A smug smile came and went as he turned to the display case before them. “What are you looking at here?”
“These are miniatures. Before photography, people had tiny portraits painted of their loved ones. They were tokens of affection they could keep close to their hearts. Some of them were worn as jewelry.” She pointed to a two-inch-high oval frame of pearls and rubies that encased an enamel-on-porcelain painting of a gentleman. “Some of them were exchanged between courting couples.” She indicated two miniatures that had been painted in 1801. “These would’ve been worn on a chain and might’ve included some ornamental hairwork or a romantic inscription.”
When she glanced over to see if she’d succeeded in boring Ethan to tears, she caught him eyeing her in bemusement. She hid her relief behind a wry smile.
“Now you see why I usually come alone to a museum. I find all this stuff far too fascinating for the average person.”
“You really are passionate about all this, aren’t you?”
“You sound surprised.”
A fond glow lit his brown eyes. “I guess it’s because you keep surprising me.”
His response struck all the right notes. Sienna slipped her hand around his biceps and almost purred at the power surging beneath her fingers. Her stomach fluttered as her mind recalled the kiss the night before. Would there be a repeat today? She was feeling needy enough to make sure it did.
“I feel the same way,” she admitted, and then experiencing that same click of connection she’d noticed the night before, Sienna beamed at him. “In fact every moment in your company is wonderful.”
When he didn’t respond right away, she worried that she’d freaked out the elusive bachelor. She was scrambling for a way to gracefully backpedal when he stopped walking and before she knew what hit her, he’d wrapped his arm around her waist and spun her into a romantic dip.
There, in the middle of the museum, Ethan tangled his fingers in her hair and dropped a lingering kiss on her lips. She threw herself into the embrace, as deliriously happy as any heroine in a rom-com, letting herself be swept up in the sizzle of his kisses and the excitement of being so sweetly manhandled. By the time he broke the kiss, she was breathless, light-headed and tingling all over.
“I think it goes without saying,” he murmured, his gaze sliding over her bright cheeks and parted lips, “that I find your company pretty wonderful, as well.”
“You do have a knack for saying the perfect thing to get a girl’s heart fluttering,” she bantered back, uncharacteristically giddy as he maintained his snug hold on her for several seconds before whirling her back to a full upright position.
Swaying on her feet, Sienna commanded her foolish heart to settle down as he made a show of reluctance before releasing her. She blew out a quiet breath as they moved arm in arm toward the next exhibit. Thank goodness she wasn’t going to remain in Charleston much longer. Knowing this interlude had an expiration date allowed her to experience something she’d never felt before without fear that she’d end up brokenhearted.
An hour later, they exited the museum and emerged onto Meeting Street. Squinting at the bright sunlight, Sienna paused on the checkerboard walkway that led from the entrance to the street and dipped into her purse for her sunglasses.
Thus armored, she glanced Ethan’s direction. “Where to?”
“I’d planned for us to go out on my family’s boat and then have a quiet dinner.”
She picked up the past tense. “If something came up, I understand. We can try another time.”
His eyebrows lifted at her quick response. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“Oh, no. Of course not.”
“Good. Remember when I said that I’m generally the only one who uses the family boat? Well, Poppy sent me a text and invited us to go out on it with her friends.”
Ethan appeared displeased at the turn of events and Sienna wondered how many of his past conquests could be counted amongst his cousin’s friends. Was he worried if she met them that the stories she might hear would scare her off? If so, it was rather charming that he cared about her opinion of him.
“So,” he continued, “we can either go with them or skip the harbor tour and find something else to do before dinner.”
Her skin flushed as she imagined all the things they could do to kill the time. “I’m okay with whatever you want to do.”
Sliding his gaze over her hot cheeks, he smiled. “Let’s head over to the boat. Poppy indicated they won’t arrive for a while yet. We can have it all to ourselves for the time being.”
Knowing exactly what was on his mind, Sienna found herself tongue-tied and dry mouthed as they headed to the marina on the Ashley River, not far from his grandfather’s estate. The boat was an immaculately maintained forty-five-foot cruiser complete with a kitchen above and two staterooms with adjoining heads below, and an indoor/outdoor lounge area. Sienna recalled the way Ethan had lit up when discussing being on the water and noticed how he grew instantly relaxed as soon as they stepped aboard.
“This is quite a party boat,” Sienna exclaimed, noting the swim platform off the back, seating for six inside the cockpit and room for another eight on the back deck.
“It’s seen its share of good times,” Ethan murmured cryptically, indicating the stairs that led below.
“I imagine.”
Ethan peeled off his coat and shoes before depositing them in a closet located in the large aft cabin. While he rolled up his sleeves, Sienna kicked off her sandals and tucked them and her purse into the same cabinet. Then, they faced each other in the snug space and their eyes met.
A delicious thrill rushed though Sienna. “When did you say your cousin and her friends were coming by?” Her gaze flicked to the bed a few short feet away.
“Sometime around five.” He stepped closer and caressed her arm.
