Mia raised her startled gaze to the hard contours of his face, those glittering silver eyes, hard cheekbones, sensuously sculptured lips.
‘Me …?’ she finally prompted huskily.
Ethan gave an acknowledging inclination of his head. ‘I’m the one standing here naked and vulnerable. If you want me then I need you to tell me—show me—that you do.’
If Mia wanted him?
She had never wanted anything as badly as she wanted Ethan right now—could hear herself panting with that need, and knew Ethan must be able to hear it too. And yet he made no further move towards her. Just stood there naked in the middle of the bedroom, so aroused, so powerfully male he made her feel weak at the knees.
She made one last effort to resist the heated clamouring of her own body. ‘If you’re just here to collect on that debt you believe I owe you—’
‘Forget the damned debt!’ he rasped impatiently. ‘I only ever said that to get some sort of response out of you.’
And it had …
‘You also said we would regret it in the morning if we—if we did something like this.’
‘Which only goes to prove that I occasionally talk a load of—!’ He gave a slow, self-disgusted shake of his head, the darkness of his tousled hair falling across his brow. ‘What I actually said was that you would regret it in the morning.’
He had said that, yes. Did that mean that Ethan wouldn’t regret it? Or only that at this moment in time he had no interest in what the morning might bring?
Did it really matter which of those it was? Mia chided herself. Ethan was here now, in her bedroom, completely naked, with the evidence of his arousal unashamedly there for her to see.
Her gaze held his as she took a step towards him. And then another, and another. She felt encouraged by the blaze of emotion that lit his increasingly darkening eyes—until she stood in front of him and became engulfed, lost in the heated spice of his body, knowing from his tension that she only had to reach out, to touch him, for that rigid control to break.
Ethan felt on fire—as if he were burning from the inside out. Every part of him, every sensitised nerve-ending, was straining, yearning for the touch of Mia’s hands. He knew that when—if—she finally touched him his control was going to break like a dam. Become a wild and unstoppable river of desire, fierce and demanding as it swept them both to the heights and the depths.
A nerve pulsed in his tightly clenched jaw as he breathed in through his nose and caught Mia’s scent, like warm and salty cinnamon. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he resisted the need to reach out and touch her, to taste her; he had told Mia it was her choice as to whether or not they took this any further, and he intended keeping to that promise. Even if the waiting was killing him by slow and agonising degrees!
She looked up at him now, through those long and silky lashes, her eyes the colour and fever-brightness of emeralds, her cheeks flushed, her lips—dear God, those lips!—swollen with desire.
Ethan could feel the bonds of his control breaking one by one, just thinking about kissing them. ‘I’m coming apart here, Mia!’ he warned gruffly.
Her eyes glittered up at him. ‘You are?’
‘Oh, yes,’ he breathed raggedly.
Only to stop breathing altogether as Mia’s gaze lowered and she reached out. The softness of her fingers brushed across the tip of his erection.
‘Mia …’ Ethan gave a strangulated groan.
Her gaze rose to meet his. ‘I believe that was a yes, Ethan …’
‘Thank God!’ Ethan gathered her up in his arms and hungrily laid claim her mouth.
Mia wondered if the last five days—the last five years!—been leading up to this very moment. There was no room for gentleness between the two of them as they both threw off her clothes and continued to kiss, mouths hungry, hands questing, caressing, stroking, stoking the fire that blazed between them.
She lost track of time. It could have been hours, minutes, seconds later when Ethan picked her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed, lying her down against the covers before moving down beside her, over her. Mia cried out with pleasure as Ethan entered her, that pleasure spiralling out of control as she felt her orgasm explode.
Ethan allowed no time for respite from that pleasure as he wrenched his mouth from hers to kiss his way down the slope of her breast, taking Mia over that edge for a second time …
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MIA was aware of two things when she woke the following morning with the sun streaming into her bedroom window.
Firstly that Ethan was no longer in the bed. The cold sheets beside her were evidence that he must have gone some time ago.
Secondly that she felt so languidly satiated she didn’t want to get up this morning. Possibly never …
Mia rolled slowly over in the bed, her breasts slightly sore and sensitive as they brushed against the sheet that covered her, reminding her of their second bout of equally heated lovemaking during the early hours of the morning.
She turned to look at the clock on the bedside table. Only seven-thirty. Why had Ethan left her so early? Why had he left at all? And where was he now …?
More to the point, how did things stand between the two of them this morning?
They hadn’t spoken another word to each other after that first conversation—hadn’t talked at all as they gave and received pleasure in equal measure, with only the ragged sound of their breathing to pierce the silence.
So how would they behave towards each other now? Like the adversaries they had been yesterday? Or the lovers they had become during the night?
There was no immediate answer to that question when Mia came downstairs a short time later and found only Grace sitting at the table out on the warmth of the terrace, drinking coffee.
She looked up and gave Mia a single glance, not saying a word as she stood up to go into the kitchen, returning seconds later with another mug and the coffee pot, and placing them both down on the table close to Mia.
