Page 45 of Journey to You
As the sitar faded, Ethan eased away and she looked up, wondering if he could read the exultation in her eyes.
Cupping her cheek, he said, “You’re glowing.”
Smiling, she stood on tiptoes and kissed him. “Thanks to you.”
“So I’m forgiven for muscling in on your vacation? And for deliberately making us miss the train in Udaipur?”
“You are so bad.”
She whacked him on the chest and he laughed, swooping in for a quick kiss. “I had this stupid notion you’d fall for me if surrounded by all that romance.”
“I don’t need all those trappings.” Sliding her arms around his waist, she snuggled into him again. “You’ve kind of grown on me.”
“Good. Want to know why?”
“Why?”
“Because we only have a few days left and I intend to spend every second by your side. Think you can handle that?”
Ignoring the flutter of panic at the thought of what they had ending, she nodded. “Yeah, I can handle it.”
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s head back and start making the most of our time together.”
His mouth captured hers, his kiss searing a path to her heart as she melted against him, powerless to do anything other than want him, no matter how much her inner voice warned their time together would soon be coming to an end.
Twenty-Two
Ethan helped Tamara out of the rickshaw, holding her hand tightly. “You sure you don’t want me to come with you? I can always postpone this meeting?”
Tamara waved Ethan away. “Go take care of your business. I’ll meet you back at the hut later.”
“Not too much later.”
He pulled her in for a swift, scorching kiss that sizzled all the way to her toes, leaving her breathless as he winked and waved, heading for the nearest five star hotel.
She watched him until he was a tiny speck in the distance, a tall figure striding down the dusty road with long, determined steps of a man with things to do, places to be.
But he wasn’t running from her and that was a bonus, a big one. Since they’d had sex two nights ago, they’d spent every waking moment together. All the things she’d planned on doing, like eating atSouza Lobo’sand attending a full moon party, had been more special with Ethan by her side, sharing the experience.
As for the nights…exploring each others bodies, pleasuring each other, had surpassed expectations. Richard had been egotistical so it figured he’d been a selfish lover too.
But Ethan…thinking about the ways he gave her pleasure brought a blush to her cheeks.
Their time together had been beyond special. They were good together, really good. You couldn’t fake what they had.
An unexpected chill shimmied down her spine as she remembered how she’d faked a lot during her marriage, how easy it was to act one way while feeling another.
Ethan may be a player but surely he didn’t treat all his women this way? He’d said she was different, his actions speaking as loud as his words with the way he’d cherished her in Goa.
While she hadn’t gone into this expecting him to love her, now she’d fallen for him she couldn’t help but wish they could explore this further. He’d barrelled into her life when she’d least expected or wanted it but now she hoped he’d stay.
Needing a distraction from her thoughts, she stopped in front of a sari shop, pressed her hands to the dusty glass, and peered inside. Her mum had wanted her to wear a sari for fun, but she’d never had the occasion or the inclination. Besides, Richard would’ve had a fit if she’d paraded her ethnicity in front of his posh friends.
She’d overheard him once, boasting about her royal heritage or some such crap, implying she descended from a line of exotic East Indian princesses. She’d confronted him later and in typical fashion he’d laughed off her concerns, saying he had standards to live up to in the public eye and people liked that sort of thing.
She hadn’t, though. She’d hated it, and while she’d toed the line in the vain hope of making her marriage work, the lies he told never sat well with her. Lies far more poisonous and extending further than she’d ever thought possible considering what came to light after his death.
Making an impulsive decision to buy one more souvenir of her memorable time here, she pushed open the door and stepped into the welcome coolness of the shop.