He does

Ethan woke up the next morning with the sun already cutting through the blinds and his cock hard against the sheets. The memories from the quarry hit him all at once — the way Mia had kissed him by the water, how her body had felt pressed against his, the soft sounds she made when his hands slid under her bikini top and teased her nipples. He groaned and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling fan that spun lazily overhead. Last night hadn’t been a dream like the one by the river, but it had felt just as intense. Real. Dangerous.

He lay there for a few minutes, letting the images play out. The party noise fading behind them as they walked to that flat rock. The way her hands had slipped under his t-shirt, exploring his chest and abs like she’d been wanting to touch him for years. The heat of her grinding against the hard bulge in his jeans while they made out, her tongue sliding against his, her breath coming faster. They’d stopped before it went too far, but the way she’d looked at him afterward — eyes dark, lips swollen, like she was fighting the same pull he was — had stayed with him all the way home.

What the fuck are we doing? he thought, running a hand over his face. Derek was still in the picture, at least officially. And Mia was his best friend. The one person in Willow Bend who made the weight of his dad’s **** and the shop and everything else feel a little lighter. But after last night, pretending nothing had changed felt impossible.

He got up, showered quickly, and pulled on clean jeans and a faded t-shirt. Downstairs, the house was quiet. His mom had left another note on the counter about the festival — something about extra hands needed for the stage today. Ethan grabbed coffee and checked his phone. No messages from Mia yet. He stared at their last text thread from before the party, thumb hovering over the screen.

He typed and deleted a few things before settling on something simple.

Ethan: Hey. You make it home okay last night?

The reply came faster than he expected.

Mia: Yeah. Barely slept though. You?

Ethan: Same. You still helping with the festival setup today?

Mia: Yeah. Park again. You coming?

Ethan: Yeah. See you there.

He stared at the screen a second longer, heart beating a little faster. There was nothing flirty in the texts, but he could feel the undercurrent. The almosts from last night hanging between every word.

After breakfast he headed to the shop first, needing something to do with his hands before he saw her again. The familiar smell of grease and metal helped ground him. He spent an hour changing a set of brakes on an old pickup, the work steady and repetitive. Mr. Harlan stopped by again, chatting about the developer who was sniffing around the riverfront land. “Your dad would’ve hated that,” the old man said, shaking his head. “Man loved this town too much to let some outsider turn it into another strip mall.”

Ethan nodded, tightening a bolt a little harder than necessary. The letters his dad had left were still sitting in the drawer upstairs. He hadn’t read them all yet — mostly because he was afraid of what they might say about staying versus leaving. About fighting for the things that mattered. About the river and the people who called this place home.

By the time he cleaned up and drove to the park, the festival grounds were already busy again. Booths were going up faster now, lights were being tested, and the stage was nearly finished. The river ran steady in the background, sparkling under the morning sun. Ethan parked and scanned the area until he spotted Mia near the stage, clipboard in hand again, talking to one of the volunteers.

She looked up as he walked over, and that smile hit him the same way it always did — warm, familiar, but with something new behind it after last night. She was wearing another tank top today, this one light blue and a little looser, paired with the same cutoff shorts. Her dark wavy hair was pulled back in a ponytail, a few strands escaping to frame her face.

“Hey,” she said when he reached her, voice softer than usual. The volunteer wandered off, leaving them in a small pocket of space between the half-built stage and a stack of speakers.

“Hey,” Ethan replied. They stood there for a second, the air between them charged. “You look… tired.”

Mia laughed quietly, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Didn’t sleep much. Kept thinking about…” She trailed off, glancing around to make sure no one was close enough to hear. “Last night.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

They started working together on the sound system again, picking up where they’d left off yesterday. It felt different now. Every time their hands brushed passing a cable or tool, it sent a spark up Ethan’s arm. When Mia bent over to plug something in, he caught himself staring at the curve of her ass in those shorts before forcing his eyes away. The memory of her grinding against him at the quarry made it hard to focus.