Mia sat down abruptly to silently pour some of the steaming hot brew into the mug, adding cream and sugar before taking a welcoming sip. She knew exactly how she must appear to the other woman, despite her attempts to brighten up her appearance with a yellow T-shirt.
Her hair had been way beyond ‘bed-head’ when she had looked at herself in the bathroom mirror earlier—had literally been standing up in wild tufts before Mia washed it in the shower. Her eyes were dark and heavy behind the sunglasses she had hastily pushed onto the bridge of her nose, and her lips appeared slightly swollen and puffy, as if they had been punched—or just thoroughly kissed!
‘You don’t look as if you slept too well last night?’ Grace prompted sympathetically as she resumed her own seat at the table.
Had Mia slept at all? If she had then it had only been for a couple of hours, because it was only just after eight o’clock now, and her aching and languid body testified to the fact that she and Ethan had made love for hours …
She took another much-needed sip of coffee in order to avoid meeting Grace’s concerned gaze, knowing that her hands were shaking slightly. ‘I never sleep well the first night in a strange bed.’
‘There’s always the option of taking a siesta after lunch.’ Grace wisely didn’t point out that Mia hadn’t actually been sleeping in a strange bed—she had been coming here to the villa since she was a child.
Another couple of sips of the reviving coffee and Mia felt able to broach the subject of the noticeable silence in the rest of the villa. ‘No William or Ethan this morning?’ She had meant the query to sound casually uninterested, but even to her own ears her voice sounded strained.
Where the hell was Ethan? Because until Mia had seen him again—until she had looked into his eyes—she had no idea how she was supposed to behave towards him this morning!
Grace gave a shrug. ‘They’ve both strolled down to the bakery in the village to pick up some freshly baked croissants and pastries for our breakfast.’
‘I’m really hoping you’ll change your mind about leaving today, Mia, and stay on for a couple more days.’ Grace smiled at her wistfully. ‘William would so love it if you did.’
Mia’s expression softened as she thought of her father. Of how good it was to see and be with him again. Their relationship might not be what it had once been, and maybe it never would be again, but perhaps with time spent together they might become easier with each other again?
Time together …
Something Mia wasn’t sure, after the events of last night, she and her father could or would have. Mia had made her choices five years ago, and as a result Grace and Ethan were now her father’s family; if it should turn out that last night had made things worse between herself and Ethan, rather than better, then surely it would be unfair of Mia to stay on here and become a possible cause of dissention between the three of them?
Something she and Ethan should definitely have thought of before so recklessly spending the night together!
She gave a shake of her head. ‘I really only made arrangements to be away for a couple of days.’
‘Surely those plans can be altered?’
‘Not really.’ Mia grimaced. ‘I only have a staff of two, and they can’t manage without me indefinitely.’
‘If anyone understands a commitment to business then it’s William.’ Grace nodded ruefully. ‘So you’ll be leaving later today, as planned?’
Not knowing how things now stood between herself and Ethan …? ‘Yes.’
‘Then perhaps you could give some thought to spending Christmas with us?’
‘Perhaps,’ she echoed noncommittally, knowing that would also depend on how things stood between herself and Ethan. They could hardly all play at happy families over the holidays if she and Ethan weren’t even talking to each other! ‘It’s still three months away.’
‘I—’ Grace broke off whatever it was she had been about to say to turn and smile at Ethan and William as the two men strolled around the side of the villa and out onto the terrace. The bag Ethan carried obviously contained the croissants and pastries.
A man who had spent most of the night making love had no right to look so vitally attractive the following morning, Mia decided after one guarded glance in Ethan’s direction. Everything about Ethan was compellingly male: the tight black T-shirt emphasised the raw power of his muscled chest, the denims fitted snugly over lean hips and long powerful legs. As for the way the sun shone on the darkness of his wind-tousled hair and the tanned angles of his face, reflecting off the black lenses of his wraparound sunglasses …
Making it totally impossible for Mia to look into his eyes and gauge what his mood might be this morning. As impossible as it was for Ethan to see that behind her own sunglasses her eyes were dark and heavy from lack of sleep. And uncertainty. Let’s not forget the uncertainty she was feeling, Mia acknowledged self-derisively.
She swallowed down that uncertainty before turning to look at her father, pleased to see that he had more colour in his face this morning. ‘Did you enjoy your walk to the village?’ Mia knew the bakery in the village well—had often walked down there herself in the past, usually alone but occasionally with her father.
William gave a rueful smile. ‘The doctors seem to think that a little daily exercise is good for me.’
Reminding Mia that her father had been seriously ill six months ago. Ill enough for Ethan to feel compelled to intensify the search for her, at least! ‘But otherwise they’ve given you a clean bill of health now?’
‘Oh, yes,’ William assured her as he moved to sit down at the table with his wife and daughter.
All the time Mia was totally aware of the man who stood silent and distant across the terrace, but Ethan’s expression was as unreadable to her as his eyes were inaccessible.
Did Ethan’s body ache this morning in the same way that Mia’s did? Did his legs and arms feel too heavy to move? Was he suffering from the same lack of sleep?
