Free Your Little Secret by Kirsty-Anne Still, Bethan Cooper

just have to deal with it. I love you, but you know how important she is to me.
    Amber was more than pleased when the phone call came to an end and Ethan set his phone down, resuming his position with Amber on his lap. He was none the wise that she was in fact wide away and feeling unhappy.
    When the sun came up, she checked the time on the stereo system and groaned at how early it was. She waited until at least nine AM to get up and start cooking a breakfast. As she got up, Ethan flinched a little, mumbled gently and grabbed at her. With a gentle ease, she fought him off and got up, stumbling to the kitchen to get herself some coffee. She was exhausted and it did nothing to help her mess of emotions.
    Cooking breakfast was a way to cover up her mood and distract herself and she was glad she made Ethan do a mini shop while in Asda. She needed this right now. As she cooked the bacon, she thought of how her and Ethan were becoming. He called her his optimal, she was his everything and yet she could see the gap between them stretching. The distance was becoming a black void between them and it scared her. It shot from the core of her soul, penetrating her heart in one harsh lashing.
    What would she do if they were irreparable and just biding time? Stopping herself from flipping the bacon, she just stood staring out of the window in mounting concern. What if they were passed saving? What would she do if they were beyond the point of saving? Could she survive a lifetime without Ethan? Would that work out well for her? What if-
    “Morning babe,” Ethan cut in, his hands coming through under her arms, taking hold of the spatula to flip the bacon for her, and kissed the side of her cheek. “You’re burning my breakfast,” he teased her.
    If only he knew she was burning herself with the love she was trying to deny for him.
    Ducking down, she escaped from the body heat and the urge to turn around and kiss him.
    "Uh, sorry. You're better at this than me, continue your bacon butty." Taking a bow, he watched her in her leggings and tank top that hugged her curves in all the right places. Discreetly using his free hand to realign himself. She did this to him and had no idea. Watching her delectable body jog up the stairs, he prepared the bread with lashings of ketchup for Amber's breakfast. He knew her more than anyone, even Connor. He knew her because he had taken the time to talk to her, and she welcomed him into her life with open arms.
    Switching on the kettle, he set up her tea and his coffee and pulled out the semi skimmed milk from the fridge. This felt too comfortable for them both. It was just a constant, and he felt so guilty for lying to Eva, but she had always hated his relationship with Amber.
    Hearing her bouncing down the stairs he put the plates with the finished bacon sandwiches on the side and finished off their drinks. She appeared in the room with her hair in pigtails still in her pyjamas. As he turned back to the sink to wash his hands he felt warm hands hold him around his naked waist.
    "Hi," she whispered into his ear. “Thanks for finishing breakfast." Kissing his shoulder blade Ethan couldn't help the surge of electricity pass through him. Holding on to the side of the sink he sighed and closed his eyes at the possibility of losing her forever.
    "You’re welcome," he smiled at her as she took her seat, noisily at the kitchen table.
    Nibbling on her bacon she opened up her iPhone to check her Facebook and see if anything good was happening. She had a few friend requests and one of which was from Eva. Showing Ethan the phone she tilted her head to the side and showed him. "I thought she hated me, why add me as a friend?" she asked him, closing down the Facebook app to forget about Eva’s request. Scoffing realisation hit her. "I guess if I'd accepted I couldn't have even put on there 'chilling out with my Bezzie pal' could I?"
    Looking up at her startled he shrugged his shoulders. "What makes you say that,