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“I could be thinking anything.” She peered up at him, pressing her lips together.
“That’s what I’m counting on.”
It was rude to stare at his lips this much. Confusing, at least. Frustrating, probably. But Ethan didn’t look frustrated, and the smile he gave her only made it harder to look away.
Neither of them moved. Neither spoke. How long would he let her look? And why wasn’t he making a move? He’d already told her he wanted to. And surely he knew she was thinking about it. It would save them both if he leaned forward and kissed her.
But he didn’t.
“You still want to kiss me.” It wasn’t a question.
The butterflies had grown restless, migrating to her chest, their wings rattling against her rib cage, or maybe that was the sound of her heart fluttering. It was hard to tell over the growing chant ofkiss him, kiss him, kiss himthat was rushing between her ears.
“Indy,” Ethan started.
She didn’t let him finish.
His lips were warm and soft but held no hesitation. They parted willingly, and Indy wondered if he’d known that this would happen tonight. If he’d deliberately waited, knowing she’d pounce.
Spontaneity wasn’t something she had experience in. Trying was always safer in private, practicing with baby steps until she was confident enough to let other people see. Even her drafts weren’t shared until she perfected them. It was far too terrifying.
But, of course, it was different with Ethan. Maybe it was his steady hold, cupping her waist in his broad hands. Or the slow, deep strokes of his tongue.
The smell of pine was stronger now, surrounding her, and she pressed up farther, wanting more, sliding a hand up his shoulder to the back of his neck, the soft hairs there tickling her palm. Indy had never realized it was possible to feel like she was both floating and rooted in place.
His breath stuttered when she dug her nails in, the sound making her want to push, find out what else he liked, what his skin would feel like against hers, the way his calluses would feel against her bare skin. Between her thighs.
If leaning down hurt his neck, Indy couldn’t tell. There was a calm in letting Ethan lead, as though he’d simply been waiting for her signal to move. Patiently waiting while she made up her mind.
She was never impulsive. The urge was there, itching under her skin, but she’d always been a little too afraid to give in to it. She’d gotten close once or twice, stepped right up to the line on one occasion, but was far more content to stand and spectate. She’d always gotten the inkling that if she said what she was thinking or did the spontaneous thing, she’d regret it. And if Indy didn’t have the resolve for impulse, she had even less capacity for embarrassment. Easier to be preemptively apologetic than face the consequences.
With Nick, she’d wanted to be reckless.
Ethan made her want to be daring.
ChapterTen
Indy was struggling.
Ha. A minor understatement.
She’d kissed Ethan.
Twelve hours ago, she’d thrown hesitation out the window and finally learned how talented his mouth really was.
Before promptly panicking and asking for a time-out.
Ethan, because he was clearly the most understanding man in the known universe (and probably some unknown ones as well), had kissed her cheek, driven her home, and wished her sweet dreams.
And maybe those dreams would have come, if she hadn’t been up all night asking herself what she was going to do next.
Was she really ready to give up on Nick? She held the bracelet in her hands, admiring the links, the delicate gold in good condition, considering it had been stuffed in a box for over a decade. The metal must be of decent quality, which was all the more reason for her to give it back to the man it belonged to.
The one she’d set out to find.
But what about Ethan?
The bracelet winked at her in the light. Indy wanted to pitch it into the river and be done with it. Instead, she settled for throwing it across the room, not bothering to pay attention to where it landed.
