Page 42 of Matched with the Playboy Next Door

His words hit me like a punch to the chest, and suddenly, all the fear and doubt and hesitation that’s been holding me back doesn’t matter anymore.

I close the distance between us in two quick steps, grabbing the front of his towel as I pull him down to me. His lips meet mine, and the world falls away.

The kiss is soft at first, tentative, like we’re both afraid to break whatever fragile thing has just been built between us. But then his arms wrap around me, pulling me closer, and the hesitation melts away.

When we finally break apart, I’m breathless, my hands still clinging to his shoulders like a lifeline. Ethan’s foreheadrests against mine, his warm breath brushing against my cheek.

“Ethan,” I start, my voice barely above a whisper, “I don’t know how to do this.”

His arms tighten around me, and he smiles—a soft, crooked smile that sends warmth flooding through my chest.

“You don’t have to have it all figured out,” he says gently. “We’ll figure it out together.”

I laugh softly, the sound shaky but real. “You make it sound so simple.”

“It can be,” he says, pulling back just enough to look me in the eyes. “If we stop running from it.”

The weight in my chest lightens, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like maybe—just maybe—I don’t have to keep running anymore.

“Okay,” I say, my voice steady now. “Let’s figure it out.”

His smile widens, and he leans down to press another soft kiss to my lips, the promise of something new and unbroken passing between us.

CHAPTER 15

ETHAN

Istill can’t get over the way things turned out between Riley and me last night. Her honesty, her bravery… our kiss. Well, several kisses, at least until we finally broke apart and she went back home. I'm still replaying the moments over and over in my head, hoping it wasn’t a dream.

But it doesn’t feel like it because as soon as I open my front door, I see Riley walking up the sidewalk to my house, dressed in overalls like she’s set to go to the hardware store.

“Hey.” I wave my hand at her and she looks up at me, a bright smile on her face, before she starts sprinting towards me like a five-year-old girl getting ice cream.

“Slow down, Riley!” I hold the mug of hot coffee closer to me as she crashes into me with a laugh, her armswrapping tightly around my waist. It’s the kind of hug that says everything she’s still too cautious to put into words. I breathe in her scent. “Every time you smile like that, I feel like the luckiest guy alive.”

She giggles, taking the cup of coffee from me, and sips a little before handing it back. “That’s hot.”

“I could say the same for you.” I wiggle my brows at her as she shakes her head and laughs.

“I should get going,” she says. “I wanted to say hi before I headed out.”

“Already?” I ask, trying not to sound disappointed.

“There’s a town event today,” she explains, running a hand through her hair. “I promised Aunt Dotty I’d help out.”

“What kind of event?”

“It’s the annual fall festival,” she says, glancing over her shoulder at me. “Games, food, lots of people. You know, small-town fun.”

An idea sparks in my mind, and I can’t stop myself from saying it. “Why don’t we go together?”

Her brow furrows slightly. “Together?”

“Yeah,” I say, shrugging like it’s no big deal, even though my heart’s pounding. “We can show up together, spend the day together. What do you think?”

She hesitates, chewing on her bottom lip, and for a second, I think she’s going to say no. But then she nods, a small smile tugging at the cornerof her mouth.

“Okay,” she says softly. “Let’s do it.”

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