Page 80 of All I Have Left

“We will, but we’ll be there later,” Grayson replies. “I’m gonna take a shower first.”

Ethan shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

I turn my head to look at him. “Do you want me to wait down here while you shower?”

He shakes his head and moves me from beside him to on his lap. Without much coaxing, I straddle him, wondering if he’d changed his mind about sex. But sadly, by his face, I don’t think that’s where this is going. “I know we talked the other night, but there’s some things we didn’t say.” He pauses, and then levels me a more serious look. “I know you want to know why I left, especially after we had sex and then I disappeared. I was an asshole. I won’t lie to you. I enlisted in the Army well before our night together. I knew when we had sex I was leaving after graduation,” he says, staring at me. “But I know you, and you think that night with you didn’t mean anything to me. You’re wrong. It meanteverythingto me. I just, I wasn’t planning on us doing that, or you having feelings for me. If I had known before, I wouldn’t have enlisted.”

I certainly wasn’t expecting him to admit that. I mean, I knew that night meant something to him, but I figured it didn’t mean enough, if that makes sense. “I get why you did.”

His eyes hold mine when he whispers, “I love you. I have for as long as I can remember.”

Warmth fans my cheeks and I smile at him, relief flooding through me. “I love you, too.” I press my lips to his.

“And I fucking missed you today.” His lips sync with mine perfectly and it isn’t long before his tongue rakes across my bottom lip.

“I missed you too,” I tell him in between kisses. It doesn’t take long before I’m basically dry-humping him on the couch and our kisses are desperate, filled with desire as they always do. With his arms tight around my waist, he holds me close, dragging me over his erection almost frantically, but then he stops all together and flops himself back against the cushions.He lets go of me, both his hands in his hair, pulling tightly. “Fuck.”

“What’s wrong?”

He blows out a breath as if he’s trying to calm himself down. “I keep attacking you.”

“Stop kissing me then,” I tease. “You started it.”

“No, you kissed me.”

“Because you said I love you. That warrants a kiss.”

He laughs, but then his eyes snap to mine, curiosity in them.

“Have you….” His voice trails off. I know exactly what he’s asking. “Was there anyone besides Shane?”

Shit. “I, uh, slept with Chris four months after you left. And then Shane.”

He nods, but says nothing else.

I start to panic. What would he think of me now? That I’m a slut?

“Have you?”

He shakes his head, his eyes focused over my shoulder. “Being where I was, there’s no time for that. I’ve only ever been with you.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Even before me?”

“Only you.”

And now I really do feel like a complete slut.

My cell phone rings next to me and I fear who it is. Luckily I’ve blocked Shane’s number. After my little temper tantrum the other day, the screen is so cracked I can’t see who’s calling.

“At least yours still works. Mine broke into a hundred pieces,” Grayson says, watching me trying to answer it without cutting my finger on the glass screen.

“What do you want?” I ask when I realize it’s Frankie calling already.

“Where in the world are you guys?”

“We’re leaving now. Be there in thirty minutes.” I hang up before she can ask what we’re doing.

“We’re late apparently.”

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