Page 29 of Unfolding Ethan

“Stop it.”

“No, you stop it. I have to clean the wound.”

“Kiara,” he snapped, “it fucking stings.”

My arm dropped and I stepped away. I whispered softly, “I am sorry I am hurting you.”

His eyes softened and he pulled me closer, his arms wrapping around my waist. “You are not hurting me. It’s his fault that you almost drowned, and now, he made you cry.”

I cupped his face, my thumb caressing his cheekbone. “Would you rather I kissed Carter?”

Ethan tensed under my touch. His lip twitched and he shook his head. “I would rather you didn’t play that stupid game.”

A shiver curled down my back when his warm, large hands trailed over my waist, my skin tingling with goose bumps, and I wished I wasn’t wearing the stupid top so he could touch my skin.

Swallowing the gulp in my throat, I asked, “And why is that?”

A gasp escaped my lips when he pressed me against him, his body heat radiating into me and warming me. “Because I’d rather have you all to myself,” he replied, his eyes never leaving mine.

Heat curled up in my face, my hands sliding down to his neck. My fingers brushed the hair on his nape, and he sighed softly at the touch. His hands were trailing over my sides, never brushing against the side of my breasts or going down my hips. Just my waist, and still, I was turned on standing between his legs.

“That’s a bit selfish of you, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I am selfish when it comes to you,” he said, his palm cupping my jaw. “Can I kiss you, Kiara?”

I licked my lips, his eyes dropping down to my lips, and my breath hitched in my throat when I nodded, leaning closer to him. “Kiss me, Ethan.”

And kiss he did. Our lips pressed against each other, the flutters in my belly spreading to my mind as I smiled. He smiled back. We were both grinning and clumsily kissing each other. Our hands were fumbling, and he tilted his head, his hand running through my hair, making me purr in pleasure. I opened up to him, his hot tongue licking the seams of my bottom lip before savoring my mouth. My hands feathered the soft locks of his onyx hair while our lips entwined with each other.

I gasped when I felt my back land on the mattress. Ethan hovered above me, his eyes hooded with lust, hunger, and desire. I licked my lips and we started making out again, the sound of our lips kissing and heavy breathing surrounding us with the muffled noise of the music. A moan slipped past my lips when his hands squeezed my waist, his lips trailing down my jaw and my hips rising to meet his.

“Ohmygod,” I whimpered, “Ethan,please.”

I could feel his boner brushing between my legs and the realization that he was hard because of me aroused me more than ever. I wanted him.Fuck everything else.

Ethan pulled away, my eyes snapping open and my chest heaving up and down to keep some air in my lungs when I met the sight in front of me. His hair was tousled, lips were swollen, and pupils dilated. His eyes roved over me, and I did nothing to hide, allowing him to notice how hard my nipples were.

“No, Kiara”—he gulped nervously—“this . . . this is not okay.”

I leaned up on my elbows. “What?”

Ethan shook his head as if he was in a trance and stood up from the bed, getting away from me.What the hell happened to him?

“I am sorry, Bella. But I can’t do this,” he said. “You are my best friend.”

Lust turned into anger as I straightened my clothes and glared at him. “A best friend you want to fuck.” I nodded at his boner and his cheeks turned red when he took a sharp breath.

“I apologize for my behavior. We will talk later.” With that the door of the room shut closed and I sighed, running a hand over my face.

What the fuck just happened? Wait, was he hard because he thought of someone else and not me? Did he really consider me as his little sister? But last time I checked, you don’t skinny-dip with your little sister.Kiara, you’re going off-topic.

Shaking my head, I stood up from the bed and patted down my mussed hair, blushing at the sight of my flushed cheeks, clothes disheveled, and lips swollen from the kiss we shared. If he enjoyed the kiss, which I know he did, then why did he all of a sudden push away and practically run away from the room?

I went downstairs, taking an empty cup and filling it with beer, bobbing my head to the music while looking for Ethan or any of my friends. The crowd seemed smaller than before. I walked to the pool, wondering if Ethan would be there, but decided that the pool was no longer safe. There was an adult man wearing a G-string on his chest. A naked female mannequin floated in the pool, and every now and then someone was kissing it. Frat parties aredangerous.

I was about to walk back inside when I saw Ethan. Talking with two girls who were giggling and drinking. Anger ran through my veins, but I controlled it and raised my glass when he found me staring at him. I forced a smile and swallowed the content in my cup, the sharp burn of the beer feeling much better.

Ignoring him, I walked inside the house and went to the kitchen to find more beer. Thankfully, the kitchen was empty as I sat on the island, mulling over my relationship with Ethan. Yeah, we were best friends, but best friends didn’t kiss each other as we did. But then he pushed away and was now talking to two women. If he did go with them, then I was sure he didn’t want anything to do with me and I’d move on from this lust.Eventually.

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