Chapter 14
Chelsea turned to Ethan and slid her hands up his chest to circle the back of his neck. His hands slid gently around her waist, his eyes searching hers.
She smiled at him. “I trust you, Ethan. I want to see if we’ve both improved at this since we were younger.”
His chuckle sent a shot of heat through her. “I can guarantee I’ve improved from the nervous, fumbling teenager I was back then.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Prove it.”
“With pleasure.” His lips touched hers, firm and persuasive, teasing, tempting her to open for him.
She willingly did, tasting him, a taste as familiar to her as the coffee she drank every morning.
They’d spent hours making out as teenagers and fumbling with clothes, hormones ready, but not sure what to do.
This kiss had none of the messy fumbling, but all the desire as she rose to her toes and met kiss for passionate kiss.
She ran her hands through his short hair as his fingers brushed her waist at the spot her shirt met her waistband, teasing them both.
“More.” She tried to pull away so she could remove her shirt, but Ethan wouldn’t let her go.
“Give me a second, Chels. I’m struggling between wanting to devour you in seconds and savouring you for hours.
” He kissed slowly down her neck. “I’ve dreamed about making love to you in so many ways for years.
I want to do them all at once and I don’t want to stuff up this first time we’re together again. ”
His confession tamped some of the urgency zinging through her body but only ramped up her desire for him. She arched her neck to give him better access and groaned as his tongue tickled her sensitive skin. “I vote for all the ways. We’ve got all night.”
He groaned and captured her lips again, drawing her closer, and shifting them back towards the bed.
She slid her hands up his back, feeling his warm, hard muscles under her fingertips.
So much harder than the lean teen he had been, and infinitely more so than the few other men she’d been with over the years.
Every inch of him was a warrior.
The back of her legs hit the bed, and he held her steady so she didn’t fall. His fingers deftly undid the buttons of her shirt until it gaped open. He pushed it off her shoulders and she let go of him long enough to let it fall away.
His hands cupped her breasts, thumbs rubbing her already peaked nipples through her sensible cotton bra. Fire raced through her, heating her core as he dipped his head to take one nipple into his mouth.
She moaned, feeling his hardness pressed against her.
“You’re beautiful, Chelsea.” He unclasped her bra and then his fingers and mouth were against her flesh.
Holy mother. Her whole body felt as if it was about to combust. She rubbed against him as her hands struggled to lift his shirt.
He drew back for only long enough to strip off his top before gathering her into his arms. He started to lower them to the bed and paused, a laugh escaping him.
Chelsea blinked. “What?”
Before she could process, he picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.
“Our first time might have been in that single bed, but we can do better this time around.”
She chuckled. Of course. She hadn’t even processed that in her desire for him. He carried her across the hall to his room and she used the opportunity to nibble on his neck and rub her aching parts against his.
His breath panted as he lowered her onto the double bed. “You’re killing me, Chels.” He made quick work of undoing her skirt, and it fell to the floor.
She lay on the bed in her underpants as he stepped out of the rest of his clothing.
Wow. Ethan had filled out in all the right places. Her eyes scanned his body, noting scars which hadn’t been there before. She’d ask him about them later, but right now, she wanted his body against hers.
She held up her arms to bring him in and he grinned, climbing onto the bed, but staying down by her crotch. His fingers brushed her dampness, and she arched her hips, needing more.
“I’ve dreamt about your taste.” He dipped a finger underneath the hem of her underpants. “Wondered whether it was as incredible as I remember.” He brushed her clitoris and then went lower, sliding between her wetness.
Chelsea gasped. “More.”
He nodded. “There’s so much more I’m going to do with you.” He brought his finger to his mouth and sucked, his eyes closing as he savoured her taste.
Chelsea hadn’t thought she could be more aroused, but she was wrong.
He groaned and opened his eyes. “You taste better than I remembered.” In an instant, he slid her panties down and threw them on the floor. Then he settled between her legs and licked her long and slowly.
Shots of pleasure filled her, and she moaned. “Please.”
He licked her again, and then again, taking his time as the desire built inside her. She needed him, wanted to feel him inside of her. “Please,” she begged, unable to form more words.
