Page 53 of Fight Or Flight

“Well, that is wonderful, Natalie!” said his mom. “You’ve created a very exciting life for yourself. You should be proud. When do you leave Mapleton?”

Ethan held his breath, not sure he wanted to hear her answer. She glanced his way, but he avoided her eyes and took a drink.

“I’m leaving on Tuesday.”

It was like taking a roundhouse kick to the temple. His chest pain increased as he swallowed.

“I’m glad you made time for us before you take off on another adventure,” his dad said.

Tuesday.

She was leaving Tuesday.

Forever.

He’d never see her again. Never feel her again. Never hear her again.

“Ethan?”

A moment passed before he finally registered his mother’s raised voice calling his name. He looked up and found all three sets of eyes staring at him from around the table. “What?”

“The lifter?”

He looked down at his hand and found the silver lifter clutched in his fist. He loosened his grip and passed it over to his mother, who looked at him with her eyes wide. She probably thought he’d lost it.

As the word Tuesday ricocheted around his brain, he was pretty sure he had.

eleven

Natalie hopped into the passenger side of Ethan’s truck and closed the door. After dinner and dessert, which were both delicious, Gayle insisted she take enough leftovers home to last until Tuesday. Then she insisted Ethan drive her home.

He didn’t look happy about it.

In fact, he’d seemed upset the whole evening. Ever since their near kiss while hidden in the garden, he’d been switching between lustful gazes in her direction and annoyed shakes of his head. She’d never seen anyone fight something they clearly wanted so hard. And she’d never understand why he wouldn’t just give in so they could both find a release for all the built-up tension.

It was just a kiss, just one night. No pressure. No big deal.

Ethan waved to his parents standing arm in arm on the porch before getting into the truck and slamming the door. Natalie had assured them all that she didn’t mind walking, that she regularly walked tens of kilometres a day on tour, but they wouldn’ttake no for an answer. She comforted herself with the fact that Monroe Manor was only a three-minute drive away.

“You’re not going to play Bublé again, are you?” he said when he put the truck into reverse.

Natalie rolled her eyes. “This isn’t a tour. And that wouldn’t be the right song for this situation, anyway.”

“What would the right song be?”

Natalie felt a smirk take over her face. She just couldn’t help herself. She could think of a hundred songs about unreleased tension and frustration in the anticipation of sex.

Her thoughts must have shown on her face, because Ethan squirmed in his seat and adjusted his glasses, refusing to look over at her. She rolled her eyes.

She would have accepted his rejection if she’d known he wasn’t interested, but knowing he wanted this as much as she did but was too stubborn to give in felt like a challenge.

And she was ready to lay it all on the line.

He came to a stop in the driveway but didn’t put the truck in park. Natalie unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door, then picked up her leftovers. She knew she should just say thank you for the ride and walk away forever, but she couldn’t. She didn’t want to leave without making it abundantly clear what she wanted.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked.

His deep-blue eyes widened slightly behind his glasses, and he opened his delicious mouth to say something, but hesitated. His awkward rejection would have been funny had it not been so humiliating.

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