I moved aside and let him in. Ethan strolled into my kitchen, got a frozen bag of peas, and poured me a glass of wine. I plopped onto the couch. He sat next to me.

"Lie back." I hesitated and then throbbing pain took over. I leaned back on the couch and let him place the peas on my eye.

"Ahh. Cold." Why didn't I think of this the last night?

"So, what happened? You have a run in with a doorknob?"

I opened my eye and gulped the wine. My stomach rumbled, and I realized I was hungry. I'd been too nervous to eat before the opening, and I'd worked so much today the time had gotten away from me. I set the wine down and settled the peas back on my eye. "No, the doorknob wouldn't have been that bad. My ex was drunk and decided to pay me a visit last night. He's pissed I threw him out. He was supposed to pick me up the night you got that asshole off me. Bastian decided to take his anger out on me. I kicked him in the balls, and I haven't seen him since."

"It seems like you need more saving. Let's see."

He traced a finger over my face. His touch was tender, and when I stared into his blue eyes, I felt the same attraction that I had for him the other night. I inclined my head closer, smelling the faint vanilla scent around him mixed with the musk of his flesh. It was intoxicating, and I leaned in and kissed him. His lips were warm, and after a moment of hesitation, he returned the kiss with the same fervor. I ran my fingers over his head, feeling the strands of his hair. They were fine and silky. His hand found its way under my T-shirt. Ethan cupped my breast, running his thumb across my nipple. It hardened instantly. The bag of peas slipped into his lap but the cold didn't stop him. He kissed me harder. My hands wrapped around his neck, but he pulled away, breathless.

"I'm sorry. We shouldn'tI don't want to hurt you." Ethan got up and stood with his back to me.

"Why would you hurt me?" There didn't seem to be a harmful bone in his body. I got up and went to touch his shoulder. He held up his hand. I stopped before I actually touched him.

"Stop, Christa. I-I should go. I didn't think my feelings for you ran this deep. Forgive me." He forced out a breath. Before I had time to react, he had swept me up in his arms one more time for a hard and scorching French kiss.