Samantha
After dinner, we all pitched in to clean the kitchen, and I marveled at how seamlessly we all worked together. There was something oddly comforting about the simple domesticity of it all—wiping down counters, putting away dishes, and sharing light-hearted jokes with the girls. It was a scene I never imagined I'd be part of, yet here I was, elbow to elbow with Ethan, Victoria, and the girls, feeling more at home than I had in years.
But amidst the camaraderie, I found myself increasingly aware of Ethan. The way his muscles flexed as he scrubbed a particularly stubborn pan, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled at something one of the girls said—it was all making it hard to focus on anything else. And then there were those little moments: Victoria brushing against his arm or me leaning in a bit too close to him when asking a random question. It was nothing intentional, but the undercurrent of tension was unmistakable.
As we finished up, Victoria suggested moving to the game room to unwind. The girls eagerly agreed, already talking about which movie they wanted to watch. But as we walked toward the game room, Victoria placed a gentle hand on the girls' shoulders, stopping them just before the door.
"Why don't you two start the movie? Samantha and I need to have a quick word with your dad," she said, her voice calm and composed.
The girls exchanged looks but didn't protest, heading into the room with barely a whisper. Once they were gone, I felt a wave of nerves wash over me. Victoria and I hadn't really discussed what we were going to say, but I knew it had to be addressed.
"We wanted to talk to you about this morning," Victoria began, her tone more serious now.
Honestly, I lost track of the conversation from there until I watched Ethan open his arms as if being close was the most natural thing in the world.
Victoria and I looked at each other, a silent agreement passing between us, before we both moved into Ethan's chest. He was so big, so solid, it felt like being enveloped in a steel blanket of warmth and security.
And yes, I realize nothing about that description sounds comfortable. But it's true. I let out a sigh I didn't realize I was holding, feeling Victoria do the same beside me.
We stood there for a long moment, just absorbing the comfort of his embrace, before we slowly pulled away, both of us reluctantly taking a step back.
"Well," Ethan said, clearing his throat, clearly trying to lighten the mood, "I'm just glad I could help. That's what matters."
"Thank you, Ethan," Victoria said sincerely, her eyes soft with gratitude. "For everything."
I nodded, still feeling a bit shy but genuinely grateful. "Yeah, thank you."
Ethan shrugged, ever the humble giant, trying to downplay the whole situation. "Just doing what anyone would."
Victoria gave him a long, thoughtful look, as if she had more to say but was holding back. Finally, she just smiled and gestured toward the game room. "Shall we join the girls?"
"Yeah, let's," Ethan agreed, and I could feel the relief in his voice. We all needed something a bit less intense after that.
I could feel the tension ease, but the weight of his words lingered. His tone was genuine that made me feel… special. It was a feeling I wasn't used to. When was the last time someone made me feel truly special?
As we turned to join the girls, I couldn't resist pulling out my phone, turning it on silent as I hit the record button. I wanted to capture this moment, this rare glimpse of unfiltered purity and innocence. As I filmed, I couldn't help but focus on Ethan—his easy smile, the way he interacted with the girls, the warmth in his eyes. It was all so… disarming.
Once we were settled in the game room, the movie playing on the massive screen, I quickly sent the video to my closest friends with a short message: You're not going to believe this guy…
It didn't take long for my phone to start buzzing with replies.
Olivia: Whoa
Grace: OMG, now THAT is a man.
Natalie: Wow…
The Harpies reacted exactly how I felt, keeping my phone low so the others wouldn't notice. It felt surreal, sharing this moment with them while sitting here with Ethan and the girls, but I couldn't keep it to myself. The whole situation was too unbelievable not to share.
As the movie played on, I tried to focus, but my mind and eyes kept drifting back to Ethan. The way he made me feel safe, the way he looked at me. I didn't know what to make of it, but I knew one thing for sure: I wasn't ready for this to end.
My phone buzzed again, and I glanced down to see another message from one of my friends:
Grace: So, when's the wedding?
I rolled my eyes.
Samantha: You wish, but he does cook…
Olivia: OMG, marry him!
I shook my head, trying to hide my smile as I slipped my phone back into my pocket. They were just being silly, but the thought lingered in my mind. What if…? No, I couldn't think like that.
I glanced over at Ethan, who was engrossed in the movie, his arm casually draped over the back of the couch, not quite touching me but close enough that I could feel the warmth of his presence.
I scolded myself for the thoughts running through my mind. Let's not get carried away.