Chapter 5
Rainstorm and Realizations
The sky was a dull gray when Samantha left her office, and she groaned at the sudden downpour. Of course, she hadn’t thought to bring an umbrella.
“You’re going to get soaked,” a familiar voice called.
Samantha turned to see Ethan jogging toward her, holding a slightly battered umbrella. “I didn’t want to, you know… ruin our perfect ‘team disaster’ streak,” he teased.
She rolled her eyes, laughing despite herself. “You just can’t help showing up at the worst possible moment, can you?”
Ethan grinned, holding the umbrella over them both, though it barely covered them. “I prefer to think of it as dramatic timing. Makes life more exciting.”
As they walked together, the rain soaking their shoes and dripping onto their coats, Samantha noticed how close they were. Close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him, the brush of his sleeve against hers sending a surprising shiver down her spine.
A puddle loomed ahead, and in a heroic—or reckless—move, Ethan jumped over it. Samantha tried to follow, slipped, and ended up colliding into him. Both of them tumbled into the puddle with a splash, laughing hysterically as water soaked their coats.
“Oh my gosh!” Samantha gasped, coughing through her laughter. “We are such disasters!”
Ethan laughed, helping her to her feet. “I think that’s why I like us. We’re ridiculous… together.”
Samantha wiped a strand of wet hair from her face, her heart racing for reasons beyond the rain. “Yeah… ridiculous. But fun. And… kind of perfect.”
Ethan leaned a little closer, his voice soft. “You know, I don’t just like our disasters, Sam. I like you. All of you.”
Her breath caught. “Ethan… I like you too.”
For a moment, the rain slowed, the world narrowing to just the two of them, soaked and smiling. And then, without thinking, they kissed—messy, rain-soaked, and entirely perfect in its chaotic way.
Pulling back, Ethan grinned. “Team disaster?”
Samantha laughed, shaking her head but smiling. “Team disaster.”
And in that ridiculous, wet, spontaneous moment, Samantha realized she was falling—hard—for Ethan, and she couldn’t wait to see what other chaotic adventures awaited them.