Riptide Love ( (6 page)

Guilt had to be eating a hole in Ethan. She should know. The emotion had played havoc on her nerves for so, so long. There was no denying she’d played a role in the distance between the brothers. But at day’s end, she’d been relieved Nate’s identity was out. More importantly, Maree had appeared to be genuinely happy to have Nate around. Knowing he’d have one grandmother who’d take joy in him made her happy.

Quietly, she eased out of the bed to leave Nate sleeping. After a quick check of the covers, she slipped out of the room.

The house was silent as she tiptoed to the living room. There’d been no chance to speak to Ethan alone, and she wanted to check on him. Needed to was more like it. Disappointment had nagged her when neither Cohen nor any of his cousins dropped by.

Ethan sat slumped on the couch with the telly on low. She hesitated. Maybe he didn’t want company. Didn’t need anyone to talk to. Maybe he wanted to be alone with his emotions.

In the darkened room, light from the screen lit the blond in his hair. Her fingers twitched to play in the strands. To soothe away his hurt.

Yes, she wanted to touch him once more. Caress his skin. Soothe away his pain.

The memories they’d created had kept her going for so long. Now to have him back in her life. There was no possible way to understand how sometimes life just happened. She’d missed him so badly. The night he’d kissed her it’d taken everything in her not to tell him so.

A quiver shook her knees. They’d have winded up on the floor if she had. She’d ached so badly to recapture the magic she’d felt with him.

And the sex that they’d shared before had been so good.

As if sensing her, he turned his head and straightened up. “He asleep?”

“Conked out about an hour ago.”

His arm slid along the top of the couch. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“Not really.” She wrapped her arms around her middle. “Is the show any good?”

His sigh traveled through her. “I hadn’t noticed.”

She thought as much. Before she gave it too much consideration, she sat on the couch. Immediately, his fingers toyed in her hair. Pure desire quivered through her to settle in her breasts and lower stomach. “You okay?”

“I am.”

“I’m sorry, about…about everything.” As she remembered, his touch had a powerful effect. Helplessly, she leaned into his hand, seeking out his warmth, his energy.

“No need to be, luv.” His fingers caught up the ends of her hair and rubbed them between his fingertips. The caress ran all the way down to her center. Arousal pulsed awake in her clit. His touch, his nearness never failed to enliven her senses. “None of this is your fault.” It wasn’t.

Again he played with another lock of her hair as if it fascinated him. He buried his nose in her hair and groaned. “You smell good.” He inhaled. “I never forgot your scent.”

She inhaled sharply at the feel of pleasure pooling. She’d not forgotten his either. So many nights had been spent wishing for him there. Her panties dampened. So many nights had been spent masturbating, pretending they were his fingers. His touch.

It had been so, so long since she’d been caressed like this. Wanted. Even for a night. On another inhale, she caught the scent of the alcohol. “Have you been drinking, Ethan?”

“Not nearly enough.” He made a rough sound of amusement. “I discovered it’s no fun to drink alone. Without a mate.”

Easing away, she faced him. A shiver of delight ran through her body when he didn’t release her hair. In fact, he chased her movements by leaning in closer. Her breasts swelled, nipples extended in search of attention.

“I…I…” Her breath quickened as liquid fire pooled low in her stomach. “I could talk to Miller.”

“Luv, there’s no need.” He groaned, leaned his head back. But only for a moment. “I did M wrong. It’s as simple as that.”

“I think he’ll come around.” Nervously, she patted the top of her shirt to make sure it was in place. “I owe him a lot.” God knew just how much. “He’s a nice bloke.”

Another breath ran across her skin as he made a sound of amusement. Ethan shifted so they were face to face. “M’s a great mate. The best brother.”

Chest deflated a little, she forced the returning guilt away. Life was about decisions. She paid for her past mistakes, but she refused to keep paying for them. What happened next would be up to Miller. She’d keep the faith he’d forgive Ethan. Them.

