“I mean about Gerome.”
Holy Jesus. She was just on a train of embarrassment today. “He didn’t do anything.”
“The guys said he grabbed you.”
“He barely touched me.”
Ethan stepped closer. When he set the root beer onto the table and lifted her wrist, she was pretty sure she stopped breathing. Hell, her heart might have stopped too.
Gently, he pushed up the sleeve on her sweatshirt, and when he growled, she glanced down.
Wow. Gerome had bruised her. She hadn’t realized.
Ethan slid a thumb over the finger-size bruises. “I’m going to kill him.”
Her gaze lifted at the threat of violence in his voice. She’d almost forgotten how protective he could be. Or maybe she’d simply forced herself to not think about it because it was one of the things she’d loved about him. “He’s not worth it.”
“I disagree.”
When he looked at her, his mouth was close. Too close. And the combination of his fingers on her wrist and his breath on her lips made something low and aching stir inside her.
Condoms. Remember the condoms, Maggie.
She shot back, her hip hitting the kitchen counter. His hand dropped and her wrist suddenly felt cold.
But even though she couldn’t kiss him, she didn’t want him to leave either. Not yet. “Sit. Tell me about this new job you and your team are doing.”
She lowered into a seat at the table, and Ethan dropped into the chair opposite. Then they talked. About his job. About the guys. About him leaving the military and the PI work he’d been doing for the last year.
God, he was so easy to talk to. The time apart seemed to vanish like it had never existed. When she was with him, it almost felt like time stood still and she could get stuck in the moment with him. He hadn’t just been her boyfriend. He’d been her best friend. They’d talked about anything and everything.
Then she’d lost him.
“Did you dream?”
She blinked. “What?”
“During your nap. You always used to have the most vivid dreams.”
She swallowed as she glanced at the bed, the old memory stirring up again. “I dreamed about the night we were supposed to celebrate our two-year anniversary.”
He frowned. “I was almost at your aunt’s house when you canceled on me.”
She nodded, gaze lowering to her root beer. “I never told you, but I was ready to go when Lilith came home.”
Ethan leaned forward, voice hardening. “What did she say?”
“Something stupid about my dress and how ridiculous I looked.” She lifted a shoulder. “I shouldn’t have let it affect methe way it did, but I was sixteen and my self-esteem was low. You can only hear someone tell you you’re worthless so many times before you believe it.”
“She hurt you.”
“She changed me.”
Ethan shook his head, real rage on his face. “I hate her.”
“Me too.” She suddenly glanced out the window, noticing how dark it was. “It’s late.”
“So?”
