Page 81 of Exposure of Murder

Ethan carried Jane to her room and tenderly placed her on the bed. He stared at the small woman lying there, smiling at him, her eyes shining, her lips swollen from his kisses. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if what they were doing was right.

Oh hell. What was he thinking? Yes, it was right.

Sure, he’d had sex with a couple of women in the past year, but that was all it was—a one and done. He gazed into Jane’s eyes, envisioning a future together.

She was everything he wanted in a woman—brave, sexy, smart, and she understood pain. He was amazed by her courage to keep going while he cowardly avoided getting hurt again.

The sun castsoft shadows through the gauzy curtains. The faint smell of the perfume she spritzed on earlier lingered in the air.

She was ready to continue their relationship, and Jane knew with an honorable man like Ethan that he wasn’t a love ’em and leave ’em type of man. They had the beginning of something special, and it was time to explore that.

“I hope you’re not chickening out on me,” Jane murmured. Ethan looked serious for a minute, and her heart skipped a beat. She hoped his hesitation stemmed from being overwhelmed byher desire for them to be intimate, rather than from having second thoughts.

Her pulse quickened as she waited for his response.

His sudden laugh broke the silence. “Bawk, bawk, bawk,” he teased, playfully nuzzling her neck. “Not on your life. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m calling fake news,” she said with a smirk. “You didn’t like me when I first moved here.”

He pulled back and looked into her eyes, his expression softening. “Maybe not, but you’ve grown on me.”

Jane arched a brow. “Like poison ivy?” Jane smiled. Ethan’s blush was adorable.

Ethan chuckled as he delicately brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned closer. “I’d say more like a … stubborn weed.”

“Whaat?”

“Yup. A stubborn weed that refuses to go away no matter how hard you try to get rid of it, but in the end, it turns into a beautiful flower.”

Jane giggled. “A stubborn weed?” She shook her head in disbelief. “So, I’m hard to get rid of but somehow essential in the garden?”

“Yup.” Ethan grinned. “I heard someone say once that weeds are like flowers once you get to know them.”

Jane looked into his brown eyes, which were filled with emotion. Well now, the grumpy man had a sense of humor … go figure. She could see glimpses of the person he was before his heart was crushed by Corrine. It felt good to tease and laugh with him.

He lifted his hand and tenderly caressed her cheek, brushing his thumb against her skin. Then he leaned in and kissed her forehead, her nose, before he finally captured her lips in a sweet kiss.

Jane’s hand slipped up to wrap around his neck, pulling him closer. His kisses were tender and promised more than passion. They promised a future together.

Forty-One

Ethan lay next to Jane and inhaled deeply. The lingering scent of their lovemaking clung to the sheets and filled the air.

He hadn’t felt this way in a long time—being with a woman who made him laugh and was still irresistibly sexy. And lordy, Jane was sexy.

He looked over at her lean form resting beside him. Her skin was soft and dewy. His gaze traveled up to her perfect breasts, making him want to caress and suck them again. And he remembered how she was so responsive to his every touch.

He looked at his watch and cursed. Damn. He was due at the station in an hour, and all he wanted to do was lie here, tangled in the sheets with her, and make love again. First, though, he needed to shower, and more importantly, he needed to find out who was targeting Jane.

“Hey, you.” She looked at him lazily and murmured, “That was fantastic.”

Ethan leaned over, pressing a tender kiss to her lips. “It was. Unfortunately, I need to shower and get to the station. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be leaving this bed.”

Jane chuckled. “And I have farm work to do, plus I need to check on Bucky.”

He reluctantly slid out of bed, giving one last look at Jane lying there, her lips swollen from his kisses, her nipples hard and puckered, and groaned. Damn. He didn’t want to leave.

“Go,” teased Jane, “before I have my wicked way with you again.”

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