Page 114 of Lovestrung

“Hold on,” he stopped me, hands splayed on my ass, and when he lifted me up, I clamped my legs around him.

“Ethan, put me down,” I laughed.

But he only smirked at me as he walked from his living room and into his bathroom.

“You’re exactly where you need to be,” he grinned. “In my arms.”

My heart melted.

“Sometimes, you really do say the most perfect, romantic things to me.”

His eyes warmed, making my breath hitch from the tenderness he didn’t hide from me. I thought I saw a faint blush creep up his neck and opened my mouth to tease him about it, but he silenced me with his lips.

I sighed into his mouth.

My teasing could wait. His lips couldn’t – nor should they.

But in the back of my mind, I was amazed at the fact that even after all this time, he was still able to surprise me.

And that was pretty damn exquisite as well.

* * *

"All right, spill the beans,” I smiled at Ethan and blew on the hot chocolate steaming in my cup. “What did you want to talk with me about?”

Once again, I found myself perched on the kitchen counter, but since I hadn’t brought a bag – which, come to think of it, I really should’ve done – I was wearing one of his T-shirts. My damp hair was hidden in a towel, away from my face. Ethan was in his usual gray sweats hanging low on his hips, which meant that every thirty seconds or so, I got distracted by his abs and that delicious V at his hips.

Well, he was gorgeous, so I couldn’t really be blamed for losing my train of thoughts.

He took a sip before he put his cup down and caged me in. “Your living arrangements.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. “What about them?”

“You should move in with me.”

I coughed, a marshmallow having got caught in my throat. “Excuse me?” I spluttered.

He rubbed soothing circles on my back, but I was far from soothed.

“You heard me.”

“You’re crazy. I can’t move in with you.”

He tilted his head at me.

“No, I’m not, and why can’t you move in?”

I told him the same thing I’d told Gramps.

“Because I want to live on my own. I’ve never done that, Ethan, and I think it’s important.”

He frowned, clearly unhappy with my decision.

“I’m not budging on this.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and straightened my spine as he pursed his lips. I started to feel a little apprehensive when a calculating gleam came into his eyes.

“All right, then. How’s the apartment hunting going for you?”