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My stomach plummets to the floor when we walk into the coffee shop, and I see Mariana sitting right next to her sister.
Sofia waves, and Mariana shoots me a cheeky, heavy-lidded smile.
Naughty girl.
Oh fuck, not these fantasies again. Not here of all places. Goddamn it, what is she even doing here?
I force myself to focus on Sofia and greet her with a warm hug. As we sit, Mariana’s eyes bore into me, and tingles run down the length of my spine.
Why do I get the feeling she can read my thoughts? That she knows I beat my cock last night with thoughts of her pretty tongue lapping up my come?
I force a smile. “You don’t trust me and Ethan alone with your big sister?”
That mischievous smile returns to Mari’s face, and my stomach ties into knots. Just as she opens her mouth, Sofia speaks over her. “I hope you don’t mind. I figured since Ethan was coming…”
When Sofia swallows, my gut sinks. It must have been obvious that I’m disconcerted by Mariana’s presence.
I can’t have that.
“I don’t mind at all,” I say, “and I can tell you right away that you’ve made my brother’s day.”
“You sure did.” Ethan grins, his gaze shifting to Mariana. “Good thing we have two chaperones, or else you’d be in trouble.”
My teeth clench. Why did I have to encourage him? Now he’s going to flirt with her all morning.
And I’m going to want to punch him.
Mariana shoots Ethan that cheeky smile I’ve come to adore. “Oh, Ethan, honey, you’re the one who needs a chaperone with me around.”
Ethan’s jaw drops into an open-mouthed smile. “You’re a wild one, Mari. That’s what I love about you.”
Sofia shoots Ethan a playful frown. “You’re not sounding like the good Christian boy I know, Ethan Harrington.”
He frowns at her. “Boy? I can legally drink now.”
I pat Ethan’s back, but the gesture is much harder than I intended. Shit. I don’t want him to know that his attempt to annoy me—as I’m now almost certain this is—is a raving success. “But you don’t drink. Because you’re a good Christian boy. So maybe you should stop sexually harassing our coffee date.”
“Hey,” Ethan says. “I didn’t say anything sexual. You all read into it.”
I cock a brow. “I’m surprised you would say you like wild women when you tell me over and over again you don’t have a thing for Lily.”
Ethan’s smile fades, and a pang of guilt tugs at my chest. Why the fuck did I do that? He’s obviously infatuated with the troubled girl, and it’s a betrayal of his confidence to bring it up with strangers.
What is going on with me? My lust for Mariana is loosening my grip on my integrity.
But I suppose that’s what I’ve learned about my own integrity. I’m not built like people who have an inward compass. I inherited my dad’s morality. I have to keep my eyes on the stars. Even a momentary lapse could find me lost beneath an unexpected veil of clouds.
“Who’s Lily?”
“She not— She’s…” Ethan shuts his eyes, smiling. “He’s just saying that to get back at me for flirting with you two. She’s a girl I’ve been ministering to.”
“Ministering.” Mariana hums the word. “I’ll bet you are.”
Ethan chuckles, and it’s a relief after his earlier discomfort. How does she always do this? She always knows exactly what to say to break the tension.
She’s so adorably playful all the time.
“It really is about ministry,” Ethan says. “Believe me, she’s not my type. She’s beyond wild. She’s kind of a…disaster. And I know that sounds really judgmental, and I kind of hate saying it, but…” He shrugs.
