“No worries. I’m glad Cody settled down.”
Usually, Ethan manages to get both kids to bed on his own, but for some reason, Cody was restless tonight and wanted extra snuggle time with his dad. I was happy to help and read to Mila.
Ethan hands me a bag of popcorn when we get settled in front of the TV. He makes a quick call to his mom, and I stifle a laugh when he makes a face at me and says, “Yes, Ma, your pot roast is better,” while he’s shaking his head no.
When he hangs up, I ask how Beverly’s doing.
“She misses the kids, but she’s long overdue for this trip to see her sister.” He reaches across my lap for some popcorn. “She wanted to know how you like your room. If you have everything you need.”
I nod, feeling oddly pleased his mom asked about me. “Tell her the amenities are lovely and that I am so delighted someone introduced me to the washer and dryer.”
“Smartass.” He chuckles and adjusts the volume on the remote.
Even though the couch is enormous, he’s sitting right next to me, so close I can feel the heat from his body.
I shove a huge bite of popcorn into my mouth to distract me from the clean, masculine scent of his body wash. Being around Ethan fresh out of the shower every evening after work is the hardest part of my day. Seeing him barefoot around his house in jeans and old t-shirts suggests a certain intimacy I don’t really have with him.
“Mmm. I love kettle corn,” I say around a mouthful. Despite how nervous he makes me sometimes, I force myself to act like I would around my friends in Austin, which means my inner tomboy is at full throttle. Thus, I’m stuffing my face.
He dips his hand into the bag. “Me too. Between our desserts and your dinners, I’m gonna weigh two tons by the end of the summer.”
“As if. You must burn four thousand calories a day.” It’s true. Ethan works like a dog, slaving from sun-up until sun-down in the sweltering barn. Sometimes after the kids are in bed, he ties the long-range baby monitor to his belt and toils some more. The man has a remarkable work ethic.
And I’m guessing remarkable stamina.
I mean, I can only imagine.
When a commercial comes on for a concert, I smile at the memories. “Ryan Hunter was so good live.”
Ethan turns to me with a nod. “Saw him and his band a few years ago. They kicked ass.”
“I didn’t peg you as an alternative music fan.” Ryan Hunter is known for his acoustic style, original songwriting, and his hot AF face and bod.
Though, now that I’m sitting next to Ethan, I’d say my number one celebrity crush has some competition.
Ethan shrugs. “Brady got me into his music, strangely enough.”
I push him playfully. “He got me into Ryan’s music too. I was in my senior year of high school, and Brady wouldn’t shut up about this band he knew from Boston.”
He gives me a sexy smirk. “I forget you’re still a baby.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m laughing. “Whatever. You can’t help that you’re old.”
It’s weird how natural it feels to give him a hard time. It’s even weirder to figure out we were both at the same Ryan Hunter concert all those years ago.
With us shooting the shit, I can’t help but let down my defenses because, after a week of hanging out, this vibe between us seems natural.
Despite my better judgment, I find myself liking Ethan more than I should. But if the only way I’m going tonotlike him is to avoid him altogether, then I’ll just have to deal with this puppy crush. Because disappearing in the evenings only hurt his feelings, which I won’t do again.
I’ve also learned that the beautiful redhead I saw last week is a client, and judging from the comments I’ve overheard from Logan, she’s not someone whose attention Ethan welcomes.
Still.
I need to tread carefully.
I figure it’s only two months, and then I’ll go back to Austin. The thought saddens me, but it’s not like I’m a permanent member of this family. Even though I sort of wish I was. Unlike when I was dating Jamie, however, I don’t let myself fantasize.
It would be so easy to daydream. To wonder what it would be like if Ethan and I were together. Like right now? I’d sit closer to him and lean into his broad chest. He’d band one of his big arms around me and kiss the top of my head, and I’d sigh happily and let my hand meander over his stomach and appreciate every one of those ridges. Maybe I’d nuzzle against him. Smell his sexy scent. Lick and nibble my way up his neck until I straddled his lap and felt his thick, hard length through his jeans.
