Forever Embers (Embers Series Book 3)

by L. S. Pullen

  I swear my knees go weak. I grip his biceps for added support. “What do you mean?”

  “I want to be with you, no more sneaking around.”

  He searches my face while I repeat his words in my head. He wants to be with me, me.

  “Really?” I ask, swallowing hard.

  “Yes,” he says, his face searching mine.

  My hands move up to his shoulders, then to the back of his head as I pull him closer.

  “Are you saying you want to be my boyfriend?”

  His smile nearly bowls me over. If he wasn’t holding me right now, I’m pretty sure it would have.

  “Yes.”

  “Then show me,” I say, going up on my tiptoes, my mouth close to his.

  I hear a low rumble escape him as he backs up against the wall, his lips crashing against mine, his tongue demanding entry. I open up to him as he devours me with a scorching kiss that sets my insides ablaze.

  I faintly make out the sound of him undoing his zipper before he hikes my dress up, and he moves my knickers to the side. His fingers slide between my folds, and he hooks two inside me. I arch into him with a whimper as he fingers me, and then he pulls them free, pushing my knickers down my legs until they pool at my feet. He raises my leg, adjusts himself, and rears up inside me. I squeeze my eyes closed from the welcome intrusion as profanities spill from my lips.

  “Fuck,” he says, holding me tightly against him, and begins to slam into me, my body smashing back against the cold wall, but I don’t care. I grip his shoulders as he takes me hard and fast.

  “Look at me.”

  I force my eyes open to see his are dark and full of lust.

  “You’re mine,” he says, and I gasp as he thrusts higher.

  “Oh my God…” I moan as he continues his gyrations.

  “Say it,” he growls.

  I can hardly catch my breath from the way he’s hammering inside me.

  “I’m yours,” I say, my nails digging into the material of his T-shirt.

  “Then come for me,” he demands. My climax piques. His hand moves down between us and he circles my clit, and I am fucking done for.

  “I’m… I’m…” I can’t even get the words out as my orgasm takes me under, and I am a fucking slave to his words as I come undone.

  He grunts as I come around him, his hard length buried deep inside. My inner walls pulse and throb relentlessly. His movements become wild and out of control, and then he lets go, throwing his head back with a roar as his seed fills me. Everything around us fades into oblivion.

  Ethan

  Lottie has tears streaming down her face when I open my eyes, and I have a brief moment of panic before she opens them. Her lips rise in a lazy smile.

  “Are you okay?” I ask, reaching up and wiping her cheeks.

  “I think so. That was—I can’t even explain it,” she says, her chest heaving.

  She pulses around me, and I have to squeeze my eyes closed as she takes the very last drops of me. Fucking heaven. I slowly lower her to the floor. She’s drenched, the evidence of our lovemaking dripping down her inner thighs, and I have this savage urge to get on my hands and knees and swipe my tongue over her flesh in a carnal way.

  I lean my forehead against hers, our ragged breaths mingling.

  “Shower with me?”

  I nod and step out of my jeans and pull my top off over my head with one hand as she slips out of her dress, and I follow her to the bathroom like a lovesick puppy.

  My steps falter. Lovesick.

  Fuck, I’m in love with her, and I don’t even know when it happened. All I know is she’s managed to completely disarm me without me realising––and not just physically and mentally but emotionally too.

  I stroke the length of her spine as she leans over to turn on the shower. When she peers back to look at me, the words are heavy on my lips, dying to be set free, but something holds me back.

  I just told her I wanted to be with her. I don’t want to send her running.

  “So, is that a yes you want to be with me too?” I ask, hoping I don’t sound as vulnerable as I feel in this moment. I don’t even know why it’s so important for her to say it. I think I just need to hear it.

  She steps into the shower and holds out her hand for me to join her.

  “Yes, Ethan. I want to be with you too,” she says as we both step under the spray.

