’m telling you. “Well, I kind of like him. I mean, you know me, it’s not like I really want a relationship so it’s kind of nice, we’re… friends.” The word friends tastes like acid on my tongue when it comes to describe what Ethan and I have but anything more than that feels like too much, too soon. Great, now I’m lying to myself, too.

“Ethan’s a good guy,” Owen says.

“I agree.”

“I find this interesting.”

“I’m sure you do. I just, I don’t know. I wanted you to know. It felt weird, like I was hiding something from you.”

“Are you?”

“No.” I stare at the sign for The Flying Goat and know that I have to give him a little more than that. “Imstayingwithhimthisweek.”

He laughs. “What was that?”

“I’m, uh, staying with him this week? Before the wedding next weekend.”

“So there’s more than friendship?”

“I don’t know! Owen, I don’t know, okay? I can’t lie to you but I don’t know myself, so there it is. And don’t be pissed that he didn’t tell you. He was respecting me and letting me do it.”

“I don’t know why you and Ethan felt like you had to hide anything from me if there’s nothing going on.”

“Because there’s the promise of something and it’s new and exciting and I wasn’t sure if it was just because of the whole new relationship thing. I don’t want to jinx it.”

“Then don’t be yourself and screw it up before it even starts.”

“Jerk!” I laugh, tilting my head back so it sets on my head rest. “I’m really trying not to,” I explain. “It’s scary, though.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“Anyway, I just wanted you to know, even if I don’t even know what’s going on between us.”

“Thanks for telling me. And Liv?”

“Yeah?”

“You two would be lucky to have each other.”

Chapter 30

Ethan

“I’ll be backin a few minutes, Rex,” I tell him, leaving the bar to go to my office. “I placed a large order and need to make sure it processed right.”

“You got it, boss.” He salutes me like a jackass.

Liv’s supposed to be here any minute now for Lily’s bachelorette party and I’m losing my mind waiting for her to arrive. I need a few minutes to myself before she gets here to think about how to ask her what she wants for our future, which I’m afraid will scare her. I want her here, with me, but it’s selfish of me to assume she’ll be the one to move. I’m sure there are some couples who can make long distance relationships work, but I’m ready for more of her. Every day.

Because apparently I’m a masochist, I stare at the picture on my phone so often it’s basically become an addiction. Liv and I decided to try something new one night when we were on the phone and both… well, horny.Reallyhorny, actually. She sent me a picture of herself in this skimpy piece of lingerie, breasts spilling out the top and long hair falling over her shoulders and I about came right there. Until then, we’d only done things on Facetime. The fact that she trusts me enough to send me pictures of her dressed only for me says a lot.

After getting my body under control, for the most part, anyway, I stand from my chair preparing to relieve Rex from behind the bar for a few minutes. Before I can even get there, though, my office door opens, and I know I won’t be making it out to the bar any time soon.

“Hey, Ethan,” Liv says in that husky voice that I love so much. Especially when she’s screaming my name. Or moaning. Or… fuck. Anything. I let out a breath, my world finally feeling right again now that I see her.

“Liv.” Just the sound of her name on my lips is like a direct shot to my dick. Seeing her stand before me now makes breathing easier. She’s here. With me. Exactly where I always want her. Exactly where she belongs.

“It’s good to see you, Hotstuff.”

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