Chapter 19

Rosemary

After a week away, Ethan returned, and with him came someone I hadn’t expected - a tall, muscular guy with bright auburn hair (unlike mine, which was actually bright red because of this funky hair dye I use) and an explosion of freckles that covered every inch of his face. As Nathaniel nudged me toward them, I watched Grace practically sprint across the room and leap into the ginger guy’s arms, her laugh echoing through the packhouse. I couldn’t believe this was Dylan. He was nothing like what I’d imagined. They seemed like total opposites - Grace, all goddess-like elegance, and Dylan, with his rugged build, orange hair, and mischievous green eyes.

I stood back, observing the scene as Grace finally peeled herself off him. Dylan walked over to me, extending a hand with a charming smile.

“You must be Rosemary. I’ve heard quite a bit about you,” he said, with a hint of an Irish accent.

“Yeah, I figured Grace would’ve mentioned me.” I shook his hand, trying to match his friendliness, though I felt a little off balance. It wasn’t just him or the fact that he and Grace fit together in a way I didn’t quite understand - it was something else.

As Grace eagerly grabbed Dylan’s hand and led him up the stairs, I couldn’t help but feel my pulse quicken. My heart began to race, and I wasn’t sure why. I looked around, confused, until my eyes found Ethan’s. He stood behind me, watching me with a look that sent shivers down my spine. His intense gaze locked onto mine, and suddenly, everything else seemed to fade away.

What was going on with me?

I felt a magnetic pull toward him, something I couldn’t explain, something I couldn’t shake. Without thinking, I took a few steps in his direction. “Ethan,” I managed to say, my voice softer than I intended, “can we talk privately?”

He nodded silently, his eyes never leaving mine, and started leading the way to the elevator. My heartbeat quickened with every step. The closer I got to him, the more erratic it became. By the time we reached his office, my chest felt like it might explode. He motioned for me to sit on the couch while taking a nearby chair. We sat there in silence, and I could feel his eyes on me, as if he were studying me, trying to figure me out.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. “How was the trip?” I asked, desperate to break the tension.

He smiled, a smile that made my heart flip in my chest. “We signed a new contract that’ll bring billions to the company. It was a big deal, so I had to be there. But it’s over now, and I can finally let my team handle things for a while.”

I love his smile.

That thought slipped in before I could stop it, and for a moment, I forgot how to speak. I just sat there, staring at him like an idiot, trying to piece together what was happening to me. I had never been like this around anyone before. When did I become such a mess?

“So,” he said, breaking the silence, his voice low and steady. “I’m guessing you want to talk about the other night.”

I swallowed hard as he stood up and moved to sit next to me on the couch. The air between us thickened as he closed the distance. He was so close now, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body, and it was like I couldn’t think straight anymore. I was drawn to him in a way that made no sense. Deep in my gut, I felt an undeniable pull toward him that I couldn’t ignore.

“Yeah,” I managed to stammer. “I just… I wanted to talk about it.”

He watched me, his eyes burning into mine, waiting.

“I don’t understand what happened between us,” I continued, my voice barely a whisper. “But it meant something to me. I’m not sure what, but it did.”

My words hung in the air, and I wasn’t sure what I expected him to say. Maybe I was hoping he’d tell me that he felt it too, that I wasn’t crazy for thinking something was happening between us that went beyond the physical. When I looked up into his eyes, those deep blue eyes, it felt like I was drowning. The intensity of his gaze made my breath catch in my throat. He looked at me with so much passion and lust I could feel myself becoming wet.

Without a word, his hand reached up, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. His touch was gentle, but it set my skin on fire. Slowly, our lips moved closer, drawn together like magnets, the space between us shrinking until none was left. When our lips finally met, it was like we had both been starving for this moment, for each other. The kiss was slow, deliberate, nothing like the previous frantic rush. This time, it wasn’t about tearing our clothes off or losing ourselves in the heat of the moment. This time, it was different.

We didn’t break apart, didn’t rush. We just kissed and kissed and kissed, letting the weight of everything between us melt away. I couldn’t keep my hands off him, fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. He held me like he couldn’t bear to let go, like I was something precious. Every touch, every kiss felt like it carried more meaning than I could grasp.

We kissed until breathing didn’t seem to matter anymore, our lips finding each other over and over again, each kiss deepening the connection between us. It was intense, raw, but not rushed. This time, we were taking our time, as if we both knew that whatever was happening between us wasn’t just physical - it was something more.

I let myself fall into it, into him. I stopped thinking, stopped questioning, and just let myself feel.