Page 140 of Sit, Stay, Love
He laughed, his eyes twinkling and his handsome face full of light.
‘I would share the very last slice of pizza in the entire world with you, and you know how much I love pizza. I belong here, not on the other side of the world. You’re the best part of me and my heart booms for you, Herriot. It always has. I love you. That’s all I know.’ She cocked her head to one side and smiled. ‘Well, I also know I want to do more of…’ She wiggled her eyebrows.
‘More of… what?’
‘That thing we were doing, with the lips and the tongues and the hands.’
His brows shot up and he grinned, full of heat and mischief. ‘You mean more of this?’ he growled, and he gathered her in his arms again and crushed his mouth to hers.
And she was home.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sera shouldered open the door to the rescue, struggling with her bags. Buffy flew at her as if her mistress had been away for the full three months instead of only half a day.
‘What are you doing here?’ Tia asked, her eyes as round as saucers as Sera dragged her suitcase into the room.
‘I couldn’t do it.’ Sera bent down and pulled her excited dog into her arms. ‘And… well, I’ve just been over at Toby’s. Kissing him. Quite a lot, actually.’
Tia’s jaw dropped with a loud gasp. Then she raised her hands in the air and cried, ‘Hallelujah!’ She dashed around from behind the desk and pulled Sera into a hug. ‘About time. I’m sorry. You know how I feel about Ethan James. He’s super sexy and a lovely person, but you and Dr McManus… I mean, we all talked about it, all the time. Will-they-won’t-they, will-they-won’t-they. How you guys didn’t notice how crazy you were for each other droveuscrazy!’
Sera stepped back and stared at Tia. ‘Really?’
‘Oh my gosh, Sera. Yes, really. Everyone thought it. I’m sure even Ethan thought it. It was kind of obvious.’
A giant boulder landed in Sera’s stomach and she winced. Tia was right. Ethan did think there was more to her friendship with Toby than pizza and movies. Maybe that’s why he’d been so patient with her, because he wanted to make sure she was sure. She sighed.
‘Have you spoken to him yet?’ Tia asked and cringed.
Sera shook her head. ‘I’d better go do that, huh?’
Tia scrunched up her mouth and nodded. Then she pulled Sera back into a hug. ‘I’m so glad you decided not to go. Things are just getting exciting here! And now you and Dr McManus.’ She squealed. ‘It’s like Mum and Dad finally got it together!’
Sera picked up her phone. Put it back down. Picked it up again. Put it back down again.
She hovered over Ethan’s name, willing herself to press it. She was letting him down in the worst possible way, breaking her promise to him. Every part of her felt ill. Except for the part still buzzing from Toby’s lips – that part felt wonderful.
A pang of guilt rippled through her.
She set her jaw and hit dial. Ethan answered nearly immediately.
‘Hi! Wait. Shouldn’t you be—’ He went silent for a second, sighed deeply and said, ‘Ah.’
‘I’m so sorry, Ethan,’ she blurted. ‘I was at the airport. I was checking-in, and then… I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t. I just—’
‘It’s okay, Sera. It’s okay. It’s a big thing. I get it.’ He took a beat. ‘Are we talking changing flights, or…’ He breathed out. ‘Or not coming at all?’
She bit down hard on her lip. ‘Not coming at all,’ she confessed. ‘Oh, Ethan. I’m sorry. So, so sorry. I can’t explain it. I was there, and it was just. I just—’
‘You just finally realised you’re in love with the good doctor?’
‘What? No. I mean. Yes. I guess. Pretty much.’ She sighed. ‘Shit. I think I might have been the only one who didn’t know.’
‘Sera, youwerethe only one.’
‘Then why did you bother with me? Why did you want to be with me if the whole time you thought I was in love with him?’
‘I guess… I hoped I was wrong, or that my dazzling charm would eventually win you over.’ He chuckled. ‘I like you Sera. We get on great. I haven’t felt that very often, and I thought it was worth fighting for. But you’ve also been amazing at getting me through the whole dog thing, and I wanted you with me for that too. I’m not being totally selfless. I’m not that nice of a guy.’
