Free Kiss Me at Midnight (Entangled Flaunt) by Diane Alberts Page B

watch that tonight?”
    Her mom shuffled the phone, and Ashley heard the TV click on. “Yes. You’re right, of course.”
    “Don’t forget about Dancing with the Stars tonight, too.”
    Her mom turned the TV up. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, right?”
    “Yes, and I’ll bring the medicine with me. Don’t worry, okay?”
    “Okay.” Her mom sighed. “I love you, dear.”
    “Love you, too, Mom.” Ashley hung up, taking a second to brace herself. Then she turned back to Ethan and forced a smile. “Sorry about that.”
    “It’s okay.” Ethan stepped closer, his eyes still on hers. “Is she always that forgetful?”
    “Yeah. She’s always thinking she forgot about her meds, but the truth is she just can’t remember anything anymore. That’s why I go to her house twice a day to give her the meds she needs.” Ashley shrugged. “That way, it gets taken care of and she doesn’t OD. She almost did a few weeks ago. Took her meds three times.”
    Ethan pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
    Why would he? She didn’t whine about it. “It’s not a big deal.”
    “Yeah, it is.” He cupped her chin. “If you ever need any help, let me know.”
    But he wouldn’t be here to help. She knew it and so did he, even if he was pretending otherwise at the moment. So instead of saying anything in return, or thanking him for the kind offer…she kissed him.
    He let her have control of the kiss for all of three seconds before he turned it around on her, slanting his head just right so he could slip his tongue inside her mouth. As he kissed her, his hands roamed all over her body. Her breasts. Her hips, her butt. Everywhere he touched burned with desire, with need. The kind of need she’d only ever felt for him .
    He lifted her onto the edge of the counter, and positioned himself between her legs, pressing against her. She curled her hands into his hair and yanked him even closer, sliding her legs around his waist.
    He broke off the kiss and rested his forehead on hers. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
    “I have a good idea.”
    “Good.” He gripped the bottom of her dress and twisted it in his hands. “But right now, you need to lose the clothes.”
    She lifted her butt and pulled her dress out from under her. “Yes, please.”
    When she started to remove her dress, he grabbed her hands, stopping her. Without a reason or explanation why, he caught her mouth again, this time softer and sweeter. The intense burning was still there, but alongside it was tenderness. She opened her mouth, inviting him in.
    He lifted her dress higher, breaking away only to pull it over her head. When she pulled his shirt over his head, she sucked in a deep breath and took him in—his broad shoulders, his tight abs, his tribal tattoo on his pec. She didn’t have a whole lot of time to study it before he cupped her cheek and kissed her, his tongue flicking across her lips and into her mouth.
    She held on to his hard bicep with one hand and rested her other one over his heart. His fingers flexed on her jaw, and his free hand slid up her leg. When he touched her inner thigh, just barely brushing against her clit, she tightened her grip on him.
    He made her feel so much. More than mere desire. But she didn’t want to feel more.
    Didn’t want to want more when more wasn’t possible.
    He lowered his lips to her neck, then to her shoulder. When he slid her closer to the edge of the counter and took her bra off, she shut her thoughts off and traced the contours of his chest. He was so hard and hot and male .
    She put her hands on his waistband, undoing the button with a turn of her wrist, but he backed out of reach. “Nope. Not yet.”
    She opened her eyes. “Yes, now .”
    “First…” His hand came back into view. “Taste this.”
    He had whipped cream on his finger. The whipped cream she’d made to go with the apple pie and apparently left out on the counter. Her pulse