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She swallowed, shivered and finally choked an indistinct, “Mmm?”
“You were a virgin?”
There was only one answer she could give. “I’ve never wanted anyone but you.”
Ethan didn’t tease her, didn’t crow about his conquest, he simply gathered her closer against him, kissed her mouth in a long, slow, deep kiss—and began moving.
The friction proved beyond incredible. Ethan kept kissing her. Long, lazy, consuming kisses. Hot, frantic kisses. He started to move faster and his breathing deepened, his muscles tightened.
Suddenly he levered himself up on stiffened arms. His thrusts were hard, slow, deep. Rosie stared at him, enthralled by the sight of his corded neck, the bunched muscles in his shoulders and biceps. His narrowed eyes were golden brown, bright, fevered. His jaw clenched.
And then she knew he was coming. She watched him through a haze. Their labored breaths mingled and she moaned with him, so excited to see him like this.
Moments later Ethan dropped sluggishly onto her, his face in her neck. Her legs went slack and slipped to the mattress. He was still inside her. It wasn’t easy, but Rosie managed to lift one hand to stroke the nape of his neck down to his sweaty shoulder. “I love you, too, Ethan.”
He gave an incoherent reply and tightened his arms.
Smiling, happier than she ever thought possible, Rosie asked, “When can we get married?”
He stopped breathing.
One second he was sucking air, sounding like a marathon runner, the next he was perfectly still. She barely felt his heartbeat—until it started drumming madly against her breast.
He raised his head, eyes agog. “Married?”
He appeared so horrified by the idea that Rosie considered slugging him. “Don’t say it like a dirty word, Ethan.”
“Well, no, but...marriage?”
Oh, she didn’t feel like crying now. She was spitting mad and very determined. “I’m marrying you, Ethan Winters, so you might as well get used to it right now. And, by God, we’ll live in my house and plant flowers in the summer and get a damn dog and eventually have some kids and—”
The shock cleared from his face and he started to laugh. Rosie shoved at him, but he didn’t seem inclined to stop. “You think me being a mother is funny?” she demanded.
“No,” he gasped around his chuckles. “No, I swear.”
“Buffoon! Get off of me.”
Instead he dropped his whole weight on her and got his chuckles under control. He wore a tender smile and his eyes were twinkling when he said, “Rosie.”
“Don’t you ‘Rosie’ me!”
He kissed her, but it was a funny kiss because she was fighting him and he was snickering again.
“I love you,” he reminded her when she tried to twist his arm behind his back. “Ow, ouch. Rosie, I love you! Now stop that.”
Mulish, a little hurt, she let him go but glared at him.
He still looked entirely too close to hilarity. “Honey, I love you.” He touched her mouth, teasing. “You just took me by surprise, that’s all.”
He sounded sincere, she had to admit. “I’ve always known I loved you, Ethan.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve only had it figured out for a few hours, so how about just giving me some time?” He cupped her face, kissed her again, a tickling teasing kiss.
“And time will make you realize that we need to be married?”
He tried to sound somber when he said, “I’d consider myself a shallow ass if it didn’t.”
Relief washed over her and she found her own smile. “All right.”
With one last kiss, Ethan moved away from her. “Stay put. I’ll be right back.” Naked, gorgeous and far too sexy, he went out into the hall and then she heard water running in the bathroom.
Ethan loved her. The rest would come. It had to.
* * *
ETHAN TOOK HIS TIME removing the condom, finding a washcloth, soaking it with warm water. Marriage. Damn, but Rosie only knew one speed—Mach.
She’d left him in the dust that time for sure. He’d been doing his best to reconcile the fact that he loved her, that she’d been a virgin, that she was a regular wildcat in bed—and bam! She’d planned out their whole lives, complete with a dog and kids.
But now that she’d brought it up, the idea appealed to him. He did love her, no doubt about that one. Once he’d admitted it to himself, the feeling had expanded and grown and all but consumed him. He couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to realize what was firmly rooted in his heart. The strength of what he felt for her was even a little scary.
