Read Online The Boy is Back in Town by Nina Harrington - Free Book Online Page A

to, and now he was offering her understanding. Suddenly it all seemed too much to take in, and she covered it up by blowing on her coffee.
    ‘Thank you. Although—’ and she dared to look up at him with a thin smile ‘—I’m not sure if things will settle down in a few days after last night. What did the doctor say? A couple of weeks? That could be a problem for a girl who knits for a living and works in a bar.’
    Ethan sipped his coffee before answering. ‘Sprained wrists are a common injury in sailing and she will struggle for quite a while but things will be fine. She was lucky it wasn’t broken.’
    Mari dropped her head to focus on folding the muffin paper into tighter and tighter V-shaped angles. ‘I almost feel guilty aboutleaving so soon when she needs help—but I must get back to work next week.’
    ‘She knows that you came a long way to spend time with her. In the snow. And you even had to put up with me for a few hours. That’s quite a sacrifice. Your sister is going to be fine.’ And he reached for his second muffin.
    ‘Hey!’
    ‘What? I missed my dinner too. And breakfast. Did you know it’s almost ten?’
    ‘What?’ Mari gasped, almost spraying coffee all over the duvet.
    ‘Relax. You were exhausted. Sometimes it pays to let your body have a rest. I’ll go and check on your sister. And try to wake up.’
    Mari looked up just in time for her face to be inches away from Ethan’s middle, as he lifted his left arm above his head and stretched it out towards the polystyrene ceiling tiles, rolling his shoulder to shrug off a mighty yawn. And she almost dropped her drink.
    Tight, perfect six-pack. Deep tanned abs. No muffin-top hanging over the top of these jeans. A faint line of dark hair ran down between the bands of muscle below his belly button and, as he stretched up to grasp both hands behind his head, she noticed a touchof silky elastic waistband. Silk boxers. Navy check.
    He still smelt wonderful.
    Only now that outdoor, aromatic cologne was mixed with something else. Sweat. Plus something unique to Ethan she had almost forgotten about.
    Oh, yeah. Ethan smell.
    Starched white shirts and shoe polish.
    She used to make a point of sitting as close to him as she could manage without being a stalker, just so she could smell his laundry. Her own clothes had never seen an iron, because they did not actually own one that worked, and every surface in their house was usually covered in a mixture of cat hair and sometimes paint and linseed oil splatters.
    He stopped moving.
    She kept staring.
    He just smiled and brushed the crumbs from his fingers onto the tray.
    Mari moistened her lower lip with her tongue. ‘Ethan. One question. Did you put me to bed last night? That was you, wasn’t it?’
    She watched him slip off the sofa and head for the door, only to turn at the last minute and grin.
    ‘Maybe. Maybe not.’ And he dived out.
    ‘How can you still look fabulous with your wrist all strapped up like that? It is so totally unfair.’
    Rosa kissed Mari on the forehead and waggled her elbow before wincing a little. ‘It’s a burden I shall have to get used to. The pretty scarf helps. And the painkillers are really most excellent. I feel quite giddy. Remind me not to drink any wine tonight or there’ll be more contorts … tortoises … sprains to go with this one.’
    ‘Oh, I will.’ Mari smiled and sat down next to her sister at the dining room table. ‘You are not leaving this house today, young lady, that’s for sure.’
    ‘Bossy boots,’ Rosa hissed at Mari, then sat back in her chair and grinned at Ethan, who was just finishing off his second breakfast of cheese on toast washed down with scalding-hot tea. ‘I bet you wouldn’t make me stay inside for days, lovely man. Would you?’
    Mari lifted her eyebrows and stole a sly glance towards Ethan, daring him to side with Rosa before he replied. ‘You are grounded, young lady. Better get used to it. The last thing my house needs is