  When I kiss her, it’s with reckless abandonment. This woman has quickly become my entire fucking universe, and I want her to know I have no intention of going anywhere.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Ethan

  I’m done with secrets. I want to scream from the top of Ally Pally that Lottie is mine, but first, I need to tell Olly. Lottie is the only approval I need, but he is my friend and Henry’s best friend, which puts everyone in a bit of an awkward position. Lottie and I have talked about it. She even suggested we say we’ve only just started seeing one another, but I shut that shit down real quick. Nathan, Rachel, and Henry already know, so lying now would just be a massive shit storm. Lottie deserves better than that.

  I watch on as Olly spars with Charlie, in the hopes that when he’s finished, he’ll be less inclined to kick my arse.

  “Are you sure about this?” Henry asks.

  “No, but he deserves to find out from me.”

  Henry nods and heads over to the treadmill as Charlie and Olly finish up.

  “Hey, man,” I say to Charlie. “You’ve got a wicked left hook.”

  He shakes his head. “Just trying not to get pummelled by this one,” he says, hooking his thumb over this shoulder.

  Olly wipes his face with the hem of his T-shirt. “Nah, he’s right. You’re getting better.”

  Charlie just laughs it off, flicking his gaze to his watch.

  “Shit, I have to go. If I’m late, Soph will kill me.”

  Olly makes a whipping noise as he flicks his arm towards Charlie, who in return flips him off.

  “You’ll have to come by the bar soon. It’s been an age since we’ve had a guy’s night,” Charlie says, reaching out his fist, bumping mine with his.

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  He says his goodbyes to Olly and me, and for a moment, I consider chickening out.

  I clear my throat. “Olly, do you think we could talk?”

  He cocks an eyebrow. “Yeah, is everything okay?”

  I nod, and then I shake my head. “Well, that probably depends on how you take what I’m about to tell you,” I reply.

  “Sounds ominous.”

  I begin to move from one foot to the other, adrenaline building. Fuck, it’s not as though I’m about to get in a ring, but it fucking feels like it.

  Glancing over, I notice both Henry and Nathan laser-focused on the two of us, and damn if I’m not sweating. Could those fuckers make it any more obvious?

  “Right, well, it’s about Lottie. Well, Lottie and me, actually...”

  Olly’s eyebrows draw together, and I swear his eyes go a shade darker.

  “What about you and her?” he asks, crossing his arms.

  I clear my throat and glance back towards Henry, who gives me two thumbs up. What the fuck?

  “Well, erm, we’ve been seeing each other.”

  He takes a step forward. “Sorry, you what?” he asks, shaking his head.

  “We’ve been seeing each other,” I say louder than before and hope he can’t hear my nerves.

  “You’re seeing my little sister?”

  I frown and hold up my hands as he crowds me. “Well, she’s an adult, but yes.”

  Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best retort, because right now, the way Olly’s jaw is locked, I think he’s about to explode.

  “No, she’s my little sister and she’s off-limits,” he grits out.

  Now I’m getting fucking annoyed. “No, she’s a grown arse woman, and she can make her own decisions.”

  He shakes his head. “Yes, she can, but friends don’t sniff around their mates’ siste
r,” he says, raising his voice.

  “I didn’t know she was your sister when we met.”

  Olly takes a few seconds for my words to kick in. “What the fuck do you mean, you didn’t know she was my sister when you met?”

  I stuff my hands in my pockets.

  “I met her a few weeks before you introduced us to her,” I reply.

  His eyebrows draw together. “But you never said anything,”

  “No, we were caught off guard.”

  Olly holds up his palm. “Stop, let me get this straight. You were already seeing my sister when I introduced you, and you’ve been seeing her this entire time? Behind my back?”

  I shake my head and then nod. It’s complicated, but yes, unofficially, we were seeing each other. I’m not about to say it was casual. I’d like to keep my face intact.

  “But you said nothing,” he says, and this time I register the hurt in his voice.

  He lunges forward and grabs my shirt in his fist as I hold my hands up in the air.

