ETHAN My heart was pounding uncontrollably in my chest as I hurriedly approached the hospital entrance. It was a miracle I had made it here without causing an accident myself. My hands were trembling, and I could feel the sweat on my back and forehead. Please, she has to be okay. But despite my attempts to avoid it, my mind was filled with intrusive thoughts, imagining the worst possible scenario. Upon entering the waiting room, completely out of breath, I desperately searched for a familiar face among the people present, and my eyes soon found the concerned and familiar faces of my friends. I approached Anna and Will. And when her gaze met mine, it was enough to make me understand how serious the situation was. "Where is she?" I asked with a trembling voice, feeling the tightness in my chest increase. "They took her to the emergency room," Will replied, as Anna seemed too distraught to respond. "How is she? I need to see her." "We can't," Anna said, as if on the verge of tears
ETHAN I must have dozed off for a few minutes in the early morning, and when I woke up, she was still asleep. I stretched in the chair, causing it to creak slightly. Then she stirred in bed, opening her eyes. My heart raced, and I got up, wondering if I should call someone. She blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the light, and then furrowed her brow as if she was in pain. My chest filled with a mixture of concern and happiness. I approached the bed. "Are you okay?" I asked, a little nervous. She stared at me, with a weary expression, looking confused. "I...," she brought one hand to her head, furrowing her brow again, as if in pain. "I'll call someone." "No, I think they must have already pumped me full of enough drugs, but at least I'm alive," she laughed, still wearing a pained expression, and that enchanted me. God! She was simply amazing, so beautiful... and I loved her so much. "Ellie..." "What? By the way, why are you here?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "Wh
Two months later ELLIE I was nervous. It had been a long time since I had agreed to go out to dinner with my friends, knowing that Ethan would be there. I hadn't seen him in almost two months. In the first week after I left the hospital, he tried to insist on staying close to take care of me, but I didn't allow it because I knew it would be best for us to take some time apart. Still, he managed to be present, even from afar. He sent me flowers every day with cards that ranged from wishing me well to saying he missed me and asking for forgiveness. And then came the therapy reports. I still remember the first message and how he made me laugh, telling me how he felt like he was in a confessional. Since then, he used to send me a message after each session. I guess he felt the need to tell me how it was affecting him and how he was feeling. He seemed to be making good progress for someone who had always avoided therapy. He appeared more open, but I couldn't say for sure or in detail
ELLIE Boyfriend? The word made my insides stir. Suddenly, the stranger got up to leave, seeming to finally realize the inconvenience of his presence. Ethan remained in the same spot, leaning on the bar. Hell, he looked sexier than ever. Maybe it was the effect of alcohol, but what he had just done had awakened my entire body. Or maybe it was the self-confidence and arrogance in his tone and demeanor. It reminded me of how he was when we first met. I could barely stand him back then. While trying to understand how he managed to turn me on so easily, I realized we were still staring at each other. I cleared my throat, averting my gaze. "Boyfriend?" I questioned, staring at my hands on the bar. "What was that? Are you trying to mark your territory like an animal, like in the old days?" I asked, turning my head to look at his profile. "You seemed to need help," he shrugged. "And you thought it was a good idea to come here and play the prince, after not even saying hello when you arr
ELLIE How I wished to say yes. His lips seemed so inviting, so close, almost irresistible. All I wanted was to lean in and kiss him while pulling his hair. And then, to rip off his clothes and feel the warmth and weight of his body on mine. But everything between us was undefined, and sex would only further complicate things. We needed to talk before anything else. "We... we need to talk first," I managed to say. He nodded, his lips curving into a weak smile, a failed attempt to hide his frustration. "Okay, let's do it on your terms," he said, stepping back, allowing me to breathe. "Dinner then?" "How about a run in the park tomorrow morning?" "A run?" "Unless December's cold is too much for a beach girl like you," he teased. "I know what you're trying to do." "What?" he asked, trying to contain a smile. "You're making it a challenge because you know that's how I operate." "So... 7 o'clock?" "You also know I hate waking up early." "Think of it as an attempt to do things
ELLIEWe had only been running for five minutes, but my lungs were already burning, and the muscles in my legs ached. The cold I had been feeling had almost entirely disappeared. Gasping for breath, I slowed down, feeling my heart pounding.Ethan was already a bit ahead when he noticed I had stopped running. He stopped and came back to me."Are you okay?" he asked, not looking the least bit tired and not even out of breath."What's with you? How can you not be tired?""I'd say I have a lot of built-up energy. To be more precise, two months' worth of energy," he said, unable to contain a mischievous smile.I rolled my eyes, laughing inwardly."Can't you men go a second without thinking about sex?""Alright, I'll pretend I didn't notice you staring at the front of my pants all morning."Oh my God. How did he...I pressed my lips together, trying to hide a smile."I wasn't doing that."I felt my cheeks warm up. I was grateful it was cold enough to conceal the real reason for their flush.
ETHAN Shit. It seems the idiot was still living in the apartment next door. I'd almost forgotten about it, although I vaguely remember hoping that he'd simply disappeared some time ago. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to work. Tension hung in the air, causing discomfort, while anger grew inside me at the realization that he was still around, like a damn hyena. Turning to Ellie, I found her staring at me apprehensively, as if waiting for a reaction. Realizing that she had dropped her cap on the floor, I bent down to pick it up. "See you on Sunday," I said, rising and handing it to her. Then I leaned in to kiss her gently, just as the jerk passed by behind us. As I pulled away, she looked confused. "I think there's still something we need to discuss," she said, and eventually her eyes moved to his apartment door. "Not now. Go inside, or you'll be late for work." She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and entered her apartment. I turned to leave when she closed the door, but I sudd
ELLIE Ethan stepped out of the car the moment I left the building. I walked towards him, the cold air hitting my ankles as my heels echoed on the ground. Unfortunately, stockings didn't go well with my dress. While he circled the car, my eyes roamed his body. He was dressed elegantly in a black coat and pants, a white shirt underneath, and a brown scarf around his neck. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, giving a casual air to the ensemble. Even though it always seemed like he was naturally well-groomed and didn't need to put much effort into it, Ethan was a man of refined style, and his wardrobe extended far beyond the custom-tailored suits he wore for work. Stopping beside the car, he leaned against it, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and let his gaze roam over my body, his lips curving into a subtle, sensual smile. When I stood before him, he was biting his lower lip. "Wow," he sighed. "Come here." He extended his hands, covered in black leather gloves. With a