The space between us
908 Words
Chapter 6
The house was too quiet.
Not the peaceful kind of quiet.
The dangerous kind—the kind that made every small sound feel loud, every thought heavier.
I stood in the kitchen, pretending to be interested in the glass of water in my hands while fully aware of the man sitting just a few feet away from me.
My sister’s husband.
My mistake.
My problem.
My weakness.
Ethan sat at the kitchen island, sleeves rolled up, dark hair slightly damp from the shower he’d taken earlier. He looked nothing like a man trapped in a contract marriage. He looked calm. Comfortable.
Like he belonged here.
Like he belonged in my life.
And that scared me more than anything.
“You’ve been staring for a while.”
His voice was low. Casual.
I nearly choked on my water.
“I wasn’t staring,” I said quickly.
One corner of his mouth lifted. “Sure.”
Heat rushed to my face.
I turned away, busying myself with absolutely nothing. The truth was, I couldn’t stop noticing him lately.
The way his eyes lingered.
The way his voice softened when he spoke to me.
The way my heart reacted when he entered a room.
None of it made sense.
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
He was married to my sister.
Even if it was fake.
Even if it was a contract.
Even if she had disappeared and left him behind.
None of that changed the line I wasn’t supposed to cross.
Yet every day, that line felt thinner.
“You didn’t eat dinner,” Ethan said.
“I wasn’t hungry.”
A lie.
I was always hungry.
Just not brave enough to sit across from him and pretend everything was normal.
He stood, tall and quiet, and walked closer.
Every step felt loud in my ears.
“You’ve barely eaten all week,” he said. “That’s not okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
I looked up before I could stop myself.
His eyes weren’t cold.
They weren’t distant.
They were… concerned.
And that hurt worse.
“You don’t get to worry about me,” I said softly.
His jaw tightened.
“I do when you live under my roof.”
“I didn’t ask to.”
The words came out sharper than I meant.
Silence stretched between us.
Then, quietly, “You didn’t ask for any of this. Neither did I.”
Something in his voice sounded… tired.
Broken.
I swallowed.
“I know.”
We stood there, too close.
So close I could smell his soap.
So close I could feel his warmth.
So close I could feel my control slipping.
“You should hate me,” I said.
Ethan frowned. “Why would I hate you?”
“Because I’m part of the reason this mess exists.”
He shook his head slowly. “No. Your sister made her choices. Not you.”
“Still.”
His gaze softened.
“You carry too much guilt for things that aren’t yours.”
My throat burned.
No one had ever said that to me before.
Not my parents.
Not my sister.
Not anyone.
“I don’t know how to stop,” I admitted.
His hand lifted slightly.
Paused.
Like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed.
Then he let it fall back to his side.
“I wish I could help you.”
That restraint.
That tiny moment.
It did something dangerous to my heart.
“You shouldn’t look at me like that,” I whispered.
“Like what?”
“Like I matter.”
His eyes darkened.
“You do matter.”
The words landed heavy.
Wrong.
Right.
All at once.
“You’re married,” I reminded him.
“On paper.”
“That still counts.”
Silence.
Then, “Does it?”
My breath caught.
He took a step closer.
I took a step back.
My back hit the counter.
Now there was nowhere else to go.
His hands rested on the counter on either side of me.
Not touching.
Not trapping.
But close enough to make my pulse race.
“We’re playing a dangerous game,” I whispered.
“I’m not playing,” he said quietly.
That was worse.
“I don’t want to be the girl who ruins her sister’s marriage.”
“You’re not.”
“You don’t get to decide that.”
“No,” he said. “But I get to decide how I feel.”
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“And how do you feel?”
His eyes searched mine.
For a long moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer.
Then—
“I feel like I shouldn’t want you.”
My breath trembled.
“But you do,” I whispered.
“Yes.”
One word.
Heavy.
Honest.
Terrifying.
Nothing happened.
No kiss.
No touch.
Just two people standing too close, wanting what they couldn’t have.
And somehow, that felt more intense than anything physical.
Finally, Ethan stepped back.
“You should go to bed.”
I nodded, even though my legs felt weak.
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
I walked away without looking back.
If I did, I wasn’t sure I’d be strong enough to keep walking.
Because the truth was painfully clear now.
This wasn’t a small crush.
This wasn’t a passing feeling.
This was the beginning of something forbidden.
And I didn’t know how to stop it.
🔥 End of Chapter.
- Writer
