he thought, giving in to long-overdue temptation.
He pulled her into his arms and captured her lips, aware of nothing else but the way her mouth opened for him, of the way she molded her body to his, the heat and desire that were suddenly all-consuming. She was everything he’d anticipated, and then some.
He’d known it would be like this. He must have. That’s probably why he’d fought against his feelings for so long. He’d known that once he let her in, even a little bit, he’d be lost.
And right now, with both of them pouring heart and soul into that kiss, he knew his fight was over. He’d done the one thing he’d vowed never to do. He’d fallen hopelessly in love.
* * *
Samantha regarded Ethan with a dazed expression as he eventually released her. “Boy, when you fall off the wagon, you really take a tumble, don’t you?” she whispered, her voice breathless.
He smiled. “If you’re going to do something, you’d better give it your best shot,” he confirmed. “That’s always been my motto.”
“Want to go somewhere less public and do it again?” she asked hopefully. “You did say that once our official duties were complete, we were free to enjoy ourselves.”
She saw him waver for just a heartbeat, clearly tempted, but then that stoic resolve of his kicked in one more time.
“Maybe we’d better have that dance now, instead. If you and I get caught making out, speculation will run rampant. We’ll steal Emily’s thunder. She’ll never forgive us.”
“Or she could cheer,” Samantha told him. “This is what she wanted.”
“True, but probably not in the middle of her wedding reception.” He held out his hand. “Let’s dance. It’s a slow song. I can hold you close.”
“If that’s your best offer, I suppose I have no choice but to accept,” she said, following him to the dance floor. When she was settled in his arms, she whispered, “But fair warning. Don’t think I’m going to stop trying to seduce you tonight.”
“Duly noted,” he said.
She could feel his smile against her cheek.
They moved around the dance floor with surprising grace, Ethan’s firm hand guiding her.
“Okay, what’s up with the dance moves?” she asked. “You were great the other night, too. Have you been practicing for all the wedding festivities?”
He flushed under her scrutiny. “Not really.”
Samantha frowned. “But you have had dance lessons since your injury,” she persisted. “You must have. Your moves are totally fluid.”
“Okay, yes, I had a few lessons,” he admitted, clearly uncomfortable.
“Because?”
“Lisa insisted,” he said. “The people in charge of my rehab suggested it would help with balance and coordination. Since I thought it might convince her that I wasn’t going to trample her feet, I went along with it. I think we both knew by then that it was over, but I couldn’t make myself throw in the towel. I kept trying to prove to her I was the same man.”
Samantha regarded him with dismay, indignant on his behalf. “You aren’t the same man, though. You’re a thousand times better. You’re courageous and brave. You’ve overcome a serious injury that could have destroyed you.”
“I haven’t overcome anything that thousands of other soldiers haven’t had to face.”
“And you’re all heroes, Ethan. You’re worth more than a hundred self-involved, shallow women like Lisa.”
He looked a little startled by her fierce defense, even though she’d said much the same in the past. “You sound so sure of that.”
“I am sure of that.”
“What have I done to earn that kind of support?” he asked, sounding bewildered. “I’ve done nothing but give you a rough time since we met. Never mind years ago, when I apparently didn’t even notice you were alive.”
She shrugged off the past. “You were a big-shot football hero back then. I was just a kid. It’s little wonder I wasn’t on your radar, so you’re forgiven for that,” she told him. “As for everything that’s happened since our paths crossed this time, I get it.” She held his gaze. “I really do, Ethan. Sometimes I have a little trouble believing this is real myself, and I’m a big believer in love.”
“You’ve never let your doubts show,” he said.
“I figure one of us sitting on the fence was tricky enough. One of us needed to be all in.”
He looked startled by her choice of words. “And you’re all in?”
She nodded. “And don’t you dare let that terrify you. You’ll get there when you get there.” She shrugged, trying for a nonchalance she was far from feeling. “Or you