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SIENNA
The sunlight filtering in through the window wakes me up, and I blink, bleary-eyed, trying to remember where I am. As I come to, I realize I'm not in my studio apartment. I'm in Ethan's room. In his bed. I turn to look at him, and my breath catches in my throat. He's sleeping on his side, facing me, and he looks so peaceful and relaxed. He's shirtless, and the blanket has slipped down, revealing his muscular chest and abs. I bite my lip, drinking in the sight of him. He's so gorgeous. And he's all mine.
As if he can sense me watching him, he stirs, his eyelids fluttering open. He smiles when he sees me, and his blue eyes are warm and full of affection. "Good morning," he murmurs.
"Morning," I reply, returning his smile.
He pulls me close and kisses me, and it's so soft and sweet that my heart melts. I've never felt more cared for, more cherished. "Did you sleep okay?" he asks.
"Yeah, I did," I reply. Then I pull him into a deeper kiss. I lose myself in the feeling of his mouth on mine, the heat of his skin, the strength of his arms around me. My fingers trail down his chest, and I can feel his muscles twitch beneath my touch. His breathing is ragged, and when we finally break apart, we're both panting.
"I could wake up like this every day," he breathes, his blue eyes dark with desire.
"Me, too," I admit, my cheeks flushed and my body aching for more.
We lie there for a few more minutes, neither of us wanting to get up and start the day. But eventually, the sound of a door slamming downstairs followed by shouting alerts us that Sam, who ended up staying over last night, is awake.
Ethan rolls his eyes and runs a hand through his messy red hair. "God, he's so fucking loud," he grumbles.
I laugh and sit up, reluctantly climbing out of bed. I stretch, yawning, and grab my clothes. "I guess I'd better get dressed," I say. "Unless you want Sam to see me like this."
"No," Ethan says quickly, a possessive note in his voice. He gets up and pulls me into his arms. "I don't want anyone else seeing you like this," he murmurs, trailing his lips down the side of my neck.
I shiver, goosebumps breaking out all over my skin. I tilt my head, giving him better access, and sigh softly as his hands roam over my body. God, it feels so good. Too good. And if we don't stop soon, I'm going to end up dragging him back to bed.
Reluctantly, I push him away. "Come on," I say, taking a deep breath.
He sighs, but he lets me go. We get dressed, and then we head downstairs. Sam and David are in the kitchen. David is making coffee and Sam is sitting at the table, his head in his hands. He looks like he's nursing a hangover.
"Morning," Ethan says, his arm around my waist.
"Fuck, can you be any louder?" Sam groans, his voice muffled.
"Oh, I'm sorry, was I being loud? I'll try to keep it down next time," Ethan says, his tone full of sarcasm.
Sam lifts his head and glares at his brother. "Dude, don't be an ass. My head is killing me."
David sets a cup of coffee down in front of Sam and ruffles his hair. "You should know better than to challenge Gia to a tequila shot competition," he chides. "She always wins."
Sam groans again and buries his head in his hands. David and Ethan share a look and smirk. I giggle and pull away from Ethan. "Come on, I'll help you make breakfast," I say, walking over to the stove.
David grabs a couple of pans and sets them on the burners. I smile and start cracking eggs. David and Ethan are joking around with each other while they help me, and Sam is sitting at the table, slowly sipping his coffee. It's so domestic and cozy that it makes my heart swell with happiness. I never felt like I belonged here when Ethan and I dated before, but I sure as hell feel like I do now.
We finish making breakfast and bring everything over to the table. There's a knock at the front door, and Sam goes to answer it. Gia comes bounding in, her hair up in a ponytail and a pair of sunglasses perched on her nose. "Good morning!" she singsongs, dropping into a chair next to David.
Sam plops down beside her and gives her a dirty look. "I hate you," he says, shoveling a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth.
Gia just grins and snatches a piece of toast from the plate in the middle of the table. "Aww, come on, Sammy, don't be like that. We had fun last night, didn't we?"
