Page 58 of The Feud

I jolt, realizing that Ethan’s talking and I have no idea what he’s just said. “Um, sorry, what?”

He leans over, kisses the top of my head. A sweet, affectionate move that shouldn’t make my blood race the way it does. “I said, you have that PTA meeting on Monday. Are you worried about it?”

“Not really. I mean… my hands are tied by the superintendent, but I expect it’s going to be a free-for-all. There are a lot of divided feelings.”

He’s talking about a meeting called by the Parent Teacher Association to discuss a list of books that some of the parents want to ban. There will be members from the county board of education in attendance and I expect it will get heated. Yours truly will moderate and it’s going to suck because I cannot take a position, even though I’m firmly against book banning.

“I got your back,” he says, and that means more to me than it should. Ethan shouldn’t have to take my side, but rather do what he believes in for Sylvie’s sake. We’ve talked at length about it and he’s against the ban too, and in fact, he went and bought every book on the list for his daughter.

But it’s what makes walking the ethical edge of this knife we’re on a little precarious. There’s no direct conflict with me dating a parent. I checked. But Ethan and I decided it’s best that we don’t flaunt the relationship in any way.

“Speaking of having your back, I assume Abby and Kellen are still arriving tomorrow?”

Ethan chuckles. “Yeah, they’ll be in by dinnertime.”

Abby is Ethan’s younger sister and Kat’s identical twin. She’s a small animal veterinarian in Pittsburgh and her husband, Kellen, is a private security expert and former U.S. Marine. While much of it is water under the bridge, Ethan and Kellen had quite the rocky start when he first started dating Abby. I was thoroughly entertained by the dramatic story of how Abby tried to take down a crooked puppy mill owner by stealing dogs, getting shot at and ultimately almost killed in a barn fire set by the man. Kellen was there to protect her through it all but Ethan has a bit of a grudge against him for letting his sister get involved in the first place. Apparently, Kellen didn’t like Ethan’s judgment and overbearing protectiveness. I’m prepared, based on what Ethan’s told me, for the two men to snipe at each other—although probably in more of a teasing way—and hence why I have his back.

But truly, Abby is here to meet Sylvie and I expect it’s going to be an all-around fun time. I was thrilled that it wasn’t just Ethan who invited me to the family dinner tomorrow but Sylvie, who was most adamant she wanted me present. I think because I was the little girl’s first trusted confidante and the one who placed myself solidly in her corner at the start. Our bond was instantly formed and solidified by the relationship I’ve developed with her father, who she also now sees as a trustworthy advocate.

Finishing the last pepper, I wipe my hands on a towel before pulling the large white onion toward me. I take a deep breath of fortification and say, “I hope you don’t mind women who cry.” Ethan stares down at me in question. I hold up the onion. “Gets me every time.”

He smiles and takes the onion from my hand, setting it on the counter far away from me. He takes the knife away as well. I assume he means to cut the onion, but he merely puts the utensil down before turning to face me fully.

The glint in his eye prickles my skin. Stepping into me, his hands come to rest on my shoulders. “It occurs to me that I haven’t gotten a kiss from you yet. You walked right in and started flitting about the kitchen.”

I lift my chin. “I don’t flit.”

His laugh is soft and rumbling as his eyes roam over my face. “No, I don’t suppose you do.”

Dipping his head, Ethan glides his lips over mine. Just a soft touch but I feel it all the way to my toes as he whispers, “How hungry are you?”

“I had a late lunch,” I murmur back.

I feel his smile against my mouth just before he deepens the kiss. I melt into it without any will of my own. Ethan’s hands drop down my arms, his thumbs grazing the sides of my breasts while his tongue tangles with mine. My head falls back and then his mouth is on my neck, trailing teeth and lips along my sensitive skin.

My breath clogs in my throat as he pulls my shirt up and over my head so quickly, I can’t even process what’s going on. The cool air hits my skin, pebbles my nipples in my bra.

Ethan leans back slightly, looks between our bodies and slides a finger down the center of my chest to tap against the front clasp. “I wonder what would happen if I popped this open,” he muses softly, eyes pinned on my breasts held in place by the black satin. He poses the question to himself, not me, and I wait breathlessly to see what he does.

Green eyes lift to meet mine. There’s no request for permission but rather a statement that he’s going to take what he wants, and God help me… that’s so damn sexy I can barely think. Without looking back down again, Ethan expertly flicks open the front clasp of my bra. My breasts spill free and yet Ethan keeps his eyes on mine.

Finally, he looks down and apparently he likes what he sees because his growl rumbles so hard that I feel it in my chest.

Large, warm, calloused hands test the weight of my flesh. Thumbs drag across nipples, leaving me weak… dizzy.

“Love the way you feel in my hands,” he says, words harsh and guttural. “I’m thinking they’ll feel better in my mouth.”

A tremor racks my body, not from his touch but from his words.

I’ve never heard those words before and they’re as pleasure-inducing as the chaos his fingers create.

I go to my tiptoes, put my mouth against his and fall into a kiss that is so consuming, every bit of my control is swept away. Ethan continues to stroke, glide and squeeze while my world spins crazier with lust and passion.

He’s seducing me with very little effort and I’ve completely surrendered.

A flash of reason seeps into my fogged brain and I realize… I need to feel him. I want to touch his skin, feel the muscles underneath, understand the strength that is there. I tug at his T-shirt, lifting it just enough for my hands to slide under. So warm and smooth and rippled. I push my hands up to his chest, pressing into the solid muscles honed by hard work and dedication.

I let out a tiny cry of surprise when I find myself lifted, only for my butt to come down on the edge of the counter. I vaguely hear Ethan pushing stuff out of the way and then his mouth is on my breast. My hands grab his head, fingers sliding into his hair, and I grip hard to keep him right where he’s at. I feel his reverberating chuckle before he sucks hard on my nipple.

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