Page 13

CHAPTER 12

A s Star placed the uneaten dinner in the fridge, Ethan watched her. She moved with an effortless grace. Her happiness radiated through whatever she was doing. She was beautiful—stunning, really—but it wasn’t just her looks that captivated him. It was her wit, charm, and that unshakable streak of independence that tipped the scales for him.

He’d had opportunities to date other women. Objectively beautiful women. But nothing ever clicked. Nothing ever lasted.

Star reminded him of the women he’d grown up with. They were strong, self-reliant, and determined to do things on their own terms. Stubborn as hell. His mother had been the same way. She’d endured far too much. He understood what she’d suffered under his biological father’s control, the nightmare she’d had to escape. The strength it had taken to run with a young boy, disappearing into the middle of nowhere, was something he still couldn’t fully comprehend. His mother was one of the strongest people he knew.

She and Lycos had raised him on that mountain and developed his intellect and abilities, focusing on computer systems. By the time he was fifteen, his Aunt Jewell had taken him under her wing and started teaching him the ins and outs of hacking systems. When he was in college, Guardian consumed his life. It was all he knew. All he wanted.

And then there was Star.

She’d survived the unimaginable—losing both parents—yet had carved out a life for herself. Built a business. Became entirely self-sufficient. The renovation idea? Maybe a little dramatic, but he understood it. She wanted to restore something that had been lost and bring it back to its former glory.

His focus locked on the woman across the room from him. Every time she glanced over and caught his gaze, a soft blush painted her cheeks, telling him she was thinking about where the evening was heading.

She closed the door to the fridge, and before she could move away from it, Ethan reached for her hand. His fingers closed around hers, warm and steady, and he pulled her toward him, slow and deliberate, giving her every chance to stop him—but she didn’t.

His mouth descended, brushing against hers in a kiss that spoke its own language.

No rush. No urgency. Just a slow, lingering exploration, the kind that savored every moment. He wanted to taste her, to experience a kiss that wasn’t stolen in public or cut short by circumstance. This was just them.

His hands roamed, tracing her shape and learning the curves of her tight, compact body. He tangled his fingers in her hair, relishing the silky strands as they slid over the back of his hand. She melted into him, her body pressing against his, fitting like she belonged there. When he finally broke the kiss, she was breathless. Her lips were swollen and red, and her eyes closed as if she, too, were savoring the moment.

He would remember that look for the rest of his life.

Slowly, her lashes lifted, and she met his gaze.

“I want to take you to bed,” he murmured, his voice rough, stripped bare. “I want to make love to you over and over again.”

She blinked, then smiled—soft, full of knowing.

“What’s stopping you?”

His grip on control tightened. “Permission.”

Ethan would never assume. Not after what his mother had endured. He knew the weight of consent, the importance of choice.

Star’s expression didn’t waver as she whispered, “Permission granted. Over and over again.”

Ethan backed her through the kitchen, kissing the side of her neck. Her arms looped over his shoulders as he grabbed her ass and lifted her. Her laughter rang through the house. “Caveman much?”

“Me, man,” Ethan grunted and attacked her neck again. Kicking his bedroom door open, he walked over to his king-sized bed. They toppled onto it, and he covered her with his body. She opened her legs for him to settle against her. They fit together perfectly. He stared down at her. “Do I need protection?”

“What? Why?” She frowned and looked left and right. “I don’t think anything could happen on the bed, do you?”

Ethan blinked and then barked out a laugh. “Condoms, Star. Condoms. Not your curse.”

She laughed so hard she snorted and slapped her hand over her mouth. He dropped to his side and pulled her with him until she was on top of him. He brushed her hair out of her face and cupped her cheek. The brilliance of her eyes reflected the soul of the beautiful person he was holding. “Well, I guess sex could happen on the bed,” she admitted and dropped down to kiss his chin.

“Do I need to wear a condom?” he asked again, kissing along her neck behind her ear. She shivered each time he pressed a kiss there. Noted, babe. Noted .

She panted, “No, I mean, not unless you want to.”

Ethan stopped and lifted away from the very delicious flesh he was feasting on. “What?”

She seemed mad that he’d stopped. “What, what?”

“You said I didn’t have to wear one unless I wanted to. The goal here is to prevent pregnancy, Star. I think we’re a little too early for that event. Don’t you?”

“Oh, then, no, I mean, yes. Crud, I mean, I have us covered. I’m on the pill and have been forever. I thought you were worried about STDs or something.”

“Well, I wasn’t.” He cocked his head and looked at her. “Should I be?”

She rolled her eyes. “Ah, no. I don’t have any. Do you?”

He barked out a laugh. “No.”

“Well, then, stop with the stopping!” She pulled him back down, but he couldn’t help laughing for a minute. He’d be amazed if he ever figured out how her mind processed things.

