City Lights | Ethan Nestor x Reader

Whispers

"No you didn't..."

"I totally did. It was so, just...cringy and terrible." Ethan runs his hand through his hair for about the 700th time since we sat at the conference table. He's clearly embarrassed telling me this story.

I check my phone. 3:01am. 

"There is no way we've been in the conference room of the fucking Suntrust building for three hours."

Ethan laughs. "Hey, I said I wanted to get to know you!"

"Huh, and why was that?" I tease. 

His ears flush pink. "Yeah, we should probably go, huh?"

"Aw, Ethan...are you blushing?"

He laughs at me, shaking his head, and then stands up, and it's only then that I realize he's towering over me. He walks over to the huge pane of glass overlooking Los Angeles again.

He's looking out the window, but I'm just looking at him. The way the city lights reflect off his gray eyes, the sharp curve of his jawline, the way his hoodie has slipped down a little bit, showing his prominent collarbones. He's so pretty.

"You're so pretty..." 

Not again. 

It came out of nowhere! This never happens to me, I can always always ALWAYS keep my thoughts where they belong. In my head. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but there is a really big difference between making out and flirting, and shyly telling someone they're pretty. It makes me sound too clingy, too serious, like I really do have feelings for him. Which I do, but if he doesn't feel the same...it's just gonna be awkward. And yeah, I'm overreacting, but it still completely slipped out of my mouth, which is super embarrassing. 

He turns to me, and our eyes lock. Zips of adrenaline shoot through my chest and into my stomach. My heart is pounding as he tucks my hair behind my ear, takes my hand, and leads me out of the conference room.

After a really silent and awkward elevator ride, we are in the lobby of the Suntrust building. Our footsteps echo on the granite flooring, and then he opens the door out into the cool night, and walks outside with me. 

And then he turns to me again, my heart still racing.

Ethan fucking Nestor pulls me in by my waist and kisses me, on the steps of the Suntrust building, at three in the morning.

"Are you gonna be okay, driving home at night?" He's looking me directly in the eyes, which is equal parts cute and intimidating, considering that a) we're the same height, and b) we are standing under a streetlight at three in the morning in c) Los Angeles. 

"Wow, so chivalrous," I tease as my cheeks burn. "Are you just asking to check if I wanna come over?"

He smiles, and then looks down at his sneakers.

"I'll see you later, Y/N." 

"Okay, but you never answered my question!" I laugh and start walking to my car, and as I get into the driver's seat, I can see he's still looking at me.

I roll down the window to yell at him.

"And I can see you watching me!"

My voice echoes through the empty street, and after that, the sound of my car engine starting.

And after that, my heart still beating a million miles an hour.