Ethan knew he couldn’t bear the idea of any other man touching her. So far, no other man had. If he played his cards right, no other man would. She was his in every sense of the word—and by God, he’d keep her. If that meant marriage, then so what? It wouldn’t make him care more for her, but if she needed that, then he’d give it to her.
A quiet little ceremony, with only two witnesses...yeah, he could do that. He wouldn’t like it, and he assumed some pretty ugly memories would plague him. But Rosie was worth any emotional discomfort.
He took a steadying breath, wrung out the washcloth, and headed back to the bedroom.
She hadn’t bothered to cover herself.
Ethan almost tripped over his own feet. He’d always known Rosie was pretty, and that she was built nice. But naked, stretched out on a bed, she was about the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
Her head turned toward him when he stopped in the open doorway. Her hair was tumbled around her face, her body still flushed in selective places—such as her breasts, her belly, her silky thighs.
Damn, he was getting hard again.
Ethan cleared his throat and sat beside her on the mattress. “I’m going to clean you up.”
Now she moved, darting under the covers so fast she was a blur. “You most definitely are not.”
Ethan grinned. “Wanna bet?”
“Don’t even think—”
He had the covers completely off the bed in a flash, which left Rosie squawking and ready to tussle. He obliged. Wrestling with Rosie wasn’t at all like wrestling with other women. For one thing, she refused to understand that she was the weaker sex. Instead, she fought hard, determined to get the upper hand. By the time Ethan had her hands pinned above her head and his hips settled firmly between her spread thighs so she couldn’t kick him, they were both panting from exertion.
And he was fully aroused again.
He grinned down at her, but she didn’t smile back. No, her eyes had turned all molten and she was staring at his mouth. The way he held her left her breasts on display and Ethan had a hard time keeping his gaze off her tight pink nipples and on her face.
He lowered his forehead to hers. “You’re distracting me, Rosie.”
“Good.” She lifted her hips in an undulating roll, stroking him with her body. “Let’s do it again.”
Hell of an idea. “You’re not too sore?”
She shook her head. “No. Well, maybe just a little, but...no.” She lifted her long lashes to stare up at him. “I want to watch you come again. You are so sexy.”
Feeling a little self-conscious with her bold statement, Ethan laughed. “You don’t act like a virgin, you know that?”
Her thighs closed around his waist. “If you stay the night with me, I’ll try to act more virginal.” Since she made that promise while leaning up to nip his chin, Ethan could only nod his agreement. It felt damn good to be wanted so much, especially by Rosie.
“You have more condoms?” she asked.
“Just one,” he told her.
“Then let’s make it last.” She pulled her hands free, pushed him to his back, and Ethan groaned as she climbed atop him.
Loving Rosie was going to be a lot of fun.
As the night wore on, so did Ethan’s determination to legally bind her to him. The rest of his life wouldn’t be long enough to love her. He’d discuss it with her in the morning, and then they could make plans. With any luck, they could get the marriage business over with on his next day off.
* * *
WHEN ETHAN AWOKE, he found Rosie at her dresser, putting in earrings. He smiled, thinking how delightful she looked standing there in her slip and nylons, her beautiful hair twisted atop her head.
He scooted up in the bed and stretched. Rosie turned to face him, smiled, and came to him for a good-morning kiss.
“I’ve got coffee in the kitchen if you want some.”
He pulled her onto his lap. “I was hoping to find you naked in bed beside me, not half-dressed.”
“Sorry.” She pushed away and checked her hair to make sure he hadn’t messed it up. “I have to see a client in about half an hour.” Absently, she stroked his chest hair, and her gaze warmed. “You look good in my bed, Ethan.”
“Is that a hint?”
“That I’d like to see you here more? Absolutely.” She stood and went to the closet to pull out a tailored dress, which she stepped into and buttoned up. Next she slipped her feet into medium-heeled shoes and she was done.
