“Miss! Excuse me, miss!” a voice rang out.
But Priya had no time to stop. The crowd ahead parted, revealing a path straight to the kitten, who stood momentarily frozen in place.
“Hey,” she called, rushing forward. “Over here, little guy.”
Spotting her, Sir Puffington bolted in the opposite direction.
It was at that moment that Priya realized he was sprinting down a red carpet toward a set of lofty stairs: The grand entrance to tonight’s film festival screenings. Around her, throngs of festival-goers and photographers stood behind the ropes. Priya had unwittingly raced past the barrier and was now standing on the red carpet with her greasy hair and saggy pajama bottoms.
Everything slowed to an unbearable crawl. Priya could hear her heart beating in her ears.Ba-boom. Ba-boom. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted two security guards charging toward her. A few feet away, Sir Puffington was about to hop up the stairs and slip from her grasp.
In a split-second decision, Priya lunged forward, reaching for him, only to be yanked back by the guards.
“Sir Puffington!” she called over her shoulder as they escorted her away. “No, wait! I’m not leaving without that kitten!”
With a bold jerk, Priya tried to free herself. The crowd broke into cheers. Priya’s heart leaped.They’re on my side!She could feel the energy shift, the murmurs rising in her favor. Even the guards stilled.
But then she realized the commotion had nothing to do with her. The real spectacle was unfolding behind her. As she turned, her breath caught.
Ethan stood at the foot of the stairs, bending over Sir Puffington, his hand extended toward him. Sir Puffington hesitated, then melted under Ethan’s touch, purring as Ethan scratched behind his ears. In one smooth move, Ethan scooped up the kitten and stood, cradling him in his arms.
The crowd went wild. Toronto’s homegrown movie star had just saved a helpless kitten on the red carpet. Cameras flashed. The press clamored for Ethan’s attention, yelling his name.
Ethan looked up. His gaze cut through the sea of bodies and locked onto Priya.
Priya’s world stopped. Her heart came to a jarring halt. She forgot about the noise, the cameras, and all the people around them. The world shrank to just the two of them. And damn, the man took her breath away. Lit by the glow of the festival, his tux crisp and perfectly tailored, he looked every bit the Hollywood heartthrob the world worshipped.
But to Priya, he was so much more. He was lazy mornings and whispered jokes. He was the warmth of fingertips and the heartbeat beneath her cheek at night. She had seen the version of him no one else had, broken and breathtakingly human. And now, standing at the other end of the red carpet, Priya felt the pull between them tugging at the core of her being.
Then reality came crashing down. Priya’s eyes shifted to the top of the stairs as Sienna Deville descended like a queen in a gold-and-nude gown that clung to her like second skin. Reaching Ethan’s side, she slipped her arm through his and waved, her smile practiced to perfection. The crowd roared its approval. Together, they were cinematic royalty, his dark intensity complementing her sultry allure.
“Over here!” the photographers shouted. “Over here!”
Sienna obliged with a graceful turn, showcasing her best angles, her gown shimmering under the lights. Her eyes skimmed over Sir Puffington before returning to the real moment, the one where she and Ethan owned the night.
Ethan, however, was a beat behind. Sensing her costar’s distraction, Sienna leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Ethan seemed to refocus, as if suddenly remembering his surroundings. He said something, then pulled away and started walking. Straight toward Priya.
Thirty-Five
As Ethan closedthe space between them, the security guards retreated as if his presence rendered them irrelevant. The noise, the flashes, the electric hum of the crowd became nothing more than a blur at the edges of Priya’s awareness. Because, for the first time since he had ridden away that night, Ethan’s eyes were on her.
She stood immobilized, her heart pounding as Ethan stopped before her. Priya had feared a million different possibilities for this moment. That he’d be cold. Angry. Hurt. Resentful.
But there was nothing there. Not even a flicker of the Ethan she knew.
And that neutrality? That nothingness? It wrecked her.
She had turned him away when he was willing to fight for her, convinced she was doing the right thing. And now he was showing her what it meant to be on the other side of that choice.
“I’m guessing you’re on kitten duty for Brooke?” Ethan said, nodding toward the tote slung over Priya’s shoulder, his sister’s initials stitched neatly on the side.
It took Priya a second to process his words. She had been so lost in the moment that she had forgotten about Sir Puffington.
“Oh…yeah,” she managed, clearing her throat. “He got away from me.”
Ethan lifted Sir Puffington from the crook of his arm and held him out toward her. As Priya took the kitten from him, their fingers brushed for a second. The contact was featherlight, but it stole the air from her lungs.
“Thanks,” she said, her voice tight as she tucked Sir Puffington back inside the tote. She wanted to say more, but the words just wouldn’t come, so she adjusted the strap over her shoulder, holding it like it might hold her together.
