Page 14 of Rescuing Rebel

Still hyped on adrenaline, I whisper, “My hero.” The words emerge like a prayer hanging in the suddenly charged air.

Ethan’s chest heaves beneath my hands. His eyes bore into me, full of untamed concern and another, more primal emotion. Time seems to slow around us.

His lips part, their magnetic allure a force of nature pulling me in.

My fingers trail up, almost of their own volition, grazing along the coarse terrain of his jawline. I thrill at the contrast of stubbled skin and smooth flesh beneath. Ethan doesn’t pull away, his lips parting slightly at my exploratory touch.

We stand balanced on a knife’s edge of anticipation, caught in this delicate moment. Then, succumbing to an irresistible pull neither of us can deny, our mouths meet in a fiery kiss.

Everything else fades away.

My eyes flutter closed, senses overwhelmed. The softness of his lips, his intoxicating woodsy taste and scent, the warmth of his skin under my palms—it steals my breath and sets my body ablaze. It’s a conflagration of passion, a kiss that’s both fierce and tender, consuming and endless.

A low groan rumbles through Ethan’s broad chest. His strong arms lock around me like iron bands, crushing me tighter to him. One hand burrows into my windswept hair, angling my head as he deepens the kiss.

Our tongues meet, tentative and seeking at first. Then growing bolder, both hungry for more. My fingers curl in his shirt, anchoring myself against the onslaught of sensation threatening to sweep me away.

Wave after wave of desire courses through me, burning hotter with every frantic meeting of our mouths. I mold myself to him, awash in the drugging kiss that leaves me dizzy and gasping.

Just when I think I might combust from the scorching heat coiled between us, Ethan breaks the kiss with a ragged gasp.

We stand clutched together, both breathing hard. His pupils are blown wide, lips kiss-swollen. He looks oddly stunned, like a man emerging from a dream.

I laugh breathlessly, trying to cut through the sensual haze fogging my mind. “Maybe I should fall off cliffs more often.”

At my joking words, guilt flashes across Ethan’s face. He drops his hands from my body as if burned, taking a deliberate step back.

“I’m so sorry. That was completely out of line.” He drags a hand through his hair, looking tormented. “I sincerely apologize.”

I can’t hold back an exaggerated eye roll.

“For kissing me? Men can be so absurdly noble sometimes. I’ve been trying to get you to notice me for weeks.” I poke his chest for emphasis. “Trust me, if I didn’t want you to kiss me, you’d currently be writhing on the ground cupping your balls in agony.”

Ethan blinks, clearly thrown. I continue before he can respond.

“Second, I’m not made of glass. I won’t shatter because someone kisses me.” I step closer, looking up into his eyes defiantly. “That just happens to be the best kiss of my life. So don’t you dare apologize for it.”

Ethan still seems hesitant, so I grab his hand, tracing lazy circles on his palm. His throat bobs. I lean in, dropping my voice. “You promised to show me the tide pools. Who knows what other—fun—might happen down there?”

His chest hitches, and the muscles of his jaw clench. Genuinely confused, I love the way his brows tug together as he tries to remember what he promised.

“Maybe you can think about how professional, or unprofessional, you want that excursion to be.” I can’t help but tease and be overly suggestive. Ethan’s nobility is too strong and is getting in the way. “After a kiss like that, I definitely want to explore what else might happen.” I rake my eyes over him suggestively before stepping back.

With a cheeky wave, I sashay away, adding extra sway to my step. His smoldering gaze follows me as I depart. I literally feel the heat of his passion burning a hole through my back.

Let him mull over what he started by that cliff. Next time his noble side rears up, I won’t let him pull away so easily. I lick my still-tingling lips as I follow the path back, trying to clear the sensual fog from my mind. Damn, that was an amazing kiss.

He surprises me.

And I can’t deny the effect Ethan Blackwood has on me. I didn’t anticipate such an intense attraction. Those kisses were blockbuster movie magnificent, straight out of a romance novel, devouring me.

Glancing back, I catch Ethan watching me, eyes simmering with banked heat. Anticipation coils low in my belly. Soon, we’ll finish this sensual dance, but letting the tension marinate could make the payoff even sweeter.

Out of sight, I touch my lips, swollen from the fierceness of our kiss. I can’t hold back a giddy smile. Playing with fire is risky, but I’m ready to get burned.

Squaring my shoulders, I continue onward, still floating on a hormonal high, but I force myself to refocus. I have my mission. Eyes on what’s important. There’s far more than a steamy kiss at stake.

Still, maybe mixing a little pleasure into the business wouldn’t be so bad. I grin wickedly to myself. Ethan won’t know what hit him, and I have a feeling I’m going to thoroughly enjoy every second of letting the anticipation simmer between us.

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