  “Hey, man, calm down,” Henry says from behind me.

  I shake my head. This isn’t on him.

  “Did you know?” he asks Henry, looking over my shoulder.

  See? This is what I was worried about. “No. No one knew. Not until recently anyway.”

  He takes a step back to put distance between us and paces.

  “How long have you been sneaking around with her?”

  I hate how Olly makes it sound like we’ve been doing something wrong when we’re both consenting adults.

  “Since I met her,” I reply honestly.

  He stops pacing.

  “I don’t get why you didn’t just say from the start that you were together?”

  My palms are sweating, and I know my face is likely changing colour now too.

  “Technically, we weren’t together, together…”

  I don’t get a chance to continue, and before I even know what’s happening, he draws back and lands an uppercut to my jaw, my head springing back on impact.

  “What the fuck, Olly?” Henry says, shoving him away.

  “He’s been fucking my sister,” he hollers, pointing his finger in my direction. I hold my jaw and wiggle it, noticing some of the gym members have stopped to stare at us.

  Fucking great.

  “Thanks for sharing that with everyone within a mile’s distance,” Lottie says.

  I turn to see her marching towards us, her face beetroot. Olly stutters to respond, but she holds up her hands.

  “Don’t you dare. I saw you punch him, Oliver. I said I’d tell you, but no, it would appear that he had misplaced loyalty. We met each other and it was just a little fun, and now we’re together. It’s as simple as that. If you don’t like it, that’s your problem, not ours.”

  She reaches for my hand, and I feel her tremble under my touch as we link our fingers together. Olly’s eyes drift to our joined hands, but before he can even reply, Lottie is turning on her heels and pulling me with her. “Come on, Ethan, let’s go.”

  I look back to Olly, his jaw slack and his eyes cast down, and I actually feel a little sorry for him, but I also love the fact she referred to us as a couple. His problem, not ours.

  As soon as we’re outside, Lottie’s hands are on my face, checking my jaw, her eyes brimming with tears.

  “I’m so sorry,” she says, and I hear the hitch in her voice.

  I cup her cheek. “Don’t be, it’s fine. He’s just looking out for you.”

  It fucking guts me seeing her like this. The last thing I’d ever want to do is come between her and Olly. Someone clears their throat, and we both turn to see Olly walking toward us.

  “Lottie,” he says, his eyes taking in the silent tears rolling down her face. “I’m sorry,” he says, his shoulders hung low.

  “It’s not me that you should be apologising to, Oliver.”

  He flinches when she uses his full name.

  “You’re right, Lottie.” His eyes move to mine. “Ethan, I’m sorry, man.” He steps forward and holds out his hand. I reach out and he gives it a firm shake.

  “As long as Lottie is happy, we’re good, but if you hurt her, we’re no longer friends,” he says before letting go. “And I really will kick your arse.”

  I nod and step back as Lottie wipes her cheeks.

  Olly opens his arms. “Am I forgiven?” he says.

  She bites her lip and glances at me, and I give her an encouraging smile. He pulls her to his chest when she walks into his arms. He whispers something in her ear, and she leans back and looks up at him and nods once before letting go to move back to my side. I wrap my arm around her waist, and I pull her closer and kiss her temple. Well, that went better than I expected.

  Olly lets out a groan. “Yeah, that’s going to take some getting used to. Maybe we should keep the PDA to a minimum,” he says.

  Lottie laughs and shocks the hell out of me when she reaches up and pulls me towards her for a chaste kiss, and as much as I don’t fancy another punch to the face, I can’t seem to deny myself when it comes to this woman.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Charlotte

  Since I found Ethan’s P-spot stimulator, I became curious and decided to do a little research of my own. Something is endearing about him not being afraid to explore his own body. Not only do I find it arousing, but I’m also intrigued. He’s never gone further than he did on that explosive night after Henry’s fight, and that’s okay, as I’m still not sure how I feel about it on me.

