husband.” She pressed unsteady fingers to her temple, trying to find a way to make him understand.
“I loved Jake like my brother, Sarah, but he’s gone. You have a right to move on, to be happy.”
“I was happy with the way things were. You shouldn’t’ve kissed me.”
His hand snaked out, grabbed her arm, pulled her against him. “You kissed me right back, Sarah. You can’t tell me you didn’t feel anything.” The intensity of his stare dared her to deny the truth.
Her heart pounded as she put her palms to his sweaty chest, desperately fighting the need to press her mouth to his. “Ethan, please.”
“You tell me I’m wrong, goddamnit.” He cupped the back of her neck, pulling her face closer, until his lips feathered against hers with each word he spoke. “You tell me that what I felt, that what we made each other feel, was just a figment of my imagination and we’ll end this right now.” He ran his hands through her hair as his breath shuddered out, mingling with hers.
She clutched his forearms, fighting her need to close her eyes and give in to what they both wanted—but she couldn’t. She couldn’t do this to Jake. “Ethan—”
He held her face in his hands. “Tell me, Sarah.”
She shook her head as the first tear fell. “Ethan—”
“No. You tell me you didn’t feel anything.”
Another tear followed. “I can’t. You’re right, but it can’t happen again.”
He let her go.
She took his hand, terrified she was losing one of the best people in her life. “Let’s forget this whole thing, Ethan. Let’s go back to the way things were three days ago when you were my best friend.”
He dropped her hand, staring at her. “Do you really think it’s that easy? There’s something here, Sarah. There’s something between us.”
“No.” She needed to deny what she already knew. “We’re just friends, Ethan. That’s all we’ll ever be.”
He held her gaze before he picked up his shirt and duffel bag. “I’ll call Austin to come keep an eye on the house until you’re ready to go get Kylee. I’ll have someone do drive-bys at night until they catch the bastard. If you want an agent to stay with you, tell Austin and he’ll set it up.” He walked to the door, opened it.
Sarah rushed forward. “Ethan, please don’t go like this.”
“I’ve gotta get out of here.” And without a look back, he was gone.
Sarah watched Ethan dig his phone from his bag as he walked to the Rover. Tears poured down her cheeks as her hand tightened on the doorknob. She wanted to go out and make him come back, but she stopped herself. He wouldn’t listen to her right now, and she needed time to think, to try to sort out this mess and fix it—somehow. She clutched her sick stomach, already knowing nothing would ever be the same between them.
Ethan sat in his SUV until a sleek red sports convertible pulled into the drive. The driver rolled down his window. Ethan exchanged words with Austin Casey, one of his best close protection agents, before he drove down the road—and out of her life, she feared.
Austin walked toward the house. Sarah swiped at her wet cheeks, tried for a smile as she opened the door.
His smile faded when his dark green eyes met hers. “Hey, Sarah, you okay?”
She dashed away another tear. “Hi, Austin. Yes, I’m fine. Thanks for coming. Come on in. I’ll get you some coffee.”
“Don’t go to any trouble for me. Would you rather I stay outside? I can keep an eye on things from here. It’s no big deal.”
“No, no, please.” She opened the door wider to accommodate his linebacker size. “Can I make you something to eat? I haven’t had breakfast yet myself.” The thought of eating made her stomach quiver, but it was early and Austin’s sleepy eyes told her Ethan had gotten him out of bed.
“I don’t want to put you out.”
“You’re not. What can I get you? I’ve got eggs and turkey bacon.”
He smiled. “Sounds great.”
Relieved to be busy,
“I loved Jake like my brother, Sarah, but he’s gone. You have a right to move on, to be happy.”
“I was happy with the way things were. You shouldn’t’ve kissed me.”
His hand snaked out, grabbed her arm, pulled her against him. “You kissed me right back, Sarah. You can’t tell me you didn’t feel anything.” The intensity of his stare dared her to deny the truth.
Her heart pounded as she put her palms to his sweaty chest, desperately fighting the need to press her mouth to his. “Ethan, please.”
“You tell me I’m wrong, goddamnit.” He cupped the back of her neck, pulling her face closer, until his lips feathered against hers with each word he spoke. “You tell me that what I felt, that what we made each other feel, was just a figment of my imagination and we’ll end this right now.” He ran his hands through her hair as his breath shuddered out, mingling with hers.
She clutched his forearms, fighting her need to close her eyes and give in to what they both wanted—but she couldn’t. She couldn’t do this to Jake. “Ethan—”
He held her face in his hands. “Tell me, Sarah.”
She shook her head as the first tear fell. “Ethan—”
“No. You tell me you didn’t feel anything.”
Another tear followed. “I can’t. You’re right, but it can’t happen again.”
He let her go.
She took his hand, terrified she was losing one of the best people in her life. “Let’s forget this whole thing, Ethan. Let’s go back to the way things were three days ago when you were my best friend.”
He dropped her hand, staring at her. “Do you really think it’s that easy? There’s something here, Sarah. There’s something between us.”
“No.” She needed to deny what she already knew. “We’re just friends, Ethan. That’s all we’ll ever be.”
He held her gaze before he picked up his shirt and duffel bag. “I’ll call Austin to come keep an eye on the house until you’re ready to go get Kylee. I’ll have someone do drive-bys at night until they catch the bastard. If you want an agent to stay with you, tell Austin and he’ll set it up.” He walked to the door, opened it.
Sarah rushed forward. “Ethan, please don’t go like this.”
“I’ve gotta get out of here.” And without a look back, he was gone.
Sarah watched Ethan dig his phone from his bag as he walked to the Rover. Tears poured down her cheeks as her hand tightened on the doorknob. She wanted to go out and make him come back, but she stopped herself. He wouldn’t listen to her right now, and she needed time to think, to try to sort out this mess and fix it—somehow. She clutched her sick stomach, already knowing nothing would ever be the same between them.
Ethan sat in his SUV until a sleek red sports convertible pulled into the drive. The driver rolled down his window. Ethan exchanged words with Austin Casey, one of his best close protection agents, before he drove down the road—and out of her life, she feared.
Austin walked toward the house. Sarah swiped at her wet cheeks, tried for a smile as she opened the door.
His smile faded when his dark green eyes met hers. “Hey, Sarah, you okay?”
She dashed away another tear. “Hi, Austin. Yes, I’m fine. Thanks for coming. Come on in. I’ll get you some coffee.”
“Don’t go to any trouble for me. Would you rather I stay outside? I can keep an eye on things from here. It’s no big deal.”
“No, no, please.” She opened the door wider to accommodate his linebacker size. “Can I make you something to eat? I haven’t had breakfast yet myself.” The thought of eating made her stomach quiver, but it was early and Austin’s sleepy eyes told her Ethan had gotten him out of bed.
“I don’t want to put you out.”
“You’re not. What can I get you? I’ve got eggs and turkey bacon.”
He smiled. “Sounds great.”
Relieved to be busy,
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