Her body was soft yet tight. The flawless expanse of skin laid bare under him was something he’d given up hope of seeing. She was so beautiful. She was a stunner physically, but inside all that chaos was a pure heart laced with happiness and mischief. Getting to know her over the last six months had been a blessing and, yes, a curse. The curse was waiting until tonight. The blessing? Knowing the woman in his bed. It made the night something special. And he wanted it to be as special for her, too.

He wasn’t a lady-a-night type of guy. He grew up respecting women too much ever to be that type of man, but he’d picked up a few things, and he’d work until she shattered first. His goal was to make her believe that she wasn’t cursed, that she was his, and that was all she’d ever need. Conceited? Maybe, but damn it, he wanted her to believe him, to believe in the beauty inside herself, which he suspected she didn’t.

He sat up, straddling her, and took off his shirt. Her eyes traveled his chest. “Oh …” She trailed her fingers over a bruise. “Why do you let yourself get hurt like this?”

Taking her hand, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed the palm. “I promise I don’t let myself get hurt. My sparring partner is damn good.”

She lifted and kissed his bruise, then looked up at him. “Be better than he is, Ethan. It hurts me to see these bruises on you.”

Oh fuck, that hit him in the gut. She cared, which he’d assumed on some basic level, but the acknowledgement was pretty fucking heady. He nodded. “I’ll do my best.” He lifted her shirt up and over her head. Yeah, it had buttons, but he didn’t have the desire or the patience to deal with the little pearls. He wanted only one pearl, but he’d need her to trust him to take care of her before he made those moves.

Tonight, he would make love to her. It was all about her. About her needs and wants. He rolled her over, unfastened her bra, and then took his time as he kissed every inch of her back. Her shoulder blades were ticklish, which was fun for a few minutes, but then he moved lower and paid attention to her waistband, kissing and licking under the damn thing until she was panting.

Then he turned her over, removed the lace that was still covering her breasts, and started over from the hollow of her throat down to her hips. Her breasts were fucking irresistible. He could spend the entire night just discovering her body, but that would drive him to insanity. Standing, he dropped his jeans, then his boxers. His cock slapped his abs as he released it from its fruit-of-the-loom jail. He stepped out of the denim and walked to the end of the bed. He could feel her eyes on him, and yeah, her hooded gaze and the heat in it made him feel about ten feet tall and bulletproof. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. Thank God.

Ethan tugged her slacks off and then removed the lacy strip that someone called underwear. Her V was damned near naked. And fuck him if his mouth didn’t water. “Brazilian?”

She lifted to her elbows. “Is that a problem?”

“God, no. Other than someone else seeing what’s mine.” He crawled over her and started at her belly button. He wished he had the willpower to start at her neck and work his way down, but fuck, it had been a long, long time for him.

She shifted so he was between her legs, and a full body shudder ran through him. He closed his eyes tightly and thought of anything he could to stave off the massive orgasm that was building. Fuck, he was so close. He kissed his way to her hip bone, across her lower abdomen to her other hip. From there, he dropped kisses to her knee, completely avoiding her core. He switched to the other knee and worked his way up until she grabbed his hair and pulled him up.

“I need you.” The words were pained and panted.

Ethan fingered her core. She was wet and ready for him. He took her lips in a kiss that didn’t end. Centering himself, he pushed inside her. She was slick, hot, and so fucking tight. He couldn’t prove it, but his balls turned every shade of blue and then purple as he stroked inside her. He needed her to shatter, needed her to come first. He dropped her lips and arched so he could take her nipple in his mouth. The woman shouted, arched, pulling her nipple from his lips, and her body rolled around his cock. He could feel the muscles contracting rhythmically. Fuck, the sensation was better than anything he’d ever experienced. He crashed over the edge, his hips moving on their own. She tightened again and drove him fucking insane as his sensitive cock was milked one more time by her body.

Holy hell. That was the best sex he’d ever had. That was his first rational thought as he found his breath. He lifted onto his elbows, and Star’s panting breaths eased.

“Jesus, Star. You almost killed me.”

“No. This was sex … Not … not the curse.”

Ethan huffed out a laugh. “Sex with you almost killed me. You’re magnificent.”

She groaned. “You don’t have to lie.”

He lifted his head and stared at her. “I would never lie about something like this. What we had tonight was special.”

She stared up at him. “I thought so, too. But you don’t have to say that if?—”

Ethan dropped a hard kiss on her lips. One of the only things that stopped her from talking. When he lifted, he framed her face with his hands. “You are special to me, Star. Never doubt that.” He dropped to his side and tucked her against him.

“You’re pretty special, too,” she whispered against his chest. He would be ready for the next round in five minutes, but her almost immediate steady breathing told him it would be a bit longer for her. He smiled and held her against him.

“Sleep, babe. You’ve had one hell of a day.”