Chapter 19
Don’t let Rose make you feel bad.
You had such a shitty start to the year.
You deserve to have some fun.
Message from Kate to Grace
Grace
I took one last deep breath before holding the key card to the reader on Ethan’s door.
The familiar click of the lock sounded, and I pushed the door open.
I didn’t know if he would be home. He hadn’t been there yesterday because of his dad’s trial, but today was Saturday, and he didn’t have uni or court.
The mere thought of seeing him again after our night in the pool made my heart leap into my throat, while the rest of my body tingled at the bittersweet memory.
The sceptical part of me was still waiting to feel regret, but it never came.
I was satisfied and grateful for the time we’d spent together, which had taken my worries away for a few hours.
That kind of distraction was just what I’d needed—and still did.
As soon as I stepped into the penthouse, I heard Ethan.
From his home gym came the muffled sound of footsteps on a springy surface.
He was on the treadmill. I briefly considered letting him know I was there but decided against it.
Things shouldn’t be any different between us, let alone awkward.
It was best for everything to stay just as it was—only with the occasional additional hookup, if Ethan was up for it.
I parked my cleaning trolley and the hoover in the flat and got to work, even though there was shockingly little for me to do.
I started in the bedroom with the adjoining master bathroom, since Ethan would probably want to shower after his workout.
The thought alone conjured images of us standing naked together under the water while I returned yesterday’s favour.
I shook my head vigorously to dispel the fantasy, which would only get me in trouble.
After wiping down the porcelain, polishing the metal, and removing smudges from the glass, I made Ethan’s bed.
I headed for the open-plan kitchen with the empty glass from his bedside table and loaded it into the dishwasher along with the shaker that still held the last dregs of a protein shake.
Then I turned my attention to the living room.
Just as I was plumping the sofa cushions, the door to the gym opened, and Ethan stepped into the room.
He had his headphones on and was staring at his phone, so he didn’t notice me right away.
It gave me the chance to admire his athletic body.
He was wearing only his trainers and a pair of tight running shorts.
It wasn’t until my cleaning trolley was blocking his way that he looked up.
His gaze darted around the room before landing on me.
My heart, which had been beating far too fast in anticipation of seeing him again, froze in my chest, as if time itself had stopped between us.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
A smile spread across Ethan’s face, and it was as though his mouth was connected to mine by an invisible string, because my lips lifted too—along with my mood.
I hadn’t exactly been feeling badly before; I was still riding on the afterglow of the orgasms he’d given me.
But the pitying looks from my colleagues this morning had dampened my spirits again.
Just seeing Ethan, though, instantly cheered me up.
Which was remarkable, considering that just a few months ago, his presence had had the opposite effect.
He took off his headphones. “Hi.”
“Hey, Beelzebub,” I said, a little breathless.
“I didn’t hear you.”
“I heard you,” I replied, realising afterwards how odd it sounded.
I suddenly felt awkward, which had never happened to me around him before.
Not even after my breakdown, which should have been far more humiliating.
But apparently, the fact that Ethan now knew what I sounded like when I came had changed things more than I’d expected.
I cleared my throat and hurriedly asked a question to distract from my uninspired reply.
“How was your workout?”
“OK.” He set down his headphones and phone and came towards me.
Sweat glistened on his skin, and suddenly, my fantasy returned—not of us in the shower together, but one in which I licked the sweat from his body.
It was a slightly disgusting thought, yet somehow enticing.
“That was my second workout today, so I wasn’t really on top form,” he added. “But I needed a distraction.”
“Distraction?” I asked, as if the word were new to me. “What from?”
“You.” He stopped in front of me. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes sparkled as he looked down at me. I didn’t know what it was about his gaze, but something in it sent a heat spreading through my stomach and made me wet between my thighs. I quickly pressed my legs together.
“Me?”
Ethan nodded and raised his hand. He touched my face tenderly. My cheek. My jaw. “I haven’t been able to think about anything but this mouth since Thursday.” He ran his thumb across my lower lip. “And about how amazing it felt to have my fingers inside you, fucking you.”
The last words made my legs go weak. I didn’t know how to respond.
That it had felt amazing for me too? Or was that a lame reply?
Maybe Ethan was right, and I really was more the lovemaking type, because I had no idea how to handle this situation.
My mind was completely blank. I tried a different approach.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. ”
Ethan raised his eyebrows. “Oh, really?”
“No, sorry,” I replied, shaking my head in exaggerated denial. “Whatever happened on Thursday can’t have made much of an impression if I’ve already forgotten it.”
The corner of Ethan’s lips twitched as he realised what game I was playing. He took another step towards me, and I was hit by his scent. “Maybe you forgot after I made you lose your mind that night,” he said, his voice smooth as velvet, low and seductive. “Want me to help you remember?”