‘The stars in Sydney don’t shine as brightly as here.’
‘Yet they’re the same stars,’ she murmured, opening her eyes and shifting away a little. She couldn’t look at him. She didn’t want to think about Sydney, or the fact that he had a life there—a life without her.
He must have sensed a change in her mood because he whispered, ‘I don’t want to hurt you, CJ.’
‘So you’ve said.’ She pulled back and stepped from his embrace, tugging the edges of his jacket around her. She turned her back to him and tilted her head back to look at the stars. Ethan left her for a moment, desperate to get his own thoughts and emotions under control. Where he never thought he’d come to care so deeply for another woman, here he was, desperate to throw everything away just to stay with her and Elizabeth. He wanted to be in their lives, he wanted to do whatever it took to ensure both of them remained happy and healthy for the rest of their days. Even the realisation of the thoughts he’d been doing his best to hold at bay was enough to scare him.
He had a life in Sydney, a career. Was that enough for him now? He didn’t know. All he was certain of was that Claudia-Jean Nicholls had become incredibly special to him in a matter of weeks! It was impossible, yet here he was, experiencing these emotions.
His only rationalisation was that because he’d shut his heart away for so long, because he’d denied himself the ability to truly interact with other people, the first time he’d stepped back into the light he’d fallen hard for a woman who was so different from every other woman he’d ever known. She’d been open and honest with him, listening to him, sharing her life with him. Not only was she exquisitely stunning, she was generous and kind.
‘CJ.’ At her name, she turned and glanced at him. He closed the distance between them and placed his hands on her shoulders, both of them staring at the stars for a moment before she slowly turned in his arms to look up at him. She was so brave. She’d overcome so much in her life and was still willing to face the future head on, regardless of what it held. He lowered his mouth to hers, intent on showing her that he cared.
He kept the kisses soft, caressing her mouth with his, wanting to convey just how much he cherished her. When she responded to him, giving herself to him, something deep inside seemed to surge to the surface and he wrapped his arms around her, needing her as close as possible. He wanted this woman. The desire was so powerful, so strong he had no idea how to control it, which was definitely a first for him. He seemed to be experiencing a lot of ‘firsts’ with CJ and the sensations were knocking him off balance far more than he liked. Still, there was nothing he could do about it—especially when he was holding her so close.
Her scent had wrapped itself around him, in much the same way as his arms were wrapped around her. How could this feel so right when, for a multitude of logical reasons, it was so wrong? They were locked together in an electrifying embrace, one so hot he was sure they’d sizzle and steam if the heavens opened up and poured rain on them.
Still, she matched the intensity of his kisses, as though she was desperate to show him she wanted this as much as he did. Never in her life had she felt this way. Her appetite for him appeared to be voracious and uncontrollable. How in the world was she supposed to let this man go? She knew it was inevitable, she knew the day would come when he would walk away from her. She wouldn’t think about that now, not when his mouth was hot on hers, not when her heart was pounding with unbelievable joy. She needed to enjoy this moment in time. This was what she’d craved almost since the first moment she’d laid eyes on him.
He shifted slightly and brought first one arm, then the other beneath the jacket on her shoulders, ensuring it didn’t fall off with the movement. He groaned as he slowly slid his hands around her waist, his thumbs gently caressing the underside of her breasts before continuing around to draw little circles at the base of her spine. Now there was only one barrier separating him from the touch of her skin and for the moment he could live with that.
He broke free, just for a second, both of them breathing heavily, their hearts beating in a wild and unsteady rhythm. He pressed small butterfly kisses to her cheek, down to her ear, where he nibbled for a brief moment before continuing down to her neck.
She arched back slightly, giving him access to what he’d been coveting for weeks. Even the necklace she wore didn’t deter him, even though he wished it were gone. She laced her fingers into his hair, revelling in the fact that she was finally allowed to touch him in this familiar way, to feel the soft strands of his dark, brown locks smooth against her fingertips. His head dipped lower still, the kisses warm against the cool air that circulated around them, as he made his way to the top of her chest.
Up and down, along the zig-zag of her
