Do I?The thought came unbidden to Adrienne’s mind and she choked back a laugh, masking it as a cough. “Er, um, thank you.”
“Yeah.” Ethan turned towards the front door and stopped, still facing it. Adrienne looked at his back, wanting to say something. Anything.Ask him to stay, her mind begged her, but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t put him in a position to make him uncomfortable. He cleared his throat again, and spoke. “You know, we have unfinished business.”
“We do?” Adrienne folded her arms at her chest and shivered, though she wasn’t actually cold. Quite the opposite, actually. Visions of him turning around and pulling her into a kiss, danced through her head.
“I didn’t get to tell you about Lani.”
Oh. Right.Adrienne’s arms dropped back to her side. “I’m sorry. You’re right. We spent the entire time talking about me and we didn’t get to you.”
She watched his back as he took a deep breath. But he didn’t turn around. “The thing is, Adrienne, I’ve talked about her to you more than I’ve talked to anyone. And I could say so much more.”
Adrienne nodded, not that he could see it. “I would like to hear more.” And she did.
His shoulders relaxed a little bit. “Good. I’m glad. But, you see, the thing is,” Ethan turned back around to face her. “I want to tell you about her tomorrow. And next week, and next month, and next year.”
Adrienne’s eyebrows shot up and she swore she stopped breathing.
“I want to show you pictures and have Ava tell you stories, and I want you to take those photos you talked about. I want you to make that album you talked about and I want to dust off my camera and make a new album with you in it. I want…” His hands were shaking. “I wantyou, Adrienne.”
Her breath wasn’t the only thing that had stopped. She was pretty sure her heart had as well.
“And I know you have a life, and I know you’re leaving, and I wouldn’t dare ask you to do anything you wouldn’t want to do.” He ran his shaking hands through his hair, making it stick straight up. “I mean…I shouldn’t even be here. This is your cabin and you didn’t invite me in, and I should just leave right now…”
“No.”
Ethan’s eyes snapped to hers and Adrienne felt her nervous system finally start functioning again. “No?”
Adrienne shook her head. “No. I don’t want you to leave.”
Ethan’s eyes widened and he swallowed hard. “Are you sure?”
Adrienne swallowed hard. “I mean…I don’t want to take you away from any of your duties or anything but you know what they say?”
Ethan still looked stunned. “No. What do they say?”
“They say that body heat is a really great way to stay warm when there’s a storm.”
The edge of Ethan’s mouth quirked up into that small smile she’d come to associate with him. “Really? Is there anything else thattheysay?”
“Probably. But…” Adrienne took a step forward and reached to caress his cheek, like she’d been wanting to do for days. “I don’t really care. Because they’d probably be horrified that I am about to ask you to kiss me.”
She felt him shudder under her touch. “I see.Theymust be prudes.”
“Yeah.” He was so warm. His stubble scratched at her hand and she loved that. He was real, not some character on a page. And he actually wanted her. “Will you kiss me, Ethan Sumner?”
“Yes, please.” His lips met hers and they were as warm as his cheeks, their softness pressing against her, a sensation more magical than she’d ever felt. When he pulled away, his eyes searched hers and she looked wondrously at him.
“Is this real?” Adrienne whispered, hands still gently roaming his face.
“It’s real.” His own hands were gently working their way through her damp hair. “I don’t know how, honestly, but it’s real.”
“Of all the places to vacation at, I chose yours.” Now her hands were in his hair, and she discovered how soft his locks were. She thought she could touch his hair and his face all day long and still never have the perfect words to describe them.
“I’m so glad you did.”
“Now about that body warmth….”
She led him to her bed, and let him peel the robe gently off of her. His eyes roamed her body the entire time, leaving her with no question as to whether or not he was attracted to her.
