His gaze was softer and he pressed his lips to her forehead. She leaned into his touch.
He always made her feel like she was the most important person in the world.
“I planned on telling them in the morning anyway,” he said. “Until my father started in on you, and then everything went out the window.”
“I expected that,” she finally said. “I’m actually surprised at how civil your father’s been, considering who I am.”
“Well, I didn’t come here tonight to listen to him play Sherlock Holmes. We’re together and he needs to realize that I won’t put up with that shit. He was trying to use you and that fucking pisses me off.”
His jaw was tight and the lines of his face harsh in the moonlight. She hated that it was her fault that he was unhappy, that there was tension between him and his father. She stepped closer until she was pressed against his chest. Then she let go of his hand and slid her hands up his shoulders, higher until she was cupping his face.
His dark gaze met hers and she could see the anger swirling within the depths.
“But you stood up for me. You defended me.”
She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his, darting out her tongue to trace the curve of his bottom lip. His hands slid to her waist and he gripped her tight. Waves lapped gently at the shore and little by little, Ethan relaxed under her fingers.
“Thank you,” she whispered against his lips.
“You don’t have to thank me,” he said back. “Well, maybe you can thank me another way.”
His hot breath washed over her lips, but when he tried to deepen the kiss she pulled back with a smile. His eyes were softer now, but she could see the edges of hunger that always made her breath hitch. She had wanted to help calm him down but she had a feeling that if she didn’t take a step back, he’d have her down in the sand faster than she could say hell yes.
Not that she minded sex with Ethan. Who was she kidding? Not minding equaled a constant state of crazy arousal whenever he was near. He could make her come apart so fast and so easy. No one had ever done that before.
“It’s beautiful here. Have your parents always lived here?” she asked in an attempt to cool her own wandering thoughts. A little sand in her nooks and crannies wouldn’t be so bad, right? Except his parents were on the lit patio not thirty feet away.
“It’s been in my mom’s family for generations.” He didn’t let her change the subject so easily though and his lips were back on Haper’s, soft but determined. He swiped his tongue in her mouth like he was a starving man and it sent delicious shivers to collect between her legs.
Voices carried across the night air. People were further down the beach, but close enough so that she could hear them. Ethan wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and pulled her against his chest.
“I had no idea he was going to do that,” he said, his breath hot on her lips. “But I should have known when he called and invited us over. He’s never that agreeable.”
Harper laughed. “Come on, he’s not that bad.”
“We can leave right now if you want. I told you I’d take care of you and if his shit made you uncomfortable, we can head back to the city right this fucking second.”
“It’s okay. They’re actually taking it a lot better than I expected.” It was partly a lie, but sometimes a little white lie was necessary. Ethan was hurting and angry and she need to protect him, too. She lifted her face so that she could see his eyes. “I haven’t heard a peep from my parents, but if I do, I know it’s not going to be good. Maybe give your dad a chance. Hell, my father would probably have you tied up in the basement torturing you for insider information about your family. A few questions is hardly water boarding, Ethan.”
“Stop defending him,” he growled. “No more talking about him or anything except for us.” He moved his hands until he held her face between them then lowered his mouth and took her lips. His tongue snaked out, stroked and fed the fire that had started licking through her veins.
“Fine,” she whispered. “It’s just us, then.”
She melted against him and let the feelings coursing through her