She still hadn’t eaten most of her yogurt, even though she had to be starving. She’d only had half a sandwich for dinner—he’d checked. None of the leftover chicken parmesan or roast beef had been touched. She’d gone for the artificially flavored, sodium-laden turkey slices he’d bought for the rare occasions he wanted to indulge in culinary slumming. Hardly the kind of food someone with cholesterol problems should be having.
“You know, Kerri, this is your home too, even if it’s temporary,” he said.
She looked up with a small frown.
“You’re welcome to take whatever you want.”
Her mouth curved into a smile, though her eyes remained a little wary and uncertain. “Okay.” She drew the word out, and the intonation almost made it a question. “Thanks.”
“I want you to feel at home and relaxed.”
“Okay.” Her lips stretched further into a bigger smile, though her eyes were still somewhat distant. “Again, thanks.”
His hands curled. He hated her uncertainty, like she didn’t know how to share the penthouse with him or what to do with his suggestion that she treat it as her own home. He wanted her to be more at ease, take what she wanted because she could. Hadn’t she understood she could do that and more in the last few weeks? Yesterday in the study, he’d had to force her into demanding something from him with words. Explicitly. Selfishly.
Who was it that had hurt her?
People didn’t become this tentative in relationships without reason. Kerri was so beautiful, so smart, he wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d been a bit spoiled as well. He’d thought she’d be a tough nut to crack because she had so many options in her life. But perhaps he’d been wrong. She was difficult to crack because she was so protective of herself, wary of people trying to get too close to her.
Ethan was certain it wasn’t just some casual boyfriend who’d hurt her. It had to be someone who’d meant a lot more, someone from whom she had every right to expect love and protection.
Ethan wanted to kick whoever had wounded her like this. He wanted to—
She paused in the middle of spooning another mouthful of her yogurt. “What’s wrong?”
“What?”
“You’re glaring at that vase.”
“Nothing,” he said automatically. Then he shook his head and laughed. “Actually, that’s a lie. Everything.” He put his face closer to hers, until he could count her eyelashes. “You are unbelievably beautiful.”
A delicate rose tinted her cheeks. She smiled shyly. “Thank you. You look pretty awesome yourself in the morning.”
He kissed her mouth, her lips softening under his instantly. Just like that he was rock hard. “Finished with your breakfast?” he murmured.
“Yeah.”
He picked her up, his hands cupping her butt, as she put her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. “I think it’s about time we shower. What do you say?”
Her answer was a laugh and a kiss.
Chapter Eleven
KERRI LOVED THE WAY Ethan masterfully carried her away. None of her previous boyfriends had been able to do it with this much style and shiver-inducing sexiness.
On the other hand…if he’d been anything like her exes, she wouldn’t have moved into the penthouse, job offer or no.
He kissed her, savoring her mouth like he would an exotic French dessert. She loved the taste of him, the sound of his voice, his aura of strength—it was like safety and power come to life, his muscles supporting her effortlessly as he moved them to the bathroom.
Ethan made her feel utterly beautiful and desired. And while he sometimes made her nervous—especially when he looked at her so intensely, his eyes memorizing everything about her—she loved the time she was spending with him.
A temporary arrangement.
She’d been so right to say yes. Although the deal had involved a job, it had been an easy one. And she’d needed a break and some time to pamper herself. What better way than with a gorgeous man who wanted to spoil her and give her unbelievable pleasure?
And the timing worked out so wonderfully, she told herself, almost insistently. She’d had enough time to enjoy herself and finish the job, but not so long that their private arrangement might get to be awkward.
She trembled, remembering what he’d done to her yesterday. She deepened the kiss, her clit pulsing with the memory. She was already slick and needy. God, she had it bad for him.