Page 51 of Enchanted

I’d cling to that until the day Ethan died, taking my existence with him.

Chapter 14

Ethan

Ipractically floated into the shoot.

Here I was, doing my dream job for a third day in a row, knowing I’d be back tomorrow too.

Best of all, I had a new friend.

Being excited about that little kernel was very primary school, but I couldn’t help it. It had been so long. Too damned long. If I didn’t fuck this up with Rami, then maybe my personal life would improve as well as my work one.

I’d been gifted my life back, and it was time I got on with living it.

This step with Rami was just the first I’d resolved to take. When I was diagnosed, I’d realised there were so many things I wanted to experience that I’d been putting off. You always think you’ll have more time. When you discover that you don’t, the regret hits. The frustration over all the days you wasted doing nothing when you could have been making memories.

Well, no more. I had a second chance, and I wasn’t going to waste another second of it.

We were about an hour into the shoot, Rami performing what I was sure would be a fantasy for millions of people across the world and posing in a firefighter’s outfit. One of my old friends, Matty, had a brother who was a firefighter. I couldn’t remember him ever forgetting his shirt when wearing his uniform though. He didn’t leave the jacket open either, teasingly revealing the taut muscles beneath. Definitely didn’t cover said muscles in oil either.

And, yep, Rami had applied it again. Slowly. While making direct eye contact and smirking.

I thought I’d done a brilliant job at pretending I didn’t feel anything at the sight. It probably helped that I’d been sitting down with my camera on my lap at the time.

I really needed to get laid. It had been…well, months now that I thought about it. Kind of wished I hadn’t, to be honest. That sort of depressing realisation wasn’t going to help me salvage my relationship with Dave.

My camera was clicking away when Rami suddenly tensed. His eyes narrowed as he muttered a soft curse.

I lowered the camera. “Everything okay?”

He gave me a tight smile. “We’re about to have visitors, and I’ll apologise now. Please don’t take anything they say seriously. They’re both wind-up merchants.”

“More of your housemates, I’m guessing?”

He sighed. “They were warned to keep their distance, but they’re nosy fuckers. I’m amazed they’ve stayed away this long.”

“You must have amazing hearing.” I was impressed. To me, it sounded like we were the only ones in the house.

“Better than most.” Rami mustered a smile. “Just say the word, and I’ll make them leave.”

“Nah.” I cracked my neck and stretched. “We’re due a break anyway.”

Plus, I was secretly dying to meet more of the inhabitants of this house. Especially if, as both Rami and Sam had alluded to, they were attractive. Not because I was interested or concerned that Rami might be involved with one of them. Of course not. It was professional interest. Obviously.

Sure.

A loud catcall echoed through the house. Across from me, Rami groaned and covered his face with one hand. “You know what, I’m just going to go and head them off.”

He went to move past me, but I stopped him with a hand on his chest. His tight, oiled chest.

Rami instantly froze, his eyes widening before dipping down to where I touched him. It took me a moment to remember how to speak.

“It’s fine,” I murmured. My hand was on his chest. Why was I still touching him? “I’ve got a thick skin, I promise.”

He gave me a half grin. “It’s not your skin I’m worried about.”

The door swung open so hard it ricocheted off the wall. A tall man stood in the frame, grinning widely.