Chapter Five
ETHAN
Fuck me.
Those curves.
That ass.
I’d turned the corner, walked into the kitchen, and the sight of her made me pause. My eyes scanned her, taking in every inch. Up and down. Repeatedly. Curves I wanted to grab and hold on to. A body I wanted to crawl to and worship.
As if the last seven years without her had been a figment of my imagination. I knew it was her, even if I hadn’t set eyes on her after all this time.
The need to claim her; the need to mark her. It hit me like a punch to the gut, taking the breath out of me. The only thing I could think of was how much she was undeniably mine.
She’s not yours. I argue with myself internally, even though everything about this girl calls to me.
The thought of leaving the room makes me nauseous.
The idea of never being near her again sucks the oxygen from my lungs.
She is my breath, my lifeline. I didn’t expect to feel like this when I saw her for the first time again.
It only made the need that much stronger.
I thought when I saw her again I would feel anger or nothing at all, perhaps a numbness.
I was stuck, and all I could do was wait for her reaction. To say something. Do something. Fucking anything!
The little dress she wears clings to every curve. She’s always been beautiful. Now, she’s a gorgeous goddess. Fuck me, that body. I need to relearn every curve—every dip. Daisy is still a petite little thing, standing nearly a solid foot shorter than me.
“Daisy, did you seriously not know?” My jaw clenches as I continue to look her over. Again.
It feels like a tease, her standing here when I can’t touch her. Fuck, how I want to show her just how much she is still undeniably mine. She looks incredible. I don’t know what I was thinking when I assumed this would be a good idea. I knew she would be here.
Those stunning blue eyes go from wide, then narrow, then soft. Every expression written clearly on her face and in those eyes.
Andrew let me know she would be here, but why didn’t he tell her? It was a team dinner, of course I would be here. Unless—she didn’t know I got traded. It’s been a few months in the making, but the Miles family were freakishly close. Me being here is something he should’ve told his cousin.
I could lie to myself and say I never thought about her.
.. or what she looked like… or what she was up to.
I felt like a stalker, following her on social media without actually hitting that follow button.
On all of it. Every fucking platform. Her social media didn’t give too much away, not on a personal level that I cared for.
I knew what she looked like, but it was different seeing her in person after all this time.
It took a long time for me to admit it to myself—I still cared.
I knew she stayed busy baking, starting up her little bakery.
She’d always love to bake and be in the kitchen, it fit her.
It was incredible to notice how her following grew online from sharing something she was passionate about.
Between that and helping on the family ranch, I saw little get posted about her personal life. It was all pictures of food and the ranch, things I should’ve been seeing for my fucking self. I didn’t know if she even had a man in her life. Was she still seeing that guy—the one she left me for?
I didn’t want to care, but I did.
I never stopped, not really.
Daisy had always been too good for me. I knew once I left for college, it would only be a matter of time before someone else came around and swept her off her feet, even if I hoped it wouldn’t happen.
She deserved that and more, not that I didn’t want to give it to her.
I wanted to be the one to give her everything.
I made all these plans in my head about what our future would look like together.
Then it changed. All of it.
Every.
Fucking.
Part.
All the plans for forever, gone.
It’s why I swore off women, at least for anything more than a one-night stand. It was too easy for them to rip your heart out, even unintentionally. The heart wants what it wants.
The proof was standing in front of me. Her blue eyes narrowed on mine. The same eyes I used to swear I could swim in. Get lost in.
I thought it would be different, seeing her in person. As if I could feel nothing. Boy, was I wrong. My fascination with Daisy Miles felt amplified. I was a man possessed. After years of not being able to put my eyes on her in person, I couldn’t stop staring. I didn’t want to look away.
If it were possible, I’d wrap my arms around her and never let go. I didn’t know, nor did I care if she was even seeing anyone. She still feels like mine.
This is insane. I have to be crazy.
“No, nobody told me.” She swallows.
“Yo, Ethan. I see you met Daisy. She’s Andrew’s cousin and makes the best baked goods.” Jude walks into the kitchen, clearly oblivious that he is interrupting something.
“Yeah, Ethan’s from here.” Daisy smiles at him. I hate it, hate him. I want her smiles. “I’m going to say bye to my cousin.”