Sam rolls his eyes, but I can see a small smile tugging at his lips. "Maybe," he admits grudgingly.
"That's what I thought," Gia says smugly, taking a bite of her toast.
Ethan and I exchange an amused look as Emilia walks into the room, dressed to the nines already and not a hair out of place. She has a large travel mug in her hand, and she looks like she's about to go off and save the world. "Morning, guys," she says, slipping into the seat next to Sam.
We all dig into our breakfast, falling into a comfortable conversation. Gia is telling us all about her latest escapades on campus, and we're laughing and shaking our heads at her antics. Ethan's arm is around my shoulders, and I can't remember ever feeling this happy and content.
After breakfast, Ethan and I offer to clean up the kitchen, and the others head off to class or work. I'm standing at the sink, washing the dishes, when Ethan comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. "Leave them," he murmurs, his lips grazing my neck. "Let's go back upstairs."
I turn off the water and turn around to face him, his arms still around me. "I can't," I say, giving him a rueful smile. "I've got class in an hour, and I have to go home and change first."
He frowns, his eyes filled with disappointment. "Fine," he sighs. "But tonight, you're coming over again."
I grin. "I'd like that," I say, rising on my tiptoes to kiss him.
He deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth, and I melt against him, my hands sliding up his chest. His fingers dig into my hips, and he pulls me closer, pressing his growing hardness against my stomach. A soft moan escapes my lips, and he groans, his hand sliding under my shirt, his fingers brushing the underside of my breast. By this point, I don't remember the fact that I told him I wanted to go slow.
"Come on, we need to get out of here," he murmurs, his lips trailing hot, wet kisses down the side of my neck. "Or we'll never leave this house."
Reluctantly, I pull away. "Okay," I agree, taking a deep breath. My heart is racing and my body is throbbing with need. I'm so turned on right now that it's hard to think straight. "I'll text you after my last class," I say.
He smiles and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "Looking forward to it," he says.
I walk to the door, and he follows, opening it for me. He leans down and gives me one more quick kiss. "See you later," he says, grinning.
I have to force myself to head out to the car and drive home instead of dragging him back upstairs to his bedroom. I'm addicted to him, and the thought of waiting until tonight to see him again is agonizing. Taking it slow didn't necessarily mean being celibate, right?
ETHAN
I thought it was difficult to keep my eyes off Sienna during training sessions before, but it's nothing like it is now that we've decided to give our relationship a second shot. She keeps shooting me these smoldering looks, and I know she's just as affected by our proximity as I am. It's driving me crazy.
When our group finally finishes our run, I make a beeline for her. She's standing with Rose, and she gives me a shy smile as I approach. I'm trying not to stare at her lips, but I doubt I'm successful because her eyes are dancing with amusement. Rose gives us a knowing look and excuses herself, leaving the two of us alone. We've barely spoken two words to each other since practice started, and now we're standing here awkwardly, neither of us quite sure what to say.
We've been seeing each other for two weeks now, and I've been trying my hardest to take things slow, to not pressure her. I've already messed things up between us once, and I'm not willing to do it again. But sometimes, it's so fucking hard. Especially when she's looking at me the way she is now, her breathing heavy from the run, biting her bottom lip.
It's such a sexy, unconscious gesture that I can't help myself. I lean in and kiss her. I was only planning on a quick kiss, but the moment our lips touch, it's like a dam has broken loose. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her close, deepening the kiss. Her lips part, and my tongue slides into her mouth. She moans softly, and it's the hottest sound I've ever heard. I've never wanted anyone as much as I want her right now.
Just as we're about to reach the point of no return, a loud wolf whistle pierces the air. We break apart, and Sienna's cheeks turn pink. We look around and realize that we're standing in the middle of the field, making out, while the rest of the training group is watching.
"Get a room, you two!" Russ calls out, grinning.
"Yeah, seriously. I think I need a cigarette after watching that display," Rose says, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Sienna turns even redder, but I can't help but grin. "Sorry, guys. Got a little carried away," I apologize.
