Shake The Frost (Crystal Lake #6) - Juliana Stone Page 0,46

conversation. The other part of her was relieved her mother had found out. Emily made a face. Most likely from her bestie Darlene Phibbs. She could just imagine what Darlene had told her. It had to be good for her to call four times and send two text messages. It was the most correspondence she’d had with her mother in years.

She glanced up at the clock and realized it was nearly four in the afternoon. She’d been caged up in the house, alone since Ethan had left the day before. Last night, he’d called to let her know he was grabbing dinner with Nate Jacobs and Cam Booker.

Still moody from the morning, she told him he didn’t need to check in with her.

“I’m just trying to be nice, Em,” he’d replied.

“I don’t need nice.”

“What do you need?”

“Apparently, not dinner with you.”

There’d been a pause.

“Did I do something?” he asked.

“Nope. Have a great time.”

She didn’t know what his response was because she hung up on him.

She’d felt bad afterward, and more than a little embarrassed because no way could she blame her behaviour on pregnancy hormones. She was being bitchy, no way around it, and feeling sorry for herself. She half expected Ethan to show up at her home, but she’d been wrong about that. Just like she’d been wrong about so many other things.

He was probably pissed at her, and she didn’t blame him. Heck, for the most part, the old Ethan seemed to be back, and for all Emily knew, he’d picked up some sweet young thing at the Coach House and taken the lucky lady back to his place.

I want to be that lucky lady.

That thought crept into her mind, along with a whole bunch of jealousy, and before she could change her mind or think about her actions, Emily grabbed her bag and car keys off the hook in the kitchen and headed outside. It had been snowing steadily all day, but someone had blown out her driveway, no doubt whoever had done Mr. Bugle’s, and the roads had been recently plowed.

By the time she got to Ethan’s, the snow was coming down but good, and the sun was well on its way to disappearing over the lake. Under dark gray cloud-heavy skies, she slipped out of her truck and was about to head to the shop when she noticed footprints coming back that way and continuing up to the house.

Emily knocked, but no one answered, though she thought she heard voices. After knocking once more, she tried the handle, and the door opened. She walked inside and realized it was the television she’d heard. The one luxury Ethan had allowed himself out here was a large flat screen that sat propped up on an old dresser along the far wall.

Slowly, she walked down the hall that led to his bedroom, aware a shower was running. She paused just outside his door, her heart beating in her ears as she stood there, nervous and unsure.

“Ethan?”

The door to his bathroom was open, and she inched forward, feeling like a voyeur and not giving a damn. A few more steps and she peeked inside, breath caught at the back of her throat when she caught sight of him. There was no tub, only a large glass encased shower stall that gave her an unfettered view.

Ethan Caldwell was one hell of a handsome man on any given day. But naked and wet made it all so much more. His back was to her, and he leaned forward, resting both hands flat on the tiles as he slowly rotated his head and stretched out his neck.

He must have just gotten in, she thought.

Mouth dry, Emily watched as he hung his head and the hot water rolled over him, sliding across muscle and shoulders, a torso adorned by an intricate tattoo and a butt honed from years of hockey.

She watched him until the glass walls steamed up and all she had left was a blur of color hidden in the fog. Until that ache from before had settled between her legs, and all her smarts went down the drain along with all that silky smooth water.

She yanked off her jacket and tossed it along with her boots and the rest of her clothes. On bare feet, she padded across the cold tile floor, and before she could change her mind, she stepped inside the shower and slid her arms around him.

“The hell?” Ethan jerked at her touch and turned until he faced