Chapter Eleven #3
‘Fine?’ His mouth dropped open and he huffed, before putting a hand against his heart. ‘Ouch.’
She laughed, her real one, natural and rich, when only moments ago she’d been vulnerable and edgy.
Yet his hammed-up self-depreciation was like a tonic for her rawness, lifting her spirits and putting her at ease in a way no-one else could.
‘Okay, more than fine,’ she said, joining in the banter, wanting more of this feeling.
His lips twitched and the teasing glint she was beginning to recognise and couldn’t get enough of reappeared in his eyes. ‘How much more?’
‘Stop fishing for compliments,’ she admonished playfully, and stood straight, no longer needing the bench for support.
He raised his brows. ‘That good, huh?’
‘Let’s say you certainly kept me warm.’
‘I’m all about effective heating strategies.’ His wolfish smile made her tremble for a completely different reason.
‘So I noticed,’ she teased one hundred percent naturally, and it felt awesome. All the tension of trying to be Ivy drained away in the fun. ‘Let’s face it, WillowGlen needs some during late autumn.’
‘Ain’t that the truth. And we’ve still got two weeks and a bit to go.’ He shivered dramatically.
‘Luckily, I have my extra-thick dressing gown to keep me warm.’ Technically she hadn’t worn it since being here. Maybe it was time she dragged it out and gave Annie’s wardrobe a run for a change.
‘Is that so? I don’t see you wearing it now, and what if I want my jumper back?’
‘You want it back now?’ She meant it to come out as playful, but instead it was laced with meaning, immediately bringing the awareness between them charging back.
She moistened her dry lips.
He tilted his head. ‘Yes. But then you’d be cold.’
Cold! She’d been cold for so very long. Temptation beat at the warmth only he could offer. Warning bells clanged in her head as the consequences of what she’d done swirled around her. She was a murderer. And Ethan didn’t know.
But we’re only here another fortnight! she reasoned desperately. She wasn’t falling for Ethan, thereby endangering her pact and why she’d needed one in the first place. That would never alter, so he was safe from her. When she left, as planned, Ivy would reappear and nothing would have changed.
Could she do it? Put herself out there and ask Ethan to continue warming her until then? It would help with their plans for WillowGlen, she reasoned, because when they worked as a team, amazing things happened. Her body quivered. Not only in bed.
She gathered her courage, Annie in full control. ‘I would be cold. What a shame that your heat-saving idea was a one-off occasion. That’s not very sustainable, nor very friendly.’
His eyes flared, and she knew he’d got her meaning. Relief flowed through her, that he wasn’t backing away horror-struck. There was no disgust, only interest, attraction and a recognition of what they’d shared.
‘I believe it was more than once,’ he replied, his gravelly tone holding heat of a different kind, causing a response to roar up her body, along her neck and across her cheeks at the memories.
‘But let’s not quibble about such details.
You liked my strategies?’ His question raced across her still-tender flesh.
Liked? She didn’t think there was a word strong enough for how much she’d liked them. Still she shrugged nonchalantly. ‘There was definitely merit to them. But I’d really need to test them again to be sure.’
‘Really? A slow learner?’ He dug his hands into his back pockets and raised his eyebrows.
She chuckled. ‘Very. I’d need until we leave here to completely test them.’
He stilled. ‘Seventeen days?’
Had she made a terrible mistake? She rubbed suddenly clammy hands against her trousers.
‘Only until we leave WillowGlen. It’s about conserving heating, Ethan.
Nothing more,’ she clarified, dead serious.
‘Friends with benefits for just over two weeks, but if that doesn’t interest you, forget I said anything. ’
‘I’m not interested…’ He paused and walked around the kitchen island. Her stomach turned to lead, waiting for his clarification. ‘I’m not interested in a relationship, anything permanent, even for a short period of time. I need you to understand that.’
‘Neither am I. In fact, it’s the very last thing I want.’
‘Really?’ His eyes narrowed.
‘Absolutely.’
For a heart-stopping moment his gaze drilled into hers.
‘Right!’ he said. ‘Now that’s cleared up, I’m definitely interested…’ A slow smile spread across his face. ‘Very interested, in fact, in practicing effective friends with benefits heating strategies with you until we leave here.’
She squealed on the inside. Ethan was on board. He understood and he didn’t want anything more, either.
Relief flowed, Ivy could take a break.
For seventeen days.
After which, everything would go back to normal.
‘In that case, please call me Annie.’
He jolted before taking a step towards her. ‘Thank you.’
Her heart pounding in anticipation, she felt blood rush in her ears.
‘We’d better get started then, Annie…’