The Complete Irreparable Boxed Set

is lap and standing in front of him, she said, “I have to go.”

He stood, mere inches from her since they were wedged between the couch and the coffee table. He didn’t normally stand quite so close, but with so little space between them and even less space behind her to move away from him, he seemed taller, more imposing. Fucking sexy. She was thankful he didn’t put his hands on her just then, because she had the strongest urge to grab onto those powerful shoulders of his, wrap her legs around his waist, and kiss him until she forgot why she shouldn’t.

“So fast. I’m going to break all the traffic laws,” she promised.

A sensual little smile pulled at his lips and his eyes warmed as he brought his hand to her face, lightly dragging his fingers along her jaw. “Don’t do that. I want you back here in one piece.”

Breaking his gaze, she said wryly, “You need to move, because I can’t.”

Instead he lightly brushed a thumb over her lips. Willow closed her eyes, sighing with her whole body and dipping so close to him she nearly brushed his chest.

“All right,” he finally said, softly.

Forcing her eyes open, she watched him step aside. Just to be safe, she stepped in the opposite direction. Ethan followed her to the door, and with one last smile, brimming with promise, she winked at him and slipped out the door.

Leaning against it with a sigh, he wondered what the hell they were getting themselves into.

“So, what’s up?”

Willow sat on the edge of the couch, fingering the hem of her flowy white mini-skirt. Even though she really did think he would take the news in stride, she hated dealing with break-ups—particularly when she had to break up with someone and then ask for a favor. Frankly, it was unprecedented.

“I just needed to talk to you.”

Nodding as he took a seat beside her, he replied, “You said that already.”

It irritated her that she couldn’t make herself look at him for more than a second. Normally she was so much cooler about break-ups.

“You know the friend I’ve been—well, no, you don’t, because I haven’t mentioned his name specifically. Um, okay, I was involved with someone last year that I wasn’t ready to let go of. We never got closure, the relationship was cut short, and I didn’t know if I would ever see him again.”

“Okay,” Brian said, eyeing her watchfully.

“Just recently I’ve started seeing him again—as a friend. Just a friend. But… my feelings for him didn’t go anywhere. They’re still there, I still have them… and I really, really like you…”

Nodding slowly, a tiny knowing smile curved his lips. “But not as much as you like him.”

Willow nodded hesitantly, watching him for a reaction.

He seemed calm. “So this is you breaking up with me?”

“Very badly, but… yes,” she verified.

“All right,” he said carefully.

“I didn’t cheat on you,” she added. “I didn’t even think he would be… if I would’ve thought there was even a chance he’d still be into me now, I wouldn’t have even started this. I’m really sorry.”

“I get it,” he said easily. “No offense, but I do have someone from my past that I would’ve dropped you like a hot potato for, too. It would never happen, but… I get it.”

Thankful for his smile, she huffed a little sigh of relief. “Thank you for being so cool about this.”

Shrugging one shoulder, he said, “I want you to be happy. If he makes you happy… well, there it is.”

“You’re amazing. Really, truly.” Taking a little breath, she said, “In light of your amazingness, do you think you could possibly—and I know I’m an asshole for even asking, but—just… maybe you could hold off until tomorrow to publicly proclaim your newfound singleness on social media?”

His easygoing smile dropped and his brows furrowed. “Why?”

“Well, I mean, it’s not like you live on social media anyway, right? It’s just that… my mom follows you, and I know you’ll probably want to change that too, but…” She stopped, trying and failing to come up with a simple, uninformative way of explaining. “She can’t know about him.”

The furrowing of his brow deepened. “Why?”