His arm shifted to bring his hand to rest on her shoulder. His fingers tangled in her hair. “Nice isn’t the word most or anyone besides Mum would use to describe him.” His nostrils flared. “My guess is Cohen’s probably the nicest of us Thorns. The old man didn’t have the…” Abruptly, his mouth set in a tight line.

“Didn’t have what?”
Please don’t let him close up now.
Admittedly, she wasn’t ready to open up about her past, still she ached to know everything he’d share.

“You didn’t know M well, did you?”

Although she didn’t want to disclose everything, she didn’t want to leave herself open for ridicule. At the stirring of the old memories, she blocked them out. Refused to face them again. Now wasn’t the time to open old wounds. She’d moved on. Bettered herself. So now with Ethan, she went for honesty. “I knew what he wanted me to know.”

“I take that as a no.” Ethan dropped his head on the back of the couch.

Unsure if she pushed him away or pulled him closer, Denae clutched at his shirt.

“Our old man was a mean whacker. Mean as hell. Did you know that? Did my brother tell you that?” His breath warmed the skin on her neck.

It’d never been quite so hard to breathe before. Miller had never spoken of his past. His childhood. Ethan had never mentioned their father in their two weeks together.

“Dad was a vicious arse to everyone, Mum, me and Big M.” He rolled his head toward her.

She gulped at the feel of his lips against her pulse. “But not Co. No. By the time dad turned on Co, Miller was big enough to get in the way. He took up for us all.” A shudder racked his body.

“M never forgave our dad for all the beatings he took.” Under her hands, his body trembled. His voice grew taut. “He never forgave Mum for not leaving the old man…” His breath rushed hotly over her skin causing her own to burst in pants. Pure desire swirled in her core.

She’d never have guessed. Not ever. And Ethan’s lips made it hard to think clearly.

“My brother isn’t going to forgive me for not telling him.” The hard muscles of his body pressed into her as he managed to lay her back. “He wouldn’t have forgiven me had I told him.”

She moaned low in her throat. If that was true, either way Miller’d have held a grudge. No wonder Ethan had waited to tell his brother what had happened.

His mouth turned fervent on her skin. “Christ, De, you smell so damn good.” A kiss was pressed under her ear.

On a gulp of air she arched.
Oh.
This feels good.
Eyes closed, she reveled in the sensations that rocked through her body.

Just feel.

Just experience.

His warm lips and talented tongue played down her throat to nuzzle the exposed cleavage of her breasts. His teeth nipped here and there. She brought her free leg up over his hips. She wanted him closer. Needed him closer.

“You taste so damn good.” He nudged the material out of the way and claimed a nipple to suckle.

Sensations swamped her and she cried out, rocking her hips. Her clit pulsed with each draw of his mouth. Groaning, he ran his tongue across her chest to torment her other nipple. “Ethan…” Oh, God, she should stop him. And she would. Any minute now.

It had been so long since she’d felt this alive. This womanly.

You’ve wanted this for so long.

Yes, she wanted Ethan. She would take this night.

Her fingers tangled in his hair to bring his mouth more fully over the swollen flesh.

“Are you wet, De?” He ran his wicked tongue around her nipple until it stood for his attention. “I remember how wet you’d get for me.”

Raw heat built at her core.

Yes, I’m wet.

So wet.

So ready.

As if reading her mind, he lifted his weight from her to slip down onto the floor. Barely leaving the warmth of her body, he shoved the coffee table out of the way. Now on his knees he urged her to shift so he could get her panties off. Realizing his intent, she stopped him before he could dip his head. “Kiss me first.”

Please kiss me.

His kisses held the power to undo her.

Ethan didn’t disappoint her. His lips were rough, his mouth tasted of beer as they explored one another. The kiss deepened with his tongue’s actions. The working muscle stimulated nerve endings connected to her clit.

She moaned as he caught her butt in his hands. With a lift of his hands, he brought her pussy to the edge of the couch. Legs spread wide, she offered him her body. Eagerly, he pushed in close to the apex of her thighs. Face to face they shared deep kisses. Hot kisses. One lingering kiss after another left her breathless.

