“For letting go with me.” He traced her lips with his thumb before he rose and strode to the en suite and handled all the things that needed handling.
She pulled the sheet up and over herself because she might be ready to trace his ink with her tongue, and ride him like a bull, and even call him her boyfriend and not get sick over it. But she wasn’t entirely ready to be so brazen as to just hang out naked with the man.
He, apparently, had no problem with this. Because he sauntered out of the bathroom, climbing into bed beside her and kissing her again. Not like it was leading anywhere, just because he wanted to, and he could.
That was…rather real.
And that’s when things got dicey because the front door chime rang. Ethan’s expression turned horrified, and there were footsteps in the foyer. Lots of footsteps.
“Oh my God,” Emmaline whispered. “How long were we up here?”
“Ethan?” Harmony’s mom, April, hollered. “It’s Wednesday. Camp gets out early on Wednesday. Did you forget?”
Oh, dear God.
“Why’s Sketch here?” That would be Fiona. Her Fiona. Sketch yelped in his way of saying hello.
And the dog was there because mommy was having a booty call.
“Dad?” Annie called.
“Oh my God.” This Emmaline said out loud. Not even quiet.
If they were trying to keep things simple and easy for the girls, this was not the way to do it.
“Dad, where are you?” Annie yelled. “Is Em with you? Dad?”
“Hey,” April said super loud. “Looks like your dad’s not available,Annie. I bet he’s with your mom,Fiona.” Apparently, she’d put two and two together, which wasn’t too hard given Sketch’s presence and the locked front door. “Let’s go to Fiona’s house and wait for them.” Again, she said this entirely louder than necessary. “But I hope they hurry because Harmony has ballet in thirty minutes.”
“Why are you yelling like that?” Harmony asked. “Sketch doesn’t care they’re not here. Moms are so weird.”
“I’m not yelling,” April countered, still totally yelling.
“Oh my God.” Emmaline covered her face with her hands. They were the only words that seemed to work for her right now. Just going on repeat in her brain and right out of her mouth.
“Emmaline,” Ethan said, holding her face between his palms. “Take a breath.”
Nope, that was a bad idea because she’d just nearly gotten caught naked in his bed. Best to go right on and pass out from lack of oxygen. That was the easier option.
Chapter Twenty-Three
ETHAN
This situation wasn’t ideal.
Ethan got that. He wasn’t a complete idiot.
“They’re going to figure it out,” Em whispered. But at least she was breathing again.
Em had gone from gobsmacked to dead-set terrified. Honestly, she was sort of cute when she was naked and holding on to him like this, but he would not say a peep about it because he was also naked and his crown jewels were right out there for the squeezing.
There were lots of things he figured out in the few minutes spaced between the kids coming home early and the current bout of Emmaline’s panic.
He’d considered perhaps they drop the fake, pretend, and imitation part of their titles. Give it a go? He could be upfront about what he could and couldn’t give. They could move forward with a new understanding.
They’d take baby steps toward a potential future. He could be gentle with Em and with Annie. Understanding that Em didn’t want to mess up the future she’d started and spent heaps of time preparing, and that Annie had a load of baggage when it came to mum figures. Annie could help Fiona as much as Fiona helped Annie.
He’d be honest with Em about not having much time to spare for her.