Tiny hairs lifted as his touch passed over them and she shivered. When his hand neared hers, she spread her fingers and he slid his between them. A zap of sensation flashed through her body and she gasped.
“That’s almost an hour away.” As anticipation zoomed through her, Sienna struggled to breathe. “What are we going to do to fill the time?”
He slid his hand beneath her hair, playing with a loose curl before cupping her nape. “We could start with a cocktail?”
“We could...” The slow buildup of hunger was both torment and pleasure. The ache between her thighs needed relief, but she was loving the hazy rise of passion too much to rush.
His thumb brushed her cheek. “Or...”
“Yes?” She set her hand over his, ready to guide him to where she burned.
“I have a couple other ideas.”
Suspecting they would be far more intoxicating than alcohol, she purred, “Do tell.”
“How about I show you instead?”
He took her by the shoulders and turned her until she faced away from him. Her nerve endings prickled with delight as he shifted the heavy drape of her hair aside and trailed his hot breath along her neck.
“You smell so good,” he murmured, dipping his nose into the sensitive skin beneath her ear.
“Oh,” she blurted out in a breathless moan, moisture breaking out on her skin as his tongue flicked the underside of her ear.
“Oh?” he echoed, his wicked laugh making her nipples tighten and her stomach muscles clench.
“Oh.”
A throaty half chuckle, half cry tore free from her as he caged her body against his with a palm over her ribs just below her breasts. Although she couldn’t have summoned the strength to escape his embrace even if she’d been inclined, she could only quiver and pant as he drove her crazy. He nuzzled and nipped down her neck and along her shoulders. The combination of soft lips and rough stubble caused her intimate muscles to contract.
“Sienna.” He whispered her name and she melted
, her bones liquifying as he skimmed his fingertips over her abdomen and hesitated just below her belly button.
“Yes, Ethan?”
He traced the top edge of her panties through the fabric of her dress. “Can I touch you?”
“Yes.” Her voice, stripped bare and raw, broke as his fingers slid toward her mound. “Please.”
A whimper built in her throat when he shifted direction and coasted his hand over her hip and down her leg. At the rate he was moving, it would take forever before he located the hem of her dress. To aid him, she grabbed handfuls of the silky material, lifting the long skirt and baring her thighs to his questing touch. She sucked in one wildly erratic breath after another as she waited for him to reach the impatient throbbing between her thighs.
“Ethan.” Reaching back, she gripped his thigh and rotated her hips, rocking against the bulge hardening below his belt.
“Sweet mercy, woman,” he growled.
“Touch me,” she rumbled back between clenched teeth, the depth of her lust fueling her desperation.
“Easy.”
But chaotic cravings tormented her. For a second she thought he might be inclined to tease her further and she was about to go into more detail where she so badly wanted his hands, but then the pads of his fingers drifted past the raised hem and stroked the front of her panties, grazing her clit through the fragile barrier. Pleasure detonated in her belly, ripping a startled cry from her, followed by a long moan. She quaked and shuddered as he touched her in the exact same spot again before venturing lower.
“Holy sh...” he hissed as he feathered the panel above her core. “You are so wet.”
“Do that again. Only more.” She was unconcerned that she was begging. “Please.”
Ethan dipped beneath the elastic of her waistband and slipped over her folds. “How’s this?”
“Good.”
“Good?” His husky tone caressed her senses even as his long fingers slanted into her wetness, spreading the moisture over her clit over and over, circling it in relentless, intoxicating strokes. “Let’s see if we can’t do better.”
Craving his invasion, she widened her stance, opening herself up. He teased her entrance, before gently easing a finger inside. Her breath stopped as he touched a particular spot inside her. Her vision went black for a second as pleasure rocked her.
“Oh...”
“You like that?” The husky question brought her back to the cabin and the wonderful play of his finger as it moved in and out of her.
Dizzy with pleasure, she rocked her hips and he increased the pace to match. Her legs trembled as her skin burned. Too hot. Too reckless. She needed...to...come...
Sweat broke out on her forehead as her climax began building. She strained toward the goal, barely aware that she’d thrown her head back against Ethan’s shoulder and there were wild sounds erupting from her throat.
“Come for me,” he crooned, fingering her faster, deeper, driving her toward a powerful orgasm. “Let it go.”
And then she became unhinged. As she gasped for a breath that would never come, her hips bucked and twitched. She ground herself against Ethan’s hand and felt the pleasure tearing loose inside her. She was poised on the edge.
“Sienna.”
It was her name on his lips and the tortured breath he sucked in that pushed her into an electric orgasm. Twisting her face toward him, she closed her eyes and focused on the fire burning up through her core and spreading to every cell in her body. Lightning flashed behind her eyelids as Ethan’s mouth closed over hers, his tongue plunging deep inside as she climaxed like never before.
Aftershocks continued to rock Sienna as her consciousness resettled into her body. Grounded once more, she realized Ethan’s arm around her waist was the only thing keeping her on her feet. A lusty chuckle gusted out of her.
“Wow.” She turned in the circle of his arms and slid her arms around his neck. “That was amazing.”