His rigid length pressed into her slit on each rock of his hips.

Need swelled in her pussy. The promise of ecstasy had her root against his hard body, his stiff prick.

Ethan was the one to break the embrace of their mouths. His hand ran down her from neck to thigh. “Christ, you’re a beaut, De.” He leaned her back. “A real beauty.”

A whimper passed through her trembling lips.

“Christ, De I missed you.”

“Ethan.” Her heart raced.

His lips pressed gently to her. “I’ll make this good for you.”

This was her out. His way of asking for permission.

With shaking fingers she cupped the side of his face to bring him back for a kiss. She nibbled on his mouth until his beautiful body shuddered.

“You sure, De?” He placed his hands on the sides of her head. His thumbs rested on her cheeks. “Be damn sure.”

Unable to do anything more she cried out only to have his mouth claim hers in a deep kiss. Their mouths teased. Their breaths rasped. Longing for more, she worked her tongue between his lips. He groaned, enjoying the dancing of their tongues. The suction of their mouths.

Unable to take much more, Ethan allowed her only a moment of dominance.

Need surging in his blood, he broke the kiss to trail his mouth downward. Lips played across from her left breast, down the center of her body, until he latched onto her clit. After a heartbeat he moved on down to her hole where he used his tongue to fuck her until she shook in need.

He groaned, tried to go deeper.

“Ethan…” Her thighs trembled.

Instead of relieving the growing tension in her body he set about stroking her swollen sex. His tongue worked up and down her slit. Time and again he teased her clit.

Tears of want filled her eyes.

Finally, as if sensing the distress he caused, he drew on the tight bundle of nerves. Almost instantly, she felt the embers deep inside bursting. Too fast, she crested the abyss. Pleasure pulsed outward. An orgasm tore through her. Tensing up, she cried out, enjoyed each and every little clench of her inner muscles.

Before her heartbeat slowed, Ethan pushed his hard length inside. The man took his time, inch by inch until he rooted against her pelvis bone.

Denae moaned, wrapped her legs around him. Her arms went around his shoulders. He shifted them backwards until she was impaled on his prick. Grunting he hefted their bodies to the couch where her arse rested on the edge. His muscular body covered her while he withdrew to push back in on short, quick pumps.

“You feel good. So damn good.” His lips teased her to return a kiss. She tasted her essence on his teasing tongue.

Clinging to his shoulders, she gasped on each of his deeper thrusts. He was hard. And thick. And so deep. He plunged down only to pull out slow.

He swallowed her moan. She wanted it fast and hard. Desperate, she pulled at his hair. “Stop teasing me.”

Ethan made a rough sound before giving her what she wanted. His loss of control.

Deep.

Fast.

Hard.

He rode her.

Deeper.

Faster.

Harder.

He thrust into her needy body.

So deep.

So fast.

So hard.

He pumped his prick in and out until she came apart with the pleasure he spun. Her body tensed, arched.

Grunting and groaning, he joined her in climax. Her inner muscles clung to the pulsing length held deep in place.

Their breaths mingled as the kiss finally broke. He separated their bodies. Lethargic, she lay spread out.
That
had been so good. Her body continued to hum deliciously. Through lowered lids, she watched him remove the protection she hadn’t noticed he’d put on. His hands shook while he got himself stuffed back into his pants.

She sighed, closing her legs.

“De?”

“Hmmm?”

“You all right?’

Unsteadily, she sat up. “Yes.” That was the truth. For the first time, she’d enjoyed sex. Really enjoyed sex. No shame, no guilt, no regret surfaced.

“Listen, luv…”

“It’s okay. I’d better get back to bed.” And she’d better. As good as this had been, a repeat performance probably wasn’t in her best interest. There’d be no forgetting how easily her heart had gotten involved last time. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Night, Ethan.” Standing, she walked past him.

Chapter Six

Bugger me.
De acted as if nothing had happened between them the previous night. Already Ethan’s prick filled out his pants, more than eager for a repeat performance. The woman hadn’t passed him one single glance. On the other hand, he’d been eyeballing her since she’d gotten out of bed.

