Finley Embraces Heart and Home (Love Austen 4)

Ethan is at my side, the comforting warmth of his arm pressed against mine. I knot our fingers together again. “I never meant to fall in love with your son. But I did. I am in love with him.”

Tom grunts. “Not as painful as I expected that to be.”

Ethan whisks me into his arms and I embrace him tightly.

“Also not so different than I’m used to.”

Our kiss is soft, delighted. Relieved.

Tom’s Adam’s apple juts hard from his throat. “That will take a bit of time.”

I laugh. I wrap Tom into a hug and whisper, “I’m so happy you’re home. I love you.”

“It’s ours. Ours.” Ethan pulls me over the threshold and into a passionate kiss. I laugh into it, giddy, light. I taste the river from our swim; it mixes with the scents of our new home. Old wood and polish, cut grass floating through the open door on a breeze.

I slide my fingers into his hair and kiss him harder. “Show me what’s ours.”

Ethan grips my hand and tugs me through the house. I’ve seen it before, but it’s different now. Our living room, our kitchen, our bathroom, our hall. He stands outside the spare room. “This is for you.”

“Oh. But . . .” I thought we’d be sharing a room. I’d kind of assumed. I try to smile but it’s hard to fight the feeling that a hundred pebbles are sinking through me to my feet.

Ethan gazes at me. I’m fairly sure he’s reading me right now.

I scowl at him. “Go on, then. Show me my room.”

He grips the handle and pauses. “I think you’ll love it.”

“I’m sure you made it nice and comfortable.”

“I certainly hope so. You’ll be spending a lot of time in here.”

“With you, I hope.”

“Sometimes, I’m sure.”

He grins, hand poised on the handle. His eyes twinkle as they take me in and my skin tingles. He’s freaking beautiful lounging against the door, his lower body arched slightly toward me, his lips reddened from our threshold-crossing kiss. Shivers rush through me, thickening at my crotch. We’ve been avoiding sex since Tom returned from hospital—it just felt strange, Mum and him knowing, assuming—and I . . . I miss him. These past weeks—Tom, Mum, Julia, all of us at Mansfield, helping Tom recover—we’ve been a family, truly together for the first time, and it’s been wonderful. But I want to feel my boyfriend, every inch of him, skin to gloriously naked skin. I want him, and I want him in a room that is not his. Not mine. Ours.

His grin widens.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you find my disappointment adorable.”

“Maybe because it is?”

I fold my arms. “I just got you, Eth. We’re finally in our own space, and I was kinda planning on having you always.”

Ethan grabs hold of my shirt and tugs me close. His laughter combs my jaw. “Can I show you your room now?”

He looks into my eyes and our lips are tingling, they’re so close.

He bumps my nose, twists the handle, and opens the door.

I remember this room. It’s where I’d helped Rush stow the pear tree, his housewarming gift. The tree is still there, in the sunniest corner of the medium-sized room, but the space around it has been transformed. Shelves line one wall, full of books, and a massive desk sits near the windows overlooking the garden. I move forward, taking it in, almost tripping on the plush rug. There are pictures of us on the wall. Our whole family.

Ethan is watching me from the door he’s still clutching. “Do you like it?”

It’s wonderful. “This isn’t a bedroom.”

He smiles. “If you think you’re sleeping without me ever again, you are truly mistaken.” He swallows, and there’s something softly nervous there. I cross to him.

I touch his chest and look into his eyes. “I love it.”

He whispers. “I want you to write all your stories, Fin. All of them.”

I kiss him. Giddiness roars through me and I . . . I . . . “Eth?”

“Fin. Let’s go to our room.”

Lamps cast a soft glow over us. I suck on Ethan’s neck, moaning at the taste of him as I finger lube inside him. Every inch of me is ablaze. His naked heat moves against me, thrusting shallowly, his face tortured with arousal. Beautiful. I meet his lust-blown gaze and wrap my other arm around him, hauling him closer.

Our kisses are trembling and frantic. Nervous and needy.

His large frame engulfs me; I arch and wriggle and rub against him. My aching length slides behind his balls, between his slippery cheeks. My breathing quickens and Ethan captures my lips in a kiss.

I want you. I want all of you. I want to feel every inch of you around me.

He groans and grabs my length.

I pulse in his grip. Moaning, I move my hands to his hips.