She was just about to plant her lips against his and begin round two when the muffled thumps of footsteps sounded above her head.
“Damn.” Ethan settled his forehead against hers with an unhappy groan that echoed the frustration raging in Sienna. As lively voices filtered down from the deck, he gave her a brief kiss that was filled with promise before he stepped back and raked his fingers through his hair. Shooting her a sidelong glance, he murmured, “To be continued.”
* * *
Ethan gestured for Sienna to precede him from the cabin, giving him a much-needed couple of seconds to recover from the explosive moment he’d just shared with her. As far as revelations went, the most obvious one was that despite her appearance of reserve when it came to sex, she turned it on faster than any woman he’d ever known. He was all the more eager to get her into bed. In fact, the urge to blow off this impromptu party with his cousin and her friends and take Sienna back to his house immediately was strong as he reached the top step and stopped just behind Sienna, reluctant to join the chaos of six chattering women all trying to fix drinks and organize the food they’d brought.
He curved his hand over Sienna’s waist, noticing a slight buzz of energy at the contact as he leaned down to murmur, “If you don’t want to stay, we could make some excuse and get out of here.”
Relief flashed on her face. “Could we?” She smiled uncertainly as she gazed toward the animated women. “It wouldn’t be rude to just take off?”
“I’m not sure they’d notice,” he murmured, grazing his fingertips up her bare arm and along her shoulder blades to the nape of her neck, smiling when she shivered. Damn, the woman was sensitive. “And I’d really like to continue what we started earlier.”
“So would I,” she purred.
He hadn’t pegged her as a woman who would sleep with a guy on the second date. Date? Is that what they were doing? Damn. He’d sure been behaving more like he had a romantic interest in Sienna than he was spending time with her to ferret out whatever information he could about her sister’s plans for his family.
“We need some sort of an excuse for why we have to go,” he said, reaching for his phone.
Several new emails had come in since he’d last looked and his blood froze as it had often since the first message about Teagan from his anonymous friend. Relief swept through him as cued up his email and saw nothing that immediately worried him, but near the bottom was one from a sender he hadn’t been expecting.
Ethan had to give the address a hard look before he realized what he was seeing. A preternatural calm came over him as his attention shifted from the email address of the genetic testing service they’d used to find Teagan to the subject of the message. A match had been found. Worry drove a cold spike into his gut. Had the service made a mistake or was it possible they’d found another child of Ava Watts?
He cursed.
Sienna glanced over her shoulder at him. “Is something wrong?” She covered his hand where it rested on her waist and the warm pressure grounded him.
Ethan shook his head to clear it. “I’m not sure,” he muttered, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard. And then for good measure, he brought his lips close to her ear and added, “I got an email from the genetic testing service.”
The women’s voices fell away as Sienna turned around and fixed him with her gaze. Their lips were so close, the tiniest movement would put her mouth in contact with his. He could lose himself in the lush softness of her lips and forget about the damn email for at least a little while.
“Something having to do with Teagan?”
“I don’t know. Let me check.”
Ethan opened the email and read the message. His heart stopped. He reread the words. A curse slipped from his lips as their implication washed over him.
“Ethan?” Sienna’s hand curved over his thigh, sending his nerve endings into overdrive. “Is something wrong?”
Her voice sounded as if it came from a long way off. Blood roared in his ears. He read the message again as if doing so might change the words and alter the meaning.
“Are you okay?”
“No.” He had no idea what question he was answering. “I mean, yes, I’m okay. Everything’s fine.”
He looked up and found Sienna’s blue-gray eyes fastened on him. The concern he read there caught him off guard. She didn’t know him. How could she possibly be concerned about him? And yet there it was.
“It’s just... I really need to get out of here,” he said. “I’ll go get our stuff and meet you on the dock.”
To his relief, she merely nodded and began moving toward the women. Ethan’s heart was pumping madly as he grabbed their shoes and walked through the group, adding his excuses to Sienna’s as he went.
“Where are you going?” Poppy demanded as he bid her goodbye and kissed her cheek.
“This party is a little too rowdy.” Ethan lacked the wits to come up with a better excuse.
Poppy regarded him dubiously. “You usually like being the only guy surrounded by a pack of beautiful women.” Poppy’s gaze went past him to where Sienna waited. “Or maybe it’s just one beautiful woman you’re interested in these days.”
“Ah...” Damn, what did he say?
Poppy leaned in and murmured, “We all think she’s great.”
Ethan forced a smile. He lacked the time or the inclination to explain that his interest in Sienna was in part to keep an eye on what she and Teagan were up to regarding the CEO position at Watts Shipping. That was his problem and for now, he didn’t want it to influence how any of the other members of his family viewed Teagan.
He gave a short nod. “That she is.”
Arriving beside Sienna on the dock, he handed over her sandals and purse. While she slipped into her shoes, he took a few seconds to clamp down his expression and gather his scattered emotions.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Sienna demanded when he took her hand and began to move along the dock. “You seem really freaked out.”
Harlequin Desire June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 Page 22