“That’s right, I forgot you and Andrew were friends growing up too.” Jude glances from me to Daisy. “I thought you were staying for dinner. You normally do.” Jude walks up closer.
“She is,” I interrupt. I’m not ready for her to leave.
Her mouth opens as if she wants to argue. “Um. I.” She sighs.
“Daisy and I go back. Way back.” I put my arm around her shoulder.
Jude cocks a brow, then bites back his laugh. “Okay.” He nods. “Noted. I’m going to grab a couple of beers.” Jude walks to the fridge to grab them, then walks out of the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” Daisy pushes my arm off of her shoulder.
“I thought it was obvious.” I’m marking my fucking territory. It doesn’t matter if she has a boyfriend. That was over. If she has a husband, that’s a bigger problem. One glance at her hand and I can tell that isn’t an issue. She’s not wearing a ring and there’s no sign of her wearing one regularly.
“No. This.” She shakes her head. “No.”
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Please say no.
Daisy rolls her eyes. “Ethan.”
“Answer the question.” I step closer. She throws her hands up between us as if she can stop me from advancing. I back her up to the counter and brace my hands on either side before leaning in close to her ear. “Tell me.”
She attempts to shove me away. “No,” she whispers.
I pull back slightly until our faces are barely an inch apart. Her eyes stay narrowed on mine.
When I was younger, she felt like forever.
Daisy felt like the one. All this time, I feared she would be the one that got away.
The one that occupied every spare moment and the reason I could never form a relationship with another woman.
As if I’d messed it up by not being enough, because I thought she had found someone better.
She could fight me all she wanted, but I wouldn’t let her tear us apart again. I wouldn’t let it happen. She could hate me for pushing, but I can fix it. I can fix us. With time, I can mend everything if she will just fucking let me.
“Ethan,” my name slips from her lips like a whispered warning before her gaze flickers to my lips, then back up to my eyes.
Game. Fucking. Over.
My lips crash into hers, as if I can leave a permanent mark on them. Firm and nearly bruising. I don’t want to stop. I can’t. She’s my gravity, the center of the universe, my fucking oxygen.
Daisy stops fighting it and kisses me back with equal urgency. A rumble forms in my chest. It comes out of nowhere, like a growl. This primal urge to possess her takes over. I’m a man obsessed.
And just as sudden as it starts, it’s over. She pushes me away. All I can do is look down at her. Daisy covers her mouth and looks away.
“Look at me,” I whisper. She ignores me. “Daisy.”
The back door opens. “What’s going on?”
I ignore Andrew. My eyes staying focused on Daisy. She is all that matters at this moment, but she’s ignoring me. I take a couple of steps back, even though every part of me argues to remain where I was. I don’t want to be away from her.
“Nothing,” she answers him, then swiftly leaves the kitchen.
I need to follow her and not let her leave. Andrew’s hand on my shoulder had me pausing. “Still?”
I groan and step back. “I’m not going to let her go again.”
“Again?”
“Whatever made me not be enough before.” My eyes narrow on him and grind my teeth. “It was too easy for her to meet someone else, but he clearly isn’t around anymore.”
“Ethan.” Andrew starts and shakes his head. “We’re team mates and friends. Daisy is my cousin, though. I know the articles aren’t all true, but I hear how you are with women.”
“It’s not like that with her. It never was,” I argue.
“She’s not like the women I’ve seen you pictured with.” He steps forward. “I won’t let you hurt her.”
“That’s the last fucking thing I want.” I groan and run my hand through my hair. “Andrew, I fucking swear it isn’t like that. I can promise you.” I inhale deeply and let it out slow before continuing. “There’s something still there. If she’ll give me a chance, I’m taking it.”
I’m taking my chance. I won’t let her say no. Not that I’m going to tell Andrew. He wouldn’t understand. It’s as if somewhere in the deepest part of me knows the truth. Everything clicks into place.
When you know, you know.
“What’s going on here?” Bennett enters the kitchen. His brow raised. I can tell he wants to step closer in case he needs to step between Andrew and I.
“I just need a minute.” I move to the back door.
As if a little fresh air is all I need to cool down. I know this property like the back of my hand. Daisy isn’t getting away from me again. Not now. Not ever.