  But the thought of knowing I can bring him more pleasure is what had me dragging Vi along with me as I purchased a few new toys for him and his bottom drawer.

  To say I was overwhelmed by the different varieties was an understatement. Honestly, I think it would be easier to buy a new car. I ended up with a standard strap on, a vibrating strap on, a double vibrator, and a cock ring.

  Ethan is dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a shirt with the sleeves rolled up as I walk in, carrying inconspicuous bags, but I still feel like I have a sign hanging over my head in neon pink, shouting, ‘sex toys, sex toys’.

  Ever the gentleman and unaware of what they are, he takes them from me, his fingers brushing mine. His touch sends tingles all over my body, like it always does.

  “Can we talk?” I ask, and he stares at me quizzically for a moment.

  “Of course, is everything okay?” His concern sends a pang to my chest, and I find my heart racing now for different reasons.

  I nod. “Yeah. Can we go to your room?” I say, taking the bags back from him and heading towards the bedroom, hoping like hell he’s following.

  He stands there, staring at me, a slight smile on his lips, and I can’t help but smile back in return.

  Sitting down, I pat the space beside me on his bed, and when he leans in to kiss me, I forget what I want to talk to him about, pulling away breathless.

  I clear my throat. “Okay, so I went shopping the other day, and I bought some things for us.”

  Since we’re now official, I find myself loving saying we and us. I don’t even know when I became that person.

  “I wanted to talk before we ate or had anything to drink, so it’s communicated properly, no confusion.”

  I hand him the bag.

  “Okay,” he says, peering inside.

  And then his eyes spring to mine, a stunned expression on his face as he pulls out one of the boxes and turns it over in his hand.

  “You got this for me? For us?” he asks.

  “Yes,” I say.

  Before I know it, I’m flat on my back and he’s hovering over me, his eyes full of lust.

  “You’d do that for me?”

  I swallow and nod. “I want to make you feel good,” I reply in a whisper.

  He kisses my lips and then my jaw before moving back to my lips, feather-light kisses taking the very air from my lungs.

  “You already do make me feel good. I’m just blown away you want to explore this with me.”

&nbs
p; I grip his biceps. “I want to be the one to help bring you the most pleasure.”

  He takes my mouth in the most searing kiss I’ve ever experienced––and fuck me if my knickers aren’t already damp with my arousal.

  “We’ll take it slow,” he says as he pulls away breathless. “And if anything makes you uncomfortable, we stop. Agreed?”

  “Agreed,” I reply, my fingers digging into his hair and massaging his scalp.

  “Fuck, if you keep doing that, I might just have to take a nap,” he admits, his weight bearing down on me, his erection rock hard between us.

  I slide my hands down his back and up and under the back of his shirt so that I can trace his skin with my nails. He pulls me against his erection.

  “If you want dinner, you need to stop that.”

  “I’m only hungry for you.”

  His pupils dilate, his eyes darken, and I know I’ve hit my mark.

  Pushing himself up, he pulls me with him and drags my top over my head, and then unclasps my bra. My nipples harden in anticipation before he takes them in his mouth one at a time, giving them equal attention.

  And then he pops the button of my jeans and drags them down my legs, causing my skin to pebble.

  He presses his nose to my centre and inhales, trailing my knickers down my legs and over my feet before stuffing them in his pocket.

  “I’m keeping these,” he says, and fuck me if it doesn’t turn me on. It’s not like it’s the first pair either.

  “You’re not wearing them when I leave, are you?”

  His laugh is gravelly. “You have a very smart mouth, but in answer to your question, no. But your scent alone is fucking intoxicating.”

  I swallow hard. The filthier his words, the more they turn me on.

  “You know we’ll have to build up to anal? There’ll be a lot of prepping involved over the next coming days if you are serious about doing this.”

  Biting my lip, I nod. “I am.”

  He lowers his head and licks the entire length of me, causing me to arch into him, and a small cry falls from my lips. Never has anyone made me feel the way he does––so alive, so fucking wanted.