Page 40 of Unfolding Ethan

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“Wake up, Kiara.”

I didn’t move a muscle. After a while, the bed around me dipped and he said again, “Bella, wake up.”

I peeked at him and he was wearing gray sweatpants and a white T-shirt. His hair was damp, and I realized he had already taken a shower.Well, there goes my idea of showering with him.I smiled sleepily and hid my flushed face in the pillows, which smelled like him; musky cinnamon and woodsy scent.

“I know what you’re thinking, Kiara.” He tugged at the blankets. “Come on, wake up!”

“I am naked, Ethan.”

“It’s not like I haven’t seen anything.”

Touché.

I let him yank the blankets and shivered at the cold breeze brushing over my body. I had to bite down my smirk when Ethan cursed softly under his breath when his eyes landed on me.

“Like what you see?” I teased when my body warmed under his scorching gaze.

Ethan shook his head as if he was lost in a trance. “No. Ilovewhat I’m seeing. You’re like the wet dream of every high school guy. Naked on his bed.”

His words were enough to arouse me, and I wondered if he realized that my nipples were hard because of him and not the cold. I sat up and let out a big yawn, rubbing my eyes with my hand. I could feel his scorching gaze on me, and when I raised my eyebrow at him, his cheeks flushed, and he looked down at his feet.

“Um . . . you should take a shower. The water’s still hot a-and . . . I’ll be in the kitchen.”

I smiled at his sudden shyness while his eyes roved over my bare skin. “Stop staring at me like that. It’s not like you haven’t seen anything,” I said.

His eyes turned into a darker shade and he licked his lips. “Yes, but”—he paused and shook his head—“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.” With that, he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I blinked at the door and looked away. I really wanted him to complete that sentence.

Walking to the bathroom, I came to a halt and gaped at the girl who stared back at me from the reflection. I looked different. My hair was a tousled mess, but my eyes had a natural shine in them and the gold flecks in them were glowing. My body was flushed, and I looked happy, radiant even. I bit my lip and traced the hickey on the column of my neck. Releasing my lip, I trailed my hand down my décolletage over another small hickey and love bites peppering over my breasts, stomach, hips, and my inner thigh.

I took a sharp breath, remembering how he had kissed and worshipped my body last night. He had changed from usually innocent, shy Ethan to someone else who knew exactly where to touch and pleasure me. I leaned on the sink and chuckled softly.

Silent ones are really the wild ones.

???

I was taming my wavy hair when I stepped out of his room in nothing but his shirt and briefs and as soon as my eyes landed on his broad back in the kitchen, I changed the direction of my feet.

I shamelessly ogled my best friend’s back while he made pancakes. The muscles hiding under his T-shirt moved and shifted as he worked. I licked my lips. Of their own accord, my eyes trailed down to his firm butt and I would be lying if I didn’t want to tap that. He was a sight for sore eyes.

I cleared my throat. “Good morning, Ethan.”

He looked over his shoulder and I smiled at him when his mismatched eyes hooded with a swirl of emotions. What was he thinking? Did I have something on my face? Would he want me on his face?

Jesus, Kiara. Have some manners. Right, I’d ask him thatafterwe had breakfast.

Ethan replied with a small smile. “Morning, Bella.”

He served the pancakes on two plates I had arranged. I had to sit on the counter to take out the maple syrup from the upper cabinet. I knew he was biting down his grin because he could easily reach over with his hand and get it.

Ethan ran a hand through his hair once I got down on the floor and I remembered that it was the same hair I had tugged last night when he kissed me and made me come on his mouth.

I could feel my cheeks turn warm, so I looked down at my plate, trying to hide the blush with my hair as we walked to the living room and sat down on the couch. Ethan sat far away from me.

Did I miss something?

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