After a while the work slowed down. Most of the other volunteers had moved to different parts of the grounds, leaving them relatively alone near the back of the stage. Mia wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and looked out at the river.

“I broke up with Derek,” she said suddenly, voice low. “Last night. After I got home. Texted him. Told him it wasn’t working and I needed space.”

Ethan’s heart jumped. “You did?”

She nodded, still not looking at him. “It’s been coming for a while. The long distance was already weird, but after talking to you yesterday… and then at the party…” She finally turned to face him, brown eyes serious. “I don’t want to string him along. And I don’t want to lie to myself anymore.”

Ethan stepped closer without thinking, close enough that he could smell the faint vanilla on her skin mixed with the faint scent of sunscreen and river water. “Mia…”

“I don’t know what this is between us yet,” she said quickly, like she needed to get it out. “But I know I’ve been feeling it for a long time. And last night… when we kissed… it felt right in a way nothing with Derek ever has.” She reached out and touched his arm, fingers lingering on his skin. “I’m scared, E. Scared of messing this up. Scared of what people will say. Scared of leaving town and leaving you behind. Or staying and resenting everything.”

Ethan covered her hand with his, thumb stroking the back of it. “I’m scared too. But I’ve been wanting this — wanting you — for years. The dream last night… it wasn’t the first one. And after the quarry…” He swallowed, voice rough. “I don’t want to pretend anymore either.”

The air between them felt thick. Without another word, Mia stepped in and kissed him — soft at first, then deeper as he pulled her closer. His hands slid to her waist, then lower, gripping her hips through the thin denim of her shorts. She pressed against him, her full breasts soft against his chest, and he could feel her nipples hardening through the fabric of her tank top. The kiss grew hotter, hungrier. His hand slipped under her tank, fingers brushing the bare skin of her stomach before moving higher, cupping one breast through her bra. She moaned softly into his mouth, arching into the touch.

They broke apart when they heard voices nearby — two volunteers walking past with boxes of lights. Both of them were breathing hard, faces flushed. Mia’s hand was still on his chest, right over his heart.

“Not here,” she whispered, even though her eyes said she wanted to keep going. “Too many people. And… we should talk more. Really talk. About Derek. About what happens next. About the festival and the developer and everything.”

Ethan nodded, reluctantly letting his hand fall away from her breast. “Yeah. Tonight? After the setup’s done?”

She nodded, biting her lip in that way that drove him crazy. “My parents are out of town for the weekend. Grandma’s at her sister’s. We could… talk at my place. If you want.”

The implication hung between them, heavy and electric. Ethan’s cock twitched at the thought, but he **** himself to stay grounded. “I want that. But only if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” she said softly. “I’ve been sure for a while. I just didn’t know how to say it.”

They spent the rest of the morning working side by side, stealing glances and small touches when no one was looking. The festival grounds filled up more as the day went on — the stage nearly complete, booths taking shape, the air buzzing with excitement for the weekend events. Someone mentioned the developer again, and Ethan felt that familiar knot in his stomach. This town mattered. His dad had known it. And now, standing here with Mia, it felt like maybe fighting for it — and for whatever this thing between them was becoming — was worth it.

By early afternoon the work was mostly done for the day. Mia wiped her hands on her shorts and looked at him, that charged look back in her eyes.

“Still on for tonight?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Ethan said. “Text me when you’re ready.”

She nodded, then reached out and squeezed his hand quickly before letting go. The touch sent another spark through him.

As Ethan walked back to his truck, the sun warm on his back and the river sparkling in the distance, he couldn’t stop thinking about what the night might bring. The dream. The quarry. The almosts. The way she’d looked at him today like she was finally letting herself want this too.

Willow Bend had always felt like home. But now it also felt like the edge of something bigger — something that could change everything if they let it.

He drove home with the windows down, the wind whipping through the cab, already counting the hours until he saw her again.