She grinned and raised her eyebrows.“I stand corrected.”
Her cheeky grin loosened the restraint he held, and she gasped as he dragged her into his arms.“Are you giving me lip, soldier?”
She licked her lips, her eyes wide.“I wouldn’t dare.”
As much as he wanted to plunder her mouth, he relaxed his hold so she could escape if she wanted to and brushed a stray hair behind her ear.“Just for the record,” he murmured.“You can give me lip, any time you want.”He rubbed his thumb over her lips.“Can I kiss you?”
She took a second before she nodded.
Slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers, seeing her eyelids flutter shut just as their mouths met.Soft, luscious lips tasting of mint.She must have brushed her teeth when she’d showered.
His tongue teased, and she opened for him, and they explored each other unhurriedly.
She was everything he remembered and more.Every taste and touch sent throbbing desire through his body, imprinting on him.
Chelsea was the only one he needed.
She was the only one he wanted.
Her moan held a hint of desperation and he deepened the kiss, dragging her closer, fitting her soft body into his.
He could happily spend his entire night like this.He ran a hand down her back, over her perfectly curved buttock, and she moaned, but broke the kiss.
“Ethan… I can’t.Not yet.”
It took all his willpower to relax his hold and let her step away.“Too soon?”
She nodded.
He exhaled.He would give her all the time she needed, as long as she didn’t walk away.“Then how about I teach you to make a bed?”
Her laugh gave him a different type of rush, one straight to his joy centre, and he grinned as he showed her what to do.
***
Chelsea woke to the sound of magpies chortling outside her window.She smiled and stretched, rolling over to look outside.A black and white bird sat on the balcony railing calling its good morning to the world.A dusky light filtered into her room telling her it wasn’t long past sunrise.She snuggled deeper underneath the patchwork quilt that had been on her bed for as long as she could remember and for the first time in a long time, she felt… content.She was home in Lilydale, had a project she was excited about, a new relationship with Ethan to consider.
Everything felt right.
Their kiss last night had awoken a desire in her she’d long since thought had died, but the amount of passion scared her.
That much passion could lead to heartbreak as well.
Though lying in bed the night before, she’d decided perhaps it was better to be loved and left than never to be loved at all.
She would bet Ethan was a much better lover now than their awkward teenage moments together.
Perhaps she could give her body what it wanted.
Something to think about later, when she’d achieved her list of tasks for the day.
They’d made such great progress getting the cabins ready for guests, and while she would eventually like to update the furniture and renovate the kitchens and bathrooms, they were adequate for now.
Barry was arriving this evening and by tomorrow night, she’d be able to walk along the paths without fearing she’d tread on a snake, and she’d be able to see exactly what she was working with.
She stretched again and got up, making the bed with a smile as she did the corners as Ethan had taught her, and then quietly opened her bedroom door.Ethan was sleeping across the hall and she didn’t want to wake him.His pelvis had been aching so badly last night he’d taken a painkiller to numb it.She’d make sure he didn’t overdo it today—though she wasn’t sure how she would stop him.Maybe there was something he could do while sitting down.
As she walked down the stairs, visions of her straddling his lap, kissing him, filled her head.She’d been so tempted to invite him into her bed last night, but her heart refused to rush things.
