Page 29 of Enemies Under One Roof

Was it just attraction?

A ripple raced down his spine. The air around him shifted, and the slightest hint of spring scents teased. She’d moved behind him. He sucked in a fortifying breath, reminded himself he could beat this relentless tug towards her and spun around.

‘Hey,’ she said, her eyes wide and troubled. ‘I didn’t mean to make you sad. Thank you for sharing that with me. I…’

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and slowly reached out and touched his face in a move full of compassion and understanding.

He wanted to remain immune. But he couldn’t. It was like she’d reached into the desolate place inside he kept barricaded from all and filled it with the warmth of a blazing sun.

Unable to keep up the fight, he leant in as she cupped his cheek and he almost groaned. Because it felt so good, so right, comforting him in a way he couldn’t articulate.

‘Are you okay?’ she whispered.

His resolve unravelled and he couldn’t summon the need to care that this was the last thing he should be doing. He was standing close enough that he could catalogue the glowing hue of her make-up-free face, making her appear younger, more natural, than the woman who filled movie theatres.

She chewed on her lip and his body throbbed. An inner alarm sounded; they were too close, it was too late, she was too scantily clad. He ignored all of it. She was soft and warm and he didn’t want to be anywhere else. He was going to allow himself this one moment because the bone-jarring truth was, he couldn’t resist her any longer.

Anchoring his hands at her waist he tugged her towards him. Her sharp intake exploded through the room as he caressed the silky fabric, reacquainting himself with the intoxicating feel of her, shutting down the internal warning that this was a bad idea.

She gently scraped her nails down his neck, eliciting a low rumble ripped from his depths. This woman. How did she make him respond like no other?

She stilled before tipping her head back, eyes shining up at him.

Need coursed through him.

He lowered his head, promising himself just one taste. And then he brushed his lips against hers.

A bone-shaking thirst roared to life that only she could quench, like her lips had been memory-stamped on his.

Yes. This.

Any promises he’d made to himself were forgotten as he kissed her again, like there would be no consequences, and nothing in the universe mattered more.

She moaned and gripped his shoulders, wiggling against him, fitting like a piece in a jigsaw.

Time ceased to exist as throaty murmurs and soft sighs enfolded them.

He ran his hands up her back, pressing her closer before twisting his hands into her hair, wrapping it around his wrists.

A sound permeated his fog of rampant desire.

A whistle.

Disconcerted he lifted his mouth off hers and tried to gather his wits as she murmured a protest.

The kettle screeched, making enough noise to drown out the weather.

On a muttered oath he disentangled himself, reached over to switch off the element and grabbed the bench as reality trickled in.

What was he doing? Hadn’t he promised himself he couldn’t ever start something with Ivy as much as his body screamed at him to do so? He didn’t know where he stood with her, her lifestyle was the complete opposite to everything he wanted, and still he’d let his guard down. Pounced on her like an affection-starved puppy, because it had been so easy to open up to her, tell her things he’d never shared with others, even when he didn’t fully trust her. Nor trust himself around her, because every one of his senses had spiralled out of control at the taste, feel, scent of her.

Regret coursed through him, but he couldn’t lower his barriers to anyone, especially someone as guarded as she was, and worse he knew she was still hiding something from him.

Her dazed eyes locked on his as she raised a shaking hand and pressed it against her mouth before stumbling backwards. Shock, shame, then a searing vulnerability crossed her face before she righted herself and an abhorrent false smile fixed itself on lips he’d been so intimately acquainted with minutes before.

Ivy Flame had returned, and his throat thickened that she needed to erect her protective wall because of him.

‘Well goodnight, Ethan, sweet dreams.’ She winked and swung towards the door with a flutter of feathers.