you know where I keep the extras.” She set the blankets and pillow on the couch cushion, took a step back, licked her lips. “Thanks for staying.”
He could still taste her. “You’re welcome. Go get some sleep.”
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to.”
He wouldn’t be sleeping tonight. There was too much to think about. A lot had happened in the last half hour. “You’re safe. That’s why I’m here.”
“Okay. Good night.” Shy eyes met his, looked down, and she turned away.
As Sarah retreated, he wanted to call her back, to hold her once more, but he stopped himself. They both needed time to think about the unexpected turn their lives had just taken.
Chapter 5
S ARAH TOSSED AND TURNED UNTIL dawn with so many things on her mind. Fear filled her as she thought of how close the rape had been to her house. Had she been letting herself into her own home when the rapist had been letting himself into her neighbor’s?
She shuddered at the thought.
Unable to lie in bed any longer, she sat up and glanced at her bedside table. Jake’s smile filled the photograph she kept close by. She picked up the brushed nickel frame, nibbled her lip as guilt consumed. Ethan had kissed her and she’d done nothing to stop him. What was I thinking? How could I do that to you, Jake? She skimmed her finger along her husband’s cheek before she put his picture back and stood.
Sarah walked to the window, touched the wedding rings she wore on a necklace. Her fingers tightened on the gold and diamonds as she thought of firm lips taking hers, of strong arms holding her close. Tears of shame filled her eyes, spilling over, when she realized the lips and arms she craved weren’t those of her husband’s.
She stepped back from the window, dashed at her cheeks. What was she going to do? How was she going to handle this?
The stereo, turned down low, played in the living room, and she knew Ethan didn’t sleep either. Letting out a deep breath, Sarah pulled on jeans and a baggy black sweatshirt before heading down the hall. She stopped in the doorway, watched Ethan, dressed in gray sweat shorts, complete a set of push-ups. He blew out fast puffs of breath as his triceps flexed and bunched with the up and down motion. When he finished, he pushed himself up to standing with an efficient hop and met her gaze. Sweat dribbled down his sculpted pectorals to the darkened waistband slung low on his muscled hips.
Had she truly believed she was unaffected by his looks? She had seen him without his shirt before—several times—but as her gaze traveled up sculpted abs, over broad shoulders and stopped on his lips, Sarah thought of the way his mouth had captured hers, and a swift kick of heat scorched her system.
She cleared her throat, willing the memory away. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” Ethan picked up the glass of water on the coffee table, guzzled, his eyes never leaving hers.
“Did you sleep well?” Sarah gripped her fingers together until her knuckles whitened.
“No.” He glanced at her hands as he set the empty glass down.
“Oh.” She relaxed her grip, moving her arms to her sides. “Was the couch uncomfortable? Let me make you some coffee.” Having all she could take of the awkward small talk, Sarah started toward the kitchen.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?” She turned, swiping a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Stop acting like that.” He clipped off each word.
His clenched jaw and rigid stance told her a storm brewed beneath his pretense of calm. “Like what ?”
Before she could blink, Ethan stepped forward, taking her arms. “Like last night was a mistake.”
Nerves stretched thin and snapped. “It was!” Sarah closed her eyes as a flash of hurt moved through his, and he let her go.
She pressed her lips together, holding back tears as she met Ethan’s unreadable gaze. “What about Jake? We had no right, Ethan.”
“We had every right,” he erupted, spinning away and back again.
“He’s my
He could still taste her. “You’re welcome. Go get some sleep.”
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to.”
He wouldn’t be sleeping tonight. There was too much to think about. A lot had happened in the last half hour. “You’re safe. That’s why I’m here.”
“Okay. Good night.” Shy eyes met his, looked down, and she turned away.
As Sarah retreated, he wanted to call her back, to hold her once more, but he stopped himself. They both needed time to think about the unexpected turn their lives had just taken.
Chapter 5
S ARAH TOSSED AND TURNED UNTIL dawn with so many things on her mind. Fear filled her as she thought of how close the rape had been to her house. Had she been letting herself into her own home when the rapist had been letting himself into her neighbor’s?
She shuddered at the thought.
Unable to lie in bed any longer, she sat up and glanced at her bedside table. Jake’s smile filled the photograph she kept close by. She picked up the brushed nickel frame, nibbled her lip as guilt consumed. Ethan had kissed her and she’d done nothing to stop him. What was I thinking? How could I do that to you, Jake? She skimmed her finger along her husband’s cheek before she put his picture back and stood.
Sarah walked to the window, touched the wedding rings she wore on a necklace. Her fingers tightened on the gold and diamonds as she thought of firm lips taking hers, of strong arms holding her close. Tears of shame filled her eyes, spilling over, when she realized the lips and arms she craved weren’t those of her husband’s.
She stepped back from the window, dashed at her cheeks. What was she going to do? How was she going to handle this?
The stereo, turned down low, played in the living room, and she knew Ethan didn’t sleep either. Letting out a deep breath, Sarah pulled on jeans and a baggy black sweatshirt before heading down the hall. She stopped in the doorway, watched Ethan, dressed in gray sweat shorts, complete a set of push-ups. He blew out fast puffs of breath as his triceps flexed and bunched with the up and down motion. When he finished, he pushed himself up to standing with an efficient hop and met her gaze. Sweat dribbled down his sculpted pectorals to the darkened waistband slung low on his muscled hips.
Had she truly believed she was unaffected by his looks? She had seen him without his shirt before—several times—but as her gaze traveled up sculpted abs, over broad shoulders and stopped on his lips, Sarah thought of the way his mouth had captured hers, and a swift kick of heat scorched her system.
She cleared her throat, willing the memory away. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” Ethan picked up the glass of water on the coffee table, guzzled, his eyes never leaving hers.
“Did you sleep well?” Sarah gripped her fingers together until her knuckles whitened.
“No.” He glanced at her hands as he set the empty glass down.
“Oh.” She relaxed her grip, moving her arms to her sides. “Was the couch uncomfortable? Let me make you some coffee.” Having all she could take of the awkward small talk, Sarah started toward the kitchen.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?” She turned, swiping a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Stop acting like that.” He clipped off each word.
His clenched jaw and rigid stance told her a storm brewed beneath his pretense of calm. “Like what ?”
Before she could blink, Ethan stepped forward, taking her arms. “Like last night was a mistake.”
Nerves stretched thin and snapped. “It was!” Sarah closed her eyes as a flash of hurt moved through his, and he let her go.
She pressed her lips together, holding back tears as she met Ethan’s unreadable gaze. “What about Jake? We had no right, Ethan.”
“We had every right,” he erupted, spinning away and back again.
“He’s my