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“What?” Tami looked at where I pointed, then back to the rest of the guys still gathered at the bar. “No way. He’s probably just getting some fresh air. This is theperfecttime to go for it! Get out there, Hottiepants! Go get him!”
She gave me a shove, and I took one reluctant step, then two. My risk-calculating mind was revved up about all the things that could go wrong, but I silenced it and freed my body to go where it wanted ... and it pulled me straight out the door to Ethan.
“Hey,” I said as I approached.
He leaned against the side of the red trolley and abruptly straightened when I came up to him.
“Oh, uh, hey,” he said, and I couldn’t help but think I detected nerves in his voice.
“Hey,” I repeated, my own nerves crackling to life as our eyes connected. Just like every other time I looked into them, every molecule in my body lit up like tiny little bursts of fireworks, flooding me with warmth from the inside out.
He shifted on his feet. “I, uh, I was actually gonna come find you and talk to you about something. What are, uh, watcha doing out here?”
I bit my lip as I glanced at his.
You can do this. Just be brave. Be free. You only live once, Ivy.
“This,” I answered, stepping forward and sliding my hands across his face as I pushed my lips against his.
The little fireworks popping off inside of me exploded into a huge light show when he wrapped his arms around my waist and yanked me against him. I melted into his body, the space between us disappearing as he slid his hands up my back and pressed me into the length of his body.
I moaned, and he slipped his tongue inside my open mouth. I met it with mine, twisting them together as he deepened our kiss. He spun me around, pinning me to the side of the trolley and caging me in with his arms as he crushed my mouth with a kiss so deep it may as well have been bottomless. A kiss that made me feel more alive than I’d ever imagined.
I grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pulling him against me. He softened his kiss, then took my lip between his teeth and gave it a soft pull. When he let go, his eyes, burning with desire, locked with mine.
“What are you doing, Ivy?”
“What I have wanted to do all along.” I levered up on my toes and softly brushed my lips against his.
He pulled back just out of my reach, causing my brow to furrow.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my nerves starting to overtake me.
“I’m trying to stop you from making another drunken mistake.”
“I’m not drunk,” I answered quickly.
Ethan laughed, his lips still so close I felt his breath brush across my mine.
“I’m not this time. I swear. No shots.”
He exhaled a long breath. “You said you weren’t drunk in Paradise Isles, and that was, in fact, a lie.”
I reached up and slid my hand around his neck, dragging my fingertips across the back of his neck.
“Fuck,” he breathed out, pressing his forehead to mine. “That’s not fair, Ivy. I’m only so strong, you know. I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do.”
“Ethan,” I leaned up, looking him square in the eye. “I’m not drunk this time, I swear it. It’s not booze making me desperate to kiss you right now. It’s you. Just you. And I’m done denying myself. I’m done overthinking things. I’m done watching life pass me by because I’m too scared to go after what I want. And right now, what I want is you.”
His shoulders lifted with his quickening breaths. “You’re sure this is what you want?”
“Yes,” I breathed as I leaned up, brushing my lips against his.
He slid his hand behind my head and gripped it tight. “You have no fucking idea how badly I want this, Ivy, but you need to be sure.”
He stared into my eyes, searching for the certainty I knew he needed. I let the desire I had for him run free through my body and out through my heated gaze.
I want this.
