This time their union wasn’t as frenzied as before. This was about languid pleasure, and he took advantage of her drowsiness to overwhelm her senses before she realized what was going on.
She moaned softly as he slid into her, and her grip on him tightened. Her breath tickled his neck. “Ethan,” she whispered.
That was all the urging he required to give into the rising need between them. She wrapped her slender legs around him, her inner muscles contracting tightly and pulling him to a peak.
He shuddered into her, holding on tightly. Afterward, spent and languid in pleasure, she laid an open palm against his chest without even opening her eyes.
He put his hand over hers and kissed her forehead. He wasn’t used to women as elusive and yet as generous as Kerri. Whenever she was awake, with her brain working normally, she pulled back, as though she was afraid of being too close to people, to him.
Who had hurt her to make her so wary? Women this passionate didn’t insulate themselves without good reason, and the notion that someone had crushed her tender heart sent a streak of fiery anger through his chest.
He might never find out who was responsible, but he could make sure she’d never be hurt again.
Chapter Ten
KERRI OPENED HER EYES and blinked several times, slowly making her way back to wakefulness. She remembered falling asleep in the study, but then…
Her mouth parted as she took in the big bed and rumpled sheets laced with Ethan’s scent.
She’d spent the night in Ethan’s room. She stared up at the ceiling fan and sighed. How could she have slept so soundly?
Well, whatever. She was done with what Ethan had hired her to do. No need to stick around much longer, was there?
Once she explained to him the sad state of affairs at The Lloyds Development, she was free to go.
She waited for the sense of ease and lightness that always came at the thought of breaking it off with a lover. It didn’t take more than three or four weeks for her to feel claustrophobic in a relationship, and they had been together for close to seven .
But now, it felt like there was a boulder lodged inside her heart. One that seemed to grow heavier and heavier as the ceiling fan spun, that might have pinned her to the bed forever.
With a massive effort she forced herself up and went out, shrugging into a thin satiny robe. Time to face reality.
Ethan had her breakfast ready, plain yogurt with fresh fruit cubes and berries in a pretty Venetian glass bowl. The lines of his white robe said he was naked underneath. He poured her coffee and slid the mug across the counter. “Here.”
She took a big swallow. First things first. Soon she felt almost normal, the gears in her brain jolted into motion by the caffeine. “You having breakfast?”
“Already ate. It’s ten. I couldn’t wait.”
She blinked. “Ten?” She shook her head. “I can’t believe how long I slept in.”
“Well, you worked late.” He made it sound like she’d been out hustling on the streets.
Him and his anti-weekend-work mindset. “No, that’s not it. I’m used to late nights.” She spooned the yogurt—perfect as usual. She regarded the bowl. The recipe had to be simple, but whenever she tried any recipe at all, nothing came out the way she imagined. It was always just sort of “good enough.” Was there anything Ethan couldn’t do?
She thought, I’ll miss this, then caught herself.
This—the delicious food and coffee—she could get from any decent breakfast bistro.
What she’d miss would be Ethan.
Her coffee mug clattered slightly as she placed it on the counter. She cleared her throat. “I’m done with the TLD review. Have you taken a look at it yet? I emailed it to you last night.”
“It can wait until after you eat.”
“I can talk and eat at the same time.”
He closed his eyes briefly.
She ignored him. Some of the clients she’d dealt with had been worse. “I sent you an email last night,” she repeated.