Chapter 32

Shortly after Ethan had entered the house, I made my way inside as well. As I entered the living room, I noticed Ember had lit candles about the room; their glow reminding me of another candlelit night, not long ago.

My breath grew heavy with the memories, and I had to force myself to stop thinking about them, for they were lighting a fire in me I couldn’t satisfy. Moving my gaze over to Ember, I noted that she must have taken a shower because her hair was damp and curling in soft waves around her shoulders. She had one foot propped on the low table and was applying polish to her toes.

The flickering light from the candles made it hard to tell the color she was using, but I assumed it was red. I’d seen her wear the color often enough I knew it was a favorite. Though not a color I would have chosen for myself, it was, however, a popular color with others.

Glancing up, Ember spied Ethan as she waved her hand over her wet toenails. “Ethan, would you mind getting me a glass of wine?”

With a nod, Ethan glanced in my direction. “Would you like something, ba-hun—uh…Nicole?”

I caught Ethan’s word stumble, and my eyes darted toward Ember, hoping she hadn’t caught it too. Thankfully, it didn’t appear she had, as she continued applying polish now to the toes on her opposite foot.
Suddenly feeling like a third-wheel in the room, I shook my head. “No. Thanks, though. I’m going to bed.”

Several hours later Thurston was curled up at my side, his soft wheezing keeping me company while he slept. Reaching out, I stroked the top of his head, wishing I could find the oblivion he had.

The next morning I pushed the blankets off my legs and standing, stretched, relieving the tightness the night had wrought. Thurston, who’d been lying in a spot of sunlight on the carpeting, padded over to where I stood and bending, I scratched his ears, chattering, “I bet you’re starving, huh, you little stink? You’ll have to wait though because I gotta go pee first.”

When I’d finished in the bathroom, having scrubbed my teeth, and raked at the snarls in my hair, sending a silent thank you to whoever had provided the grooming essentials, I continued toward the living room. Finding it empty, I followed my nose to the kitchen where I sighed contentment at finding a fresh pot of coffee.

Delaying its pleasure, I scooped Thurston some moist cat food on a paper plate. As I was tossing the empty container in the trash, I gazed at the can, recalling how I’d come by it. On our way to Ethan’s home the evening before, we’d passed a convenience store. Ethan had hit the brakes and made a U-turn before returning to the store he’d swerved into its parking lot. After he’d placed the truck in park, he’d turned to look in my direction. Taking in my puzzled expression, he’d mumbled the words, “Be right back.”

I hadn’t thought it possible to fall more in love with him than I already was. However, when he’d returned, and I’d glanced in the sack he’d placed on the seat between us, he’d shown me it was when I’d seen the cans of cat food.

Blinking to clear the sheen of moisture, which had sprung up in my eyes at the memory, I gave a slight snivel as I glanced at Thurston. However, the snivel turned into a slight giggle that soon became a full-out belly laugh as, head buried in his food dish, Thurston was busy eating his food, and with each bite he took, it sounded suspiciously like, yum, yum, yum.

Wiping at the tears of laughter, I prepared myself that promised cup of coffee, then fterward made my way to the living room.

Wandering over to the bay window, I pushed aside the curtain, peering out. The window overlooked the driveway, and my eyes immediately fell on Ethan.

He sat cross-legged in the drive, polishing the chrome on his bike. Glancing down at the borrowed night attire, I shrugged. As long as my ass and va-jay-jay remained covered, I was good.

Making my way back out of the living room, I headed for the front door.

Stepping out on the porch, I paused, sipping my coffee. Why the hell was I so nervous? I mean jeez, Ethan had tasted, touched, and licked every freaking inch of me. Yet, I felt like a damn schoolgirl, unsure and insecure. “Really? What are you, twelve?!” My inner voice mocked.

Shaking my head, I drew in a breath before stepping off the porch; I followed the walkway around the side of the house.

I came to a stop and stood silently, observing the sight before me. Ethan had his back to me, his sun-kissed skin, smooth and glorious. Temptation personified. God, the man was beautiful.

Flanagan, having been snoozing beside him, lifted his head. Then swishing his tail, he heaved a sigh, before lowering his head back to his paws. Almost as if doing anything more was too strenuous in the muggy, heat of the morning.

Glancing up at me, Ethan ran his eyes over the length of my body, his eyes lingering on my legs. His pupils dilated, and a slightly strangled sound issued from between his lips.

Turning away, he set the cloth he’d held in his hand down, before pushing off the concrete, he gained his feet, and turned to face me again. “How’re you feeling this morning?”

“Actually… Good,” I replied, my eyes roaming over his broad chest and shoulders as they glistened in the rays of the sun as it caressed the golden hue of his skin.

Beads of sweat dotted his chest and shoulders, and as I watched, a droplet broke loose from the others.

Slowly, it crawled its way down over his abdomen, and I wanted to trace its trail with my tongue, to taste his flavor and savor it with my senses.

Ethan gazed back, his eyes hungry as he raked them over me again.

“Fuck, you look good in my shirt,” he growled, low and throaty, before stepping toward me, he slid his hands up under its tails, grasping my ass-cheeks in his palms.

Heat flared between my legs, and stepping further into his hold, I pushed my pelvis against his leg, settling my wetness on his heated flesh.

“Where’s Ember?” I husked out the question as my hips rotated in need, my folds grinding against his thigh.

“At work,” he groaned as arms flexing with his movements, he lifted me, urging me to circle his waist with my legs.

The cup in my hand dropped, shattering into a thousand tiny shards as it hit the ground, and reaching up, I grabbed his hair. Burying my fingers in the strands, I jerked his face to mine, covering his lips with my own.

Drawing a harsh breath he drew me tighter against him as turning, he carried me into the garage, where shoving aside the clutter on a workbench, he lowered me onto its surface. Afterward, reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a foil packet, and undoing his shorts, he pushed them lower on his hips. His penis sprang forward, freed from its confines—hard and long in its arousal. His eyes never leaving my own, he ripped the packet open with his teeth, before pulling free the condom within, then stroking his length, he rolled the rubber in place, before gripping my hips, he jerked me toward him.

“I can’t fucking wait any longer—I’ve been going insane with wanting to be inside you since last night,” he growled, low and throaty, body shuddering in his need.

Shoving his length into where I was wet, ready, and waiting, he stilled for a fraction of a second, sucking in a breath.

With a groundout, “Fuck!” he swiveled his hips, as grabbing the front of my shirt, he jerked.

The action sent the buttons flying, baring my breasts to his heated gaze.

He groaned, then dipping his head, pulled a hardened nipple into his mouth as he stroked in and out of me with slow, methodical movements. Using his tongue, he lathed the sensitive tip. The hardened nub grew, elongating beneath his administrations.

The sensations his tongue and dick were evoking were exquisite, causing me to pant and moan. My body flushed with a building orgasm as I shook and quivered, needing the release. Frantic, I pushed against him, impaling myself on his hardened length as, closing my eyes, I let out a loud moan, “Oh, Christ, I’m going to cum….”

Pulling out just to the tip of his cock, Ethan stilled, barely contained within my grasping walls. “Open your eyes, Nicole, this one’s mine, and I want to see every fucking bit of it,” he growled.