He slid two fingers inside her and she tried to arch off the bed, but he pinned her to it, slowly licking and thrusting his fingers at the same pace as the sweet agony of pleasure increased. “More.”
“You’ll get more,” he murmured, the vibrations of his voice adding to the sensations. “But first I need you to come for me, honey.” He thrust and licked her again, and she was caught in his thrall. Another lick and thrust. “Come for me.”
She was helpless to refuse his demand. The wave of pleasure peaked, and she cried out as her orgasm swept through her body, over and over again as he touched her.
She gasped, her breaths nothing but pants as she climaxed and came down.
Ethan withdrew his fingers and licked his lips. “Better than all my fantasies.” He slid up her body, kissing her as he went, and drew her into his arms. His grin was playful. “Better than the last time we did this?”
Chelsea didn’t have the energy to laugh. “Are you done?”
His grin turned wicked. “Not even close.” His next kiss was demanding, drawing more from her and she clung to him as the heat built again.
“I ache for you, Chelsea.”
“Then take what you want.”
He groaned as he shifted, grabbed a condom out of the pocket of his pants, and slid it on. He covered her with his body again, holding himself just above her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Please. I need all of you.”
He slid into her, filling her, and she arched into him. The feel of his weight against her, his body inside her was exquisite. She raised her hips, encouraging him to move.
“Give me a minute, honey. I’m savouring the moment. I never thought I’d be here again and you feel so much better than I remember.”
His words filled her with another kind of pleasure, the type which fed the centre of her mind and heart.
Then he moved, slowly at first, drawing out each stroke. He kissed her chest, her neck and finally her lips, and the depth of his passion soothed her. She met him kiss for kiss, thrust for thrust, as the tempo increased.
He lifted her hips so the angle rubbed against all her pleasure receptors and her climax built. “Yes.”
“Come for me again, honey.”
His order, followed by a deep thrust, tipped her over the edge and her orgasm exploded from her. He groaned as his climax followed, pleasure covering his face.
When they were done, he collapsed next to her on the bed, pulling her close.
Chelsea smiled at his heavy breathing, glad she wasn’t the only one overcome. She kissed the base of his neck. “I’d say we’ve both improved a little.”
His choked laugh sent love careening through her body, and she grinned.
***
The scent of wood smoke tickled Ethan’s nose, and he woke. It took him a second to realise he was in the spare bedroom and he held Chelsea in his arms. He smiled, snuggling in as the smell hit him again. He frowned. Definitely smoke.
At this time of year it shouldn’t be a bush fire, but the bush did border them on two sides. He slipped out of bed and padded naked to the window, pulling the blind aside to look out.
Bright orange flames greeted him, moving across the overgrown grass. Fuck. “Chelsea!” He dragged on his pants and slapped on a light to find his shirt.
“What?” She bolted upright in bed, blinking, her eyes blurry with sleep.
“The garden’s on fire. I need you to call the fire brigade.” He slid on his shoes as she nodded and threw back the sheets, grabbing her phone and glancing towards the window. She reached for her shirt.
“Fire brigade first,” he ordered. “Then come and grab a hose.”
He thundered down the stairs, struggling for a moment to unlock the back door, and then raced around the corner of the house to where the garden hose was kept.
It wasn’t there.
He swore, frantically looking around. He’d used it two days ago to water some of the garden beds he’d weeded, and there was no reason for Chelsea to have moved it.
The smoke was thicker here and heat already radiated from the flames.
But there was another hose closer to the fire, on the corner of the main house garden and the public area.
He plunged through the tall grasses and found it in place.
Quickly he turned the tap and to his relief, water poured out.
He directed the spray on the grass in front of him, wetting it down as he moved towards the high, out of control flames.
Mother nature out of control.
Just like the tsunami.
His feet locked and his chest tightened as he struggled to move forward towards the danger.
There was no way to control the fire.
He was at its mercy.
A shout broke through the haze of panic. He turned his head.
Barry ran towards him. He’d forgotten about the lawnmower man.
“Where’s the ride-on mower?” Barry shouted.
The question shocked him out of his fear. If they could cut a fire break, it would slow the flames. The volunteer fire-fighters would take at least half an hour to get here. He thrust the hose at Barry. “I’ll get it.”
And start the sprinklers. No telling what condition they were in, but they might work.