Page 29 of Gone for You

We’re sitting on his dark brown leather couch in his awesome little home, his feet are up on the coffee table, I’m stretched out with my back to the arm rest and my feet are resting on his lap. His big hand is resting on my ankle, every so often he rubs a spot with his thumb. “Ah, no. They really don’t.”

“Can I ask you why you helped them? Samantha asked me that earlier and I didn’t have a great answer for her. And it’s not that I’m judging, because that’s not it at all. But I can see why they’re curious. From the way I understand it, you guys had never met, right?”

“Right.”

“So… why?”

“Because they didn’t ask. When I saw them at the gas station that day, it was obvious they needed help. Desperately, if I am being honest. But they weren’t looking for it. When Austin finished filling the car with gas, he came in and paid with exact change. There was a bucket on the counter for donations and I saw him staring at it. Really reading the little piece of paper taped to the front that told the story about a family who’d lost their home in a fire.”

“Oh my.”

“He dug in his wallet, pulled out a ten-dollar bill, and dropped it in without hesitation. Austin and his family had nothing and he didn’t even blink at giving to another family he didn’t even know.”

I sniff and mumble. “Well, crap.” Our hands link together on my thigh. I’m quickly learning he’s an affectionate guy. Hand holding is definitely a thing for him.

“Not even knowing their story, I knew he needed it more. It was obvious. I also knew that I really wanted to help. Someone had put him in my path for a reason and I wasn’t going to be able to let it go. Dad and Jessie, they raised me that way. They were always helping people in need. When Jessie died, she left me some money. I didn’t want to keep it but Dad reminded me of all the good I could do with the inheritance. We designated a certain amount of it to an account I keep only for this type of thing. Really, this is just me following what Jessie would have wanted.”

I don’t even try to hide the tears that are flowing down my cheeks. “Wow.”

“No, stop. This isn’t about me.”

“It’s a little bit about you,” I say, nudging him with my foot.

He shakes his head, chuckles. “Enough about that. I want to know more about you.”

I groan, drop my head to the arm rest. “Really? That’s what you want? To talk?”

He smirks. “What did you have in mind?”

I lick my lips and his eyes follow the movement. They can’t seem to shift away from my mouth and I figure he knows exactly what I had in mind.

He bites down, the white of his teeth dragging along his full bottom lip.

His thumb pushes in on the arch of my foot. Drags it up and down.

Our chests are heaving. His dark eyes assessing, questioning.

Yes, I want this.

Something shifts and I know he sees that I’m all in. We’ll worry about tomorrow when it comes. Right now, I just want us to focus on the here and now and how unbelievable it’s going to feel to be doing all the foreplay with him.

We stare at each other for one beat. Two. And on three we’re both out of our places on the couch and in each other’s arms. I push back on his shoulders, throw my leg over his muscular thighs and straddle him. Ethan’s arms wrap around me, tugging me close. One hand is threaded through my hair, palming the back of my head. The other firmly cups my butt. Squeezes. We both groan. And oh my gosh I’ve never felt anything like this. Him. I’m so turned on that I’m dangerously close to embarrassing myself. I can’t stop moaning and making crazy noises I didn’t think I was capable of.

Suddenly he stands, fingers digging into the soft flesh of my butt, my legs wrap tightly, lock at the ankles. I let out a little squeak of surprise. I’ve always wanted a man to do this to me; I’ve read it in books, seen it in movies, but I never had firsthand experience. It makes me feel feminine and sexy and wow am I ever looking forward to seeing where this is headed.

“Holy mother,” I mumble, my mouth still attacking his.

“Yeah,” he grunts, moving us down the hallway to what I assume is his bedroom. I know what’s about to happen between us. Obviously he knows, too. The way I’m basically climbing him as he walks, trying to get impossibly closer, is indication of my intentions.

Growling, he stops and turns us, pins me against the wall and pressing himself into me tells me he’s totally on board too. We’ve barely gotten started and he’s already tackled two of my fantasies. “God I’ve never wanted anyone more than I want you right now.”

“Take me. Please.” I have no shame. It’s gone. If he asked me to strip naked right here in this hallway, I’d be naked in seconds.

“Not here. Not against the wall.” He says the words but his body definitely doesn’t follow up with them. I want to protest. To whine and beg him to just do it already. His hips swivel and twist, turning me inside out. Mercy if he doesn’t quit, I’ll come apart.

He swallows my cry with his mouth. A hard press of his lips before he pulls back to look at me. “I’m not fucking you in the hallway, Liv. I want you laid out beneath me so I can take my time worshiping every single inch of this body.”

“Okay!” My voice comes out high pitch and excited.

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