It felt right to watch Rosie dress, to be privy to her little morning rituals. He should have awakened in time to shower with her. Tomorrow he would.
Ethan swung his legs over the side of the bed, stood and scratched his chest. When he reached for his jeans, he realized that Rosie was just standing there, staring at him, and he grinned.
“You know,” he said as he pulled on the jeans, “I was thinking about this marriage stuff.”
Her breath caught. “And?”
“I think it’s a hell of an idea.”
She stood still for almost fifteen seconds before she let out a squeal and bounded around the bed to reach him. Ethan caught her, whirled her around once, then laughed out loud as she choked him with a tight hug. “I knew you’d be reasonable!”
Still laughing, Ethan said, “It has nothing to do with reason and everything to do with loving you.” He cupped his hands over her bottom and kissed her. “Do you think we could get it done next week on my day off?”
“Next week?” Her face went blank. “Of course not. I have to order a dress and rent a hall and find a preacher and invite everyone...weddings take time, Ethan.”
His heart sank like a stone into his stomach. “Rosie.” Gently he set her away from him. “I want no part of a big, fancy wedding. I thought we could just go to a justice of the peace and be done with it.”
“But...I don’t want to just ‘be done with it.’” She looked stricken, a little pale. “I want a big wedding.” She tried a smile that went flat, and teased, “I’m only getting married once, you know.”
Ethan couldn’t bear to see her hope. He turned away, stalking to the window to look out. Her small backyard was immaculate, perfect for the dog and kids that she wanted. He gave a muffled curse.
The silence behind him was suffocating, but damned if he could think of anything to say to her. The idea of a fancy wedding with guests staring at him...no. He couldn’t do that.
“Ethan?” She touched his bare shoulder. “I love you.”
“I know.”
Her arms came around him from behind. “I would never do anything to hurt you.”
“I know that, too, Rosie. But I swore I’d never again put myself in that position.” He turned to face her. “If we had a big wedding, you know what everyone would be thinking? They’d be remembering the last time, how I was left standing there looking like a goddamned fool when your brother ran off with my bride.”
Rosie backed up a step. Her chin lifted. “You weren’t the only one humiliated that day, Ethan Winters. Every person at that wedding wanted to ask me about it, too, to see if I’d known what my brother was planning.”
“Did you?”
Her eyes narrowed, her mouth trembled. “I’ll pretend you didn’t ask me that.”
He rubbed his face. “Shit. I’m sorry.”
“You weren’t the only one to lose someone you loved, either.” Her voice got shaky, her eyes a little liquid. But she didn’t look away, didn’t lower that stubborn chin. “I haven’t seen my brother since. With Mom and Dad gone, he’s the only family I have left, but until you forgive him, until you let everyone know that you’re over Michelle, I have no one.”
Ethan hadn’t thought of it that way, and now he felt sick. “You have me.”
She didn’t smile. “Yes I do, and I love you. But...maybe that’s not enough.”
She waited, and he knew what she wanted. Rosie never bothered with subtlety. But Ethan couldn’t relent.
With a resigned sigh, Rosie glanced at her watch. “Wow, look at the time.”
“Rosie...”
“Darn it, I have to go or I’ll be late.” She tried to look chipper—and failed.
“I’m off today,” Ethan told her. “I’m going to see if I can get the interview with Red out of the way early this afternoon, then I’ll come back here. We can talk more tonight.” He hated to give her false hope about a big wedding, when just the thought of it made him break out in a cold sweat and sent cramps to his stomach. But he also hated to send her out the door when she was upset.
“All right.” She turned thoughtful, and Ethan had the faint suspicion she was plotting something. “I’ll be back around five. Make yourself at home, okay?”
“Coffee first, then your shower.” He touched her cheek. “Could I have a key?”
This time her smile was natural. “On top of the fridge in the basket. I had it made for you months ago.”