"A little?" Rose repeats, her eyebrow arched.
"Come on, let's get some water," I say to Sienna, ignoring Rose's teasing.
We head over to the sidelines and grab our bottles. We're both breathing heavily, and I'm not sure if it's from the kiss or the run. "Sorry about that," I say, glancing at her. "I just couldn't help myself."
She laughs, a warm, rich sound that sends shivers down my spine. "Don't apologize," she says, giving me a mischievous smile. "I'm not complaining."
"Do you want to grab something to eat?" I ask, hoping she'll say yes. I swear, I've spent over an hour with her today already and it's still not enough. I don't think I'll never get tired of her. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world that she's given me a second chance.
She looks like she's about to accept my offer, but then she shakes her head. "I can't," she says, smiling apologetically. "I told my dad I'd come over for lunch." She doesn't look happy about it and I know how tense things have been with him lately.
"I can go with you," I blurt out. The words flew out of my mouth before I've even really thought it through. But now that they're out there, I don't regret the offer. I want to show her that I'm serious about her, that I'm going to be there for her no matter what.
Her eyes widen in surprise. "Are you sure? I mean, you don't have to..."
"I want to," I interrupt, trying not to sound too eager.
She smiles and nods. "I'd love that."
"Then it's settled," I say, returning her smile. I reach out and stroke her cheek, and she leans into my touch.
The truth is, I'm a little nervous. I know how important her dad is to her, and I don't want to screw things up. But I also want to show her that I want to be here for the good and the bad, that I'm not going anywhere.
"I guess we'd better shower and get changed," Sienna says, breaking the silence.
I raise an eyebrow, a wicked thought crossing my mind. "Want to save some water and shower together?" I ask, unable to resist teasing her.
She swats my arm, but I can see the smile playing on her lips. "Behave," she warns, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
I hold my hands up in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. I'll be good. I promise."
We walk back to the parking lot together, our hands linked together. I try not to stare at her long legs as we cross the grass. It's not easy, though. God, she's so fucking sexy. Every inch of her is perfect.
When we reach her car, she turns to me, her brown eyes searching mine. "I'm glad you're coming with me," she says softly.
I can tell that she's nervous, and I want to reassure her that everything will be okay before we part ways for a bit.
I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her close, brushing my lips against hers. "It'll be fine," I reassure her. "I'm not going to embarrass you or anything. Promise." She laughs and gazes up at me. I want to kiss her again, but I don't. Instead, I step back, giving her some space. "Meet you at your house?" I ask.
She nods. "I'll see you soon."
I watch her walk away and head towards her car. She looks over her shoulder and catches me staring. Her cheeks turn pink and I laugh, raising a hand to wave goodbye. When she gets in her car, I reluctantly climb into my own and drive home, anticipation coursing through my veins. I make it all the way home and into the shower before the nerves hit.
I've met her dad, briefly, on more than one occasion, but it's been a while and I'm not the same guy that I was back then. Even though things aren't great between them right now, I know he's the most important person in Sienna's life. I'm not sure what my plan was when I offered to tag along, but I know Sienna needs someone who has her back right now. And I want to be that person. More than anything. It doesn't matter how long it takes, or what her dad says, or what happens between us. I'll always have her back. That's a promise.
I finish showering and change into a fresh pair of jeans and a dark blue button-up shirt. After running a hand through my hair, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. "You can do this," I tell myself, trying to pump myself up.
With a sigh, I head downstairs and grab my keys. I'm not sure what kind of reaction Sienna's dad will have to my presence, but I'm hoping for the best. I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting afternoon.
A note: Next week will be my second and last break before this is completed! Chapter 15 will be in your inbox on August 9th.
Comments give me life (and motivation). I would be so thankful if you like, share, or comment on this chapter!
so good, they're so in love and I love it. side note: my birthday is the 11th so I'm gonna take chapter 15 as an early birthday present <3
Ahhhhh I'm so pumped to see how lunch will go between Sierra, her dad, and Ethan!!!