“We should get the s’mores stuff,” she said on a shaky breath. “Josh probably told them we were on our way.”
“Yeah.” He scooped up the bag.
They headed back to the party in heavy silence, her legs wobbly from the electrifying lust. He overwhelmed her. It both scared her and exhilarated her. God, she was a mess.
When the party finally broke up late that night, Ethan appeared at her side. “Ready?”
She bit her lip, teetering on the edge ofbig mistakeandwhy the hell not.
“Ally?”
If he touched her, she would’ve caved immediately, but he didn’t. He just stood there, giving her the space she needed to think rationally. So she did what was probably the right thing to do, though the words sort of clogged in her throat. “Thanks, but I’m going to catch a ride home with Missy and the girls.” She cleared her throat. “We live in the same building.”
He pulled her away from their friends and behind the privacy of a large pine tree. “Please don’t avoid me. I won’t kiss you again if you don’t want me to.” He searched her expression. “Just tell me, okay?”
She shook her head. “It’s okay. It was just…let’s call it…” She trailed off, no words adequate enough to describe what she was feeling. It was a full moon, maybe that could explain—
“Crazy lust,” Ethan supplied for her.
She stared at him. “Yes! Exactly. Crazy. Like my mind just left the building.” She walked her fingers away from her head.
He wrapped an arm around her, tipping her into him. His voice was gravelly. “That’s the best kind.”
She felt herself softening, pressed against his delicious heat, breathing in his woodsy scent and pure Ethan.
He dipped his head slowly, closer and closer.
She stopped breathing.
He waited, his breath a soft caress against her lips.
She let out a shaky sigh.
Then she grabbed his head, kissing him passionately, giving in to what she could no longer resist. His response was immediate, the kind of fiery kiss that left no question where this was going. Intense. Hot. Erotic.
She tore her mouth away, still pressed tight against him, breathing hard. “Eth.”
“Yeah,” he said, his voice low and rough.
“I’m sharing a fact with you pertinent to this moment on the condition that you do not smirk.”
“Got it.”
“I believe I’m dangerously close to being a virgin.”
He blew out a harsh breath. “No way. What about that guy at the reunion? You said you were with him for four years.”
She sighed and played with the hair at the nape of his neck. “Sadly, it has beenmumblesince I’ve last done the hokeypokey.”
He laughed.
She dropped her arms and glared at him. “You said you wouldn’t—”
“Hey, that wasn’t a smirk.” He pulled her tight against him, smiling, his white teeth bright in the relative dark. “Are you telling me it’s beenmumblesince you’ve last been with a man?”
“Yes.”
He stroked her hair back from her face. “I might be able to do something about that.”
