Ethan stayed silent, waiting until Natalie had cried herself out. When she finally calmed down, he gently lifted her chin, his fingers brushing over her swollen eyelids. He caught a tear that had slipped down her cheek. Natalie sniffled, trying to hold herself together. She didn’t want to blow her nose in front of Ethan, so she quickly turned her head away.
“I thought you were going to wipe your snot on me,” Ethan teased.
Natalie whipped her head around, her face flushing. “I didn’t!”
Ethan glanced at his shirt collar and Natalie noticed that a large wet patch had appeared. She was about to say something when Ethan handed her a tissue. "Go ahead and cry, I won’t disturb you."
Natalie’s frustration from earlier quickly faded, and she appreciated that Ethan had given her the space to col
