Our Toxic Love

Chapter Forty Seven

-Ariana's POV-

Ethan sits on one side of the couch as I rest on the other. We're in the livingroom.

"So..." He says, "how are things going with... Nathan?"

I shrug, hugging a pillow to my chest.

"Do you like him?" He asks.

"Yes," I say.

He looks back down, his face reddening.

"Does he treat you right?" He presses on.

I nod. "I guess so."

I know that Ethan's thinking of the time Nathan called me a slut back when we were at that hotel during the ski trip. I suppose I forgave him for doing that since he just found out I had sex with Ethan when we were together. But it still hurts to think about it.

My eyelids begin to droop, and the next thing I know, I'm already asleep.
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When I wake up, I'm on the couch surrounded by Ethan's arms. I guess we... accidentally fell asleep together.

I don't get up immediately. In fact, I twist around and hug him back, taking a deep breath. That was actually a very comfortable night. He looks somewhat angelically serene and peaceful -- not at all the way I saw him a month ago. I used to think of him as a beautifully disguised demon -- handsome and irresistable but toxic beneath the surface.

I take in his features. His brown hair is as unkempt as ever and his eyebrows are a little furrowed. His pinkish plump lips are slightly parted as he breathes in and out, his chest rising and falling in even intakes of air.

Ethan stirs. I quickly close my eyes, pretending to be asleep.

"You were staring," he says, seconds later.

"I was not."

"Liar."

I giggle, getting off the couch.

"Noo, come back," he whines.

I stifle a smile. "You have to go home."

He rolls his eyes. "Are you kicking me out?"

"No. But my dad's probably gonna be here soon... unless he already came earlier when we were asleep," I tilt my head, wondering how my dad would react to seeing me sleep next to Ethan. No, he's probably still out.

"Your dad already knows me," he smiles sleepily.

"But he doesn't like you," I point out.

"How can he not like me? Look at me, I'm charming."

I can't help but laugh.

"And Nathan's gonna be here today," I add. "I don't know when but-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," I hear a voice from outside the front door. It's Nathan's voice. He must be on the phone. This can't be good.

Ethan and I stare at the door for a moment before I snap out of my daze and grab his arm.

"Get up, get up, get up," I say quickly.

He frowns. "But what-"

"Thank you for last night and everything, it was honestly awesome and really sweet but you have to leave," I say. "I'm sorry."

He gets off the couch and I lead him to the kitchen just when Nathan walks through the door.

"I'm back, babe," he holds out his arms, grinning.

I reciprocate the action and run into his arms, hugging him as tightly as I can. I've missed him.

-Ethan's POV-