When Ethan’s brows shoot up to his forehead in what looks like shock mixed with disbelief, I close my mouth mid-sentence.
“You meant that as a rhetorical question, didn’t you?” Insert foot into mouth.
Ethan doesn’t answer. “Let’s go. It’s getting late and I’m tired.”
He walks up the staircase, and I follow behind. The hallway is wide and filled with several doors. When he gets halfway down it, he opens a door and walks inside.
“Is this your room?”
“Yes.”
My breath hitches. I’ve shared a room with a man once before. Gerald. This feels different, though. It’s suffocating to be in the same room as Ethan, and in the back of my mind, I know why.
The sparks.
I never felt them with Gerald. With Ethan, before all this went down, I felt something I’ve never felt before. For the first time, I’m sexually attracted to a man, and of course it’s to a dangerous guy like Ethan.
I take a moment to check out the room. The walls are a soft cream color with a light blue border running the length of the room. There’s a king-sized antique-looking bed in the middle, and a nightstand on both sides with a wooden bench in front of the bed. Without asking for permission, I walk closer and press my hand to the soft cushion of the bench. I notice a chest against the wall and turn to see a sitting area with two couches and a coffee table, complete with a fireplace. I imagine myself sitting in front of it with a book and a cup of coffee.
Across the entire west wall spans huge picturesque windows, giving me a view of the Atlantic Ocean. Ethan shrugs off his jacket and tosses it onto the bed. I watch in wonder as he takes the gun out of his holster and places it on the nightstand.
“What about my job?”
Ethan turns to me. “What about it?”
“I can’t just not show up.” Sure, I was planning to put in my two weeks, but I would never just leave my place of employment high and dry.
“Where do you work?”
“I’m an elementary school teacher at St. Juliana’s, and I run the youth program.”
Ethan stares at me for a moment, curiously, his eyes raking down my body, making me feel as though I’m on display.
“The last time I checked, I’m not forcing you to be here. However, if you wish to one day go back to your life, you’ll listen to me and stay put until I can figure out what to do with you.” He walks over to the dresser and pulls out a white shirt and a pair of black boxers.
What to do with me? I’m a problem. Nothing more than a difficulty. While I’m warring with myself over sharing a room with the man, he’s referring to me as a nuisance he needs to deal with. I guess I should be grateful he’s willing to deal with me instead of going along with Logan and selling me to the highest bidder.
I say nothing, only giving him a small nod, when he turns around and walks over to me. “Here, you can wear these tonight and we’ll figure out your clothing situation tomorrow. Take a shower, a bath, I really don’t care. Get some rest.”
That will never happen.
“Where will you sleep?”
Ethan’s lips curl into a half-smirk, probably fully aware of the dilemma that is racking my brain. “I thought we would share this bed.” He nods toward the bed.
“Umm…” I splutter, and he laughs, a full-on belly laugh, and for a brief second he looks young and carefree and…beautiful.
“Chill out, Angel. I was just joking. I’m going to sleep in the guest room next door.” He leans in close to me and pushes a stray hair behind my ear, then whispers, “Don’t worry… your virtue is safe with me.” And with a wink that fills my tummy with butterflies, Ethan turns around, grabs some more clothes from the drawer, and walks out, shutting the door behind him.
Once he’s gone, I jump in the shower to rinse off. Grabbing the soap on the ledge, I squirt some into my palm, and his scent surrounds me. It’s masculine and rich, but not overbearing—fresh and clean. Great. Just what I need is to be trapped with this man’s scent all over me. I’m having a hard enough time dealing with my mixed emotions regarding him. There has to be something wrong with me. What woman in her right mind would be attracted to a man who has made it clear he’s not a good guy? Me, that’s who.
Good job, Nevaeh! When you decide to live life, you really give it all you’ve got, don’t ya?
There’s a creaking sound and I look through the glass to see Ethan entering the bathroom.
“What are you doing?” I screech, quickly covering my body with my hands and arms the best I can. “Get out!”