Ethan scrubbed his face. Continuing to regard her at the sink, he supposed he’d treated dozens of women this same way. One night he’d nail them, the next night, if he ran into them again, they barely got a glance.

A frown creased his brow. How many women had thought that about him?

But Christ, this was different.

He and De had a history.

They had chemistry.

“Denae, the pastry was delicious.” His mum interrupted his brooding.

“I second that.” He pushed his empty saucer away. De had volunteered to fix breakfast.

“Thanks, you two.” De offered a smile over her shoulder.

“Do you mind if I take Nate out to the barn?” When his mum stood, she glanced over at De.

“Oh, not at all.” De set the towel aside. “Let me check on him and then he’s all yours.” De left the kitchen. From spending time with De and Nate, he knew “check on him” meant take the little mate to the pisser.

“Were you able to get any sleep on the couch?”

“Some.” He grunted. What a crock. He hadn’t gotten more than an hour or two. The sex had sobered him right up. Not to mention De’s disappearing act right after.

“Granmum.” Nate dashed into the room. “I’m ready.”

“Bonza.” Mum stretched her hand out to let Nate clasp it. “Let’s go explore the barn.”

The closing of the door left him alone with De. Unable to sit down a moment longer, he pursued De over to the counter. “How are you feeling this morning?” He purposefully invaded her personal space. “I’ve not even got a g’day from you yet.”

“G’day, Ethan.”

“I know of a way we can start the morning off right.” A half of a step closer and he felt her body heat. Smelled her soft scent. And noticed she stiffened at his nearness.

“I had a nice time last night…”

Nice? Last night had been bloody better than nice.

She moved out of his reach. “But I don’t think it’s a habit we should start.”

A tic kick-started at the bunching in his jaw.

De lowered her lashes to shield her gaze from him. “Us being here… The atmosphere.” She shrugged. “We’ll be back home soon and forget this ever happened.”

What the hell?

Forget this ever happened?

That wasn’t about to happen. What they’re shared last night still captured his interest. Dammit, he wanted more. More of De.

“You understand, don’t you?” Her green gaze went dark. “For old time’s sake. It was nice. But we have to live in the here and now.”

Bloody nice, his arse.

“You don’t have a problem with what happened between us, do you?”

Yeah. Yeah, I do.
“No, sheila, I don’t.”

“Excellent.”

“E?” They both turned at the sound of Cohen’s voice. “About time you came home for a visit.”

He met his little brother halfway across the room. “Co.” He gave his brother a half embrace with a slap on the back. “Good to be home.” He stepped back to glance over at De. “Mate…”

Co tipped his hat. “G’day, sheila.”

She offered him a smile.

Noting the dark look in Cohen’s gaze, he needed to know. “Did Miller…”

His brother shook his head. “No, mate, Luke shared the good news.”

He shook his head. If Luke, the station’s tourist manager, knew about Nate…every bloody native from here to Sydney would hear the gossip in no time.

“Congrats on fatherhood.”

“Thanks, mate.” Ethan placed a hip against the counter.

“I did try talking to M.” Co snatched a sweet roll from the table. “But you know M. He told me to mind my own bloody bizzo.”

That had always been Miller’s way. No one got in his business. Ethan grunted, damn thankful his little brother hadn’t picked sides.

Co took a bite. “It’s good.”

“De gets the thanks.”

“Sheila.” Co saluted her with the pastry.

“There’s plenty.” De waved to the table. “I guess I’ll leave you two alone.”

“Hey, my girls are outside with Mum.” Co winked at him. “Hayleigh will be around soon enough. She slept in this morning.”

“Girls?” De shifted closer.

“My girls, Abbey and Cali.” A huge grin dominated Co’s face. “They’re beauties like their mum.”

“I bet they’re lovely. I’ll go introduce myself. And see how Nate’s getting along.”

Ethan folded his arms so as not to touch her as she passed between them.