Did he feel the same aching need Mia did to repeat their heated lovemaking?
If he felt any of those things then it wasn’t apparent as he strolled comfortably across the terrace to join them, his movements as lithe and assured as usual, with no trembling of his hands as he placed the bag of pastries on the table top, no indication of tiredness in the lightness of his voice when he spoke. ‘I’ll go inside and get some plates.’
This was intolerable, Mia decided shakily; if anything the atmosphere between herself and Ethan was even more tense than it had been yesterday. Not just intolerable, but unacceptable.
The two of them needed to talk. Sooner rather than later. ‘I’ll come and help you.’ Mia stood up decisively. She wasn’t the naive and trusting child she had once been, but a mature and successful woman—and she had no intention of allowing Ethan to behave as if last night had never happened!
‘I think I can manage to carry four plates.’
‘I—’
‘Mia had just offered to make more coffee when the two of you arrived back,’ Grace put in smoothly as she pushed the almost empty coffee pot towards her.
‘Thanks.’ Mia gave the older woman a grateful smile as she picked up the coffee pot. Her face was averted as she passed Ethan, but she was still very aware of the soft sound of his tread behind her as she went back inside the villa.
‘I believe my mother was being her usual kind self just now,’ Ethan rasped dryly as he followed Mia into the rustic kitchen. ‘From the little I overheard of your conversation you weren’t offering to make coffee at all, but discussing your arrangements for leaving later today.’
Mia put the coffee pot down before turning to look at him, her expression guarded in the pallor of her face. ‘I told you from the beginning that I didn’t intend to stay long.’
Ethan knew that she had. But that had been before the two of them spent the night together. Before they had made love. Twice.
His mouth thinned. ‘So last night was just for old times’ sake …?’
She shifted restlessly. ‘I have no idea what last night was. Do you?’
Ethan had woken very early this morning, a smile curving his lips as he felt the familiar weight of Mia’s head resting on his shoulder. His arm had been about her waist as he’d held her close against him, the wonderful smell of her hair permeating his senses and rousing him all over again. But a single glance at her face, at the exhaustion he’d seen beneath those relaxed features, had told him how selfish that would be. Mia needed to sleep, not make love again.
Instead he had carefully removed his arm and slid his shoulder gently from beneath her head, so as not to disturb her, lingering only long enough to take one long last look at her as she lay sleeping peacefully, before quietly letting himself out of the room to pad softly along the hallway to his own bedroom.
A long swim in the early-morning coolness of the pool had helped to dull some of his desire—and returning from the village to overhear Mia say she still intended leaving today had completely killed the rest of it!
He turned away to take the plates out of the cupboard.
‘Unfinished business, probably.’
‘Sorry?’
‘Unfinished business,’ Ethan repeated with hard dismissal as he turned to lean back against the kitchen unit. ‘I believe it’s perfectly natural amongst couples whose … relationships finish as abruptly as ours did five years ago.’
Mia wished she hadn’t asked! That she hadn’t heard Ethan dismiss last night as being so insignificant! To him, at least …
Especially when she knew that if Ethan had asked her to stay—if he had given even the smallest indication that he didn’t want her to leave just yet—she would have said to hell with the coffee shop and going back to England today!
Instead of which he seemed to be saying that last night had been the end of things between them, not a new beg
inning …
Mia was grateful she had the shield of her sunglasses to hide the sting of tears that welled in her eyes. Tears she was determined wouldn’t fall—that she couldn’t let fall in front of Ethan.
She moistened dry lips before speaking. ‘We didn’t finish our conversation last night …’
‘Which conversation would that be?’ His mouth twisted. ‘We didn’t talk about much of anything after I came to your bedroom.’
No, they hadn’t—had been too intent on making love, giving each other pleasure, to have the time or inclination to talk. ‘You didn’t answer my question as to whether or not my leaving five years ago was in any way responsible for your decision to stay on at Burton Industries.’
Mia had realised that earlier, as she stood beneath the stinging force of a reviving shower, thinking of the previous evening.
Just as she knew that Ethan’s meteoric rise in the management of Burton Industries was the cornerstone of the resentment she had continued to feel towards him this past five years. Take that away, and—
‘I seem to recall that I told you I would have made exactly the same choices,’ Ethan bit out tersely.
He had said that, yes, Mia allowed. But her head felt so befuddled this morning, from the force of their lovemaking and the lack of sleep, she couldn’t remember now whether it had been in response to that question or another one …
‘Ethan—’
‘I need to take these plates out to the parents.’
‘You don’t think it’s more important for the two of us to talk about last night?’
‘Maybe later. Oh, sorry, I forgot—you won’t be here later for me to talk to,’ he dismissed wryly.
Mia blinked up at him. ‘You won’t be flying back to England when I do …?’
He shrugged. ‘I’ve decided it would be better if I stay on here for a couple of days. In case there are any emotional repercussions for William in regard to your visit.’
Any emotional repercussions for William …
What of any emotional repercussions Mia might suffer from seeing her father again? From making love with Ethan again?
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