We walk to his cabin in comfortable silence. We get to his room, and I realize I don’t have my things.
“I left my bag at Preston’s.” I frown.
He opens his bag and pulls out a T-shirt. “Will this do?” he asks as he hands it to me.
I smile and walk into the bathroom. I wash my face and pull his shirt on. I walk out to him lying in bed with the covers coming just to his waist, showing his bare muscular chest. A nervous energy washes over me, unsure about what might happen. Noticing my hesitation, he gets up and walks over to me wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. My focus on is his well-defined bare chest and the ripples of six-pack abs. He stands in front of me rubbing his hands slowly up and down my arms.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nervous, I guess,” I admit, wrapping my arms around myself.
“All I want to do tonight is hold you. That’s it. Nothing more. I’m scared if I let you go, I’ll lose you.” He verbalizes my fear. I climb in, and he gets in behind me. He lies down on his back as I place my head on his chest and my hand on his stomach. His usual clean scent mixed with the salty, beach air calms me.
I can’t seem to settle the thoughts floating around my mind, but I know now is not the right time to have a conversation. I fall asleep feeling Ethan’s hand gliding up and down my side.
14
I wakeup to that same sensation. I can’t contain my smile at the feeling of safety and security of being wrapped in Ethan’s arms.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty.”
“Good morning.”
Ethan kisses the top of my head. “I can get used to this real fast.”
I lift my head to look at him. The emotion in his eyes shows. “I can’t think of any other way I would’ve wanted to wake up this morning.”
“I guess we need to get up, huh?” Ethan kisses the top of my head again.
“Nuh-uh, you need to get up. If I’d stayed at Preston’s last night, I would have coffee and breakfast ready for me when I decided to make my way out of bed.” I lift my head to look at him, smirking.
“Is that so? What can I get for my girl?” He rolls me over and sits up, breaking our physical contact. I don’t know why but, it sets off a nervous sensation. I desperately want to be back in his embrace. “Coffee?” he asks, turning around to look at me. I must have a pained look on my face because he leans back down, lying half on top of me, holding his weight on his arm. “What’s wrong? Did I do something?” With his free hand, he begins running his fingers down the side of my face.
I shake my head, my emotions jumbled.
“Tell me.” His voice is soothing.
“I…uh…I was so comfortable in your arms…I…just didn’t like it when you…when you pulled away.”
His lips pull out to a huge grin. “Baby girl, I was only getting up because you wanted coffee. I am absolutely, positively content staying here in bed with you all day.” He brings his lips down, pressing soft kisses on my lips. He brushes his nose against mine then pulls away, “So, coffee or me?” A panty-dropping smirk follows his question and stirs an excitement between my legs.
A knock on the door interrupts our moment. “Who is it?” Ethan asks, annoyed.
“Paige. I need to give Sophia her phone. It’s been going off for a few minutes.”
“Come on in.” I tell Paige as Ethan rolls off me, getting out of bed, then heads to the bathroom. Paige opens the door and walks in, sitting on the bed next to me.
Paige doesn’t say anything, just looks at me, raising an eyebrow and pursing her lips. I mouth to her, knowing exactly what she is asking,Nothing happened. I hear the bathroom sink turn on, so I know Ethan can’t hear what I am about to tell Paige.
“I am in heaven, Paige, but I also don’t know what the hell I am doing. When I am with him, it feels right. Do I even make sense?”
“All I am going to say is for you to be careful. You don’t know what happened with Caleb, and you are already jumping in wholeheartedly with Ethan. And…you need to call Caleb. Your phone kept going off, and it was frustrating the hell out of me…so I answered it. I told Caleb you were already down on the beach, and I would get your phone to you. When you call him, that is your story.” Her lips turn down in an apologetic frown.
“Ugh… I’m not ready to talk to him. I don’t even know what to say.”
We hear the sink turn off, so Paige whispers, “Follow your heart, Sof.” She tosses the phone on my lap, gets up, and makes her way to the door, yelling goodbye to Ethan.
There is that damn statement again about following my heart. I wish people would stop saying that, because my heart is not speaking loud enough for me to hear.