Tempting (Inked Hearts 1)

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because… when I told you I was going, you…" I bite my lip. "You asked me to choose between you and grad school."

His eyes turn down. "That's not how it went."

What the hell is he talking about? Maybe, technically, I left Ethan, but he didn't give me a choice.

I spent our entire relationship supporting him. Hell, I was practically his sidekick. Then the second I wanted something that wasn't easy for him, he pushed me away.

Even through clenched teeth, my voice is irritated. "How did it go?"

He stares through me. "That doesn't matter anymore."

Of course it does.

I stare back at Ethan. His blue eyes give nothing away. I have no idea what he's thinking, but he looks sincere.

He really believes what he's saying.

My lips are dry. I wet them with my tongue, but that only makes my mouth feel drier.

Was our relationship that meaningless to him?

I don't know what to think here.

I hold his gaze. "It matters to me."

His expression gets intense. "It's not gonna be a quick conversation. Let's table it. I want to know your life, Vi. I'm glad you're doing well. Are you doing well?"

"Yeah." I slide my fingers over the menu. It's coated with slick plastic. How can he suggest we table the conversation? He must not think much of my feelings. "I love New York City."

"Even the weather?" He raises a brow.

"No. I hate rain. And snow. And wind. And humidity." I chew on my bottom lip. I want to have a nice lunch with Ethan. Maybe it is better to move on from the subject of our breakup. We're stuck together for nine days. "We have two weeks in the fall where the weather is perfect."

"I miss the sunshine when I'm away." He looks into my eyes. "I'm glad school is good."

"Really?" I raise a brow.

"Yeah. You're the smartest person I've ever met, Vi. You're gonna go on to great things. Hell, you're probably wasting your talent working on our books."

"It's a different skill set, but I don't mind. Accounting is mostly about regulations and being organized."

"What's the verdict?"

"There's something off about your books. I'm not sure about the details yet, but there's definitely something off. It could be that I'm doing something wrong-"

"I doubt that." His voice is confident. He really believes in me.

That doesn't make any sense.

I stare into Ethan's eyes, trying to find some sign he's full of shit. There's nothing. He's hanging on every word. He trusts me.

He cares about me.

I clear my throat. "I should probably talk to Mal about it."

"Going over my head? That's low." He shakes his head with mock incredulity.