No sooner had De left them than Co turned hard eyes on him. “What the bloody fuck were you thinking?”

“Mate…” He took his place back up against the sink. For a moment, he considered keeping the baggage to himself, but Co had partied with him more than once. He knew the score on the club scene. Christ, that’s how Cohen had met his wife.

Co had met Hayleigh in a Sydney pub and discovered the real deal.

“Don’t bullshit me either.”

“I met De one night in a club. I had no idea who she was beyond her first name.” He cleared his throat. “At the time, I didn’t care to know anything like that. Get the picture, mate?”

“And Big M?”

“M’s the best mate.” It was done now. No undoing the past. “I couldn’t bring myself to tell him I was the reason De wasn’t marrying him.” He stared his brother dead in the face. “Now you look me in the eye and tell me…if you’d been me, could you have?”

“I’d have wanted to…” Co rocked back on his heels. “I don’t know.” He didn’t know if Cohen would’ve been able to do it either. Hell his little brother had gone off to the university to please M. Co admired Miller as much as he did.

Ethan sighed. Christ, how he’d struggled over the decision. “Come on, mate. I want you to meet Nate.”

“Nathan? After dad?”

He nodded before giving Co’s shoulder a quick squeeze.

On the porch, his cell peeped, alerting him a message had been left. Stopping, he scanned the text.
Shania Thorn Rose’s identity has been confirmed. Do you want the full file?

Oh, bugger me.
He’d forgotten all about having the Yank checked out. “Listen, Co. I need to make a call. I’ll catch up, eh?”

“No problem.”

Fingers shaky, he dialed Miller’s number. His brother answered his cell on the second ring. “Yeah.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d answer.”

“I don’t have anything to fucking say to you, but if I’ve got service I always answer my phone.”

A breath shuddered through him. Time. All his brother needed was time. He’d keep telling himself that. “I just had Shania Thorn Rose’s identity confirmed.”

“Figures.” Miller snorted. “Considering the way my luck’s been running these days. Look, tomorrow evening, I’m going to sit Mum and Cohen down together and tell them about Shania.”

“All right, I’ll be there.”

Miller hung up then. Not a hooroo. Nothing. Just dead air. Ethan was half tempted to toss his phone in frustration.

Denae sipped her tea, watching Hayleigh drive away with Nate in the backseat. He was going home with his cousins while Cali took a nap. She laughed to herself, thankful she’d had a boy. God, Cali and Abbey were handfuls and then some. Three hours with Hayleigh and her daughters and Denae was exhausted.

What bad little influences they’d be on her son if they had Nate to play with every day. From her short observation, she wondered if discipline was in Cohen’s dictionary. What little sprites the girls were. She sighed. But out here in this wild land they suited it.

In the distance, Hayleigh stopped alongside an approaching truck.

Squinting, Denae couldn’t quite tell who the trunk belonged to. But after another minute or two, the vehicles parted ways. The truck made its way toward the house.

Her pulse sped up as the driver came into view.
Miller
. Had he come to visit with Ethan? On a wish, she crossed her fingers.

But instead, he slowed at the storage barn some distance away and maneuvered his rig to reverse the truck’s bed inside.

Inside the house behind her, she could hear Ethan carrying on with his cousins Aaron-Lee and Aaron-Matthew. The twins Lee and Matt didn’t appear to hold her relationship against Ethan. For that, she was thankful. He’d needed their company. Their support. She wished Cohen hadn’t had to get some work done. Several of Ethan’s cousins had yet to put in an appearance and she worried they wouldn’t.

Yet still, there went a man she owed a great deal to. And it was time she told him so.

She quickly drained her tea, then set the glass down. Not allowing herself to back out, she focused on the barn and put one foot in front of another.

Miller tossed a bale of hay into the back of the truck when she arrived. “G’day, Miller.”

“Denae.” Nothing showed on the man’s face. He didn’t even slow as he went to collect another bale.

Needing something to hold onto, she leaned over the side of the truck’s bed. Her stomach swam with nerves. Miller had always been so hard for her to talk to. What a complicated relationship they’d had. “I need you to know how sorry I am.” She swallowed. “I should’ve had the decency to talk to you.”

“Eh, probably should’ve.” He used hooks to grasp the bale. “But things worked out for the best.” He slapped the hay into the back of the truck. Only then did he spare her a glance. “I’m flat out busy with three days of work ahead of me. Say what you want so I can get to it.”

“What you did for me…” Mouth dry, she moistened her lips. “I want to thank you. I can’t think of another man who would’ve…” Miller had saved her. He’d saved her from her parents’ abuse, from their religious craziness. Most importantly, he’d saved her from herself. If he hadn’t stepped into her life when he had…she’d never have escaped the hell of the existence she’d been living.

No matter what demons had haunted her then, the affair with Ethan had been so wrong. Not admitting her failing to Miller was just as wrong. “I’m sorry I didn’t have the courage…”

“No worries, sheila. As I see it, I didn’t do much.” He wiped his brow. “I didn’t have many prospects out here anyway.” He rested against the end of the truck.

Denae shook her head. Miller needed only to show interest, make an effort. He never really socialized. Work and the land drove him. She’d never understand why he was so aloof. “Deep down, you were…are relieved we didn’t marry.” Dragging her hand along for support, she stopped in front of him.

Blue eyes so much like Ethan’s held her gaze. Only, they weren’t Ethan’s. Ethan’s offered clues to the man behind them. Mischief. Anger. Passion. She’d never seen Miller’s lit-up. That fact scared her the most. What if Miller really did hold a grudge against Ethan? Forever. And she’d be at the root of it. “Please, Miller, I need to hear you admit it…”

“Sheila, if this is about Ethan, it has nothing to do with you.” His jaw tensed. “It has to do with loyalty. Period.” He shifted around her to lean over the side and pull a bale up the bed. “Like I said, glad things worked out for you.” Straightening up, he tipped his hat. “Hooroo.”

Please don’t let him be stubborn about this
. For Ethan’s sake. For Nate’s sake. And for Miller’s own sake.

“You didn’t even love me…” She grabbed his arm to stall him. “You can’t stay mad at Ethan over this. You can’t.” It’d kill her, knowing she’d come between them.

“Sheila, leave it be.”

“Please don’t be this way.” Miller reached up to clasp her hand, trying to loosen her hold. “Please, Miller.”

“Let her go, M.”

She gasped, turning with Miller to the doorway.

Ethan’s eyes blazed blue fire.

Miller dropped her hand. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“Sounded to me like De was begging you.” Ethan’s cheek ticked in anger. “That pisses me off.”

Denae’s breath caught at his assumption. “No. No. I wasn’t.” Had she been? Okay, maybe a little. She’d do what it took to get Miller to be reasonable.

“I don’t know what you were planning…” Ethan faced Miller head on. “But whatever you had with De in the past is long over.”

She moaned. Where had this side of Ethan come from? This was crazy. “Ethan, stop.”

“You…” Miller took a step forward. “Back off, little brother.”

Ethan didn’t back down. “Not until you’ve got the fact De’s mine now through your bloody thick skull.”

Her mouth gapped open. “Ethan!” Where had the notion come from? His?

“Really?” Miller arched a brow. “That’s not what De was telling me a minute ago.”

“Miller!” She gasped at the perverse man egging Ethan on. “This has nothing to do with
me
.” It was the breach between them. Miller had confirmed that. She waved between the two. “You two need to talk things out.”

“Eh, we do.” Ethan nodded.

“In my book time for talking has done past.” Miller radiated anger.

“Since M doesn’t want to talk…” Ethan threw the first punch, hitting Miller in his jaw. Miller in turn took Ethan to the ground. The men rolled around grunting and throwing punches at each other.

“Stop it!” Denae screamed. “Ethan, stop! Stop it!”

Amid curses the men exchanged a series of body punches.

She grew light-headed as she watched the madness. Yes. This had nothing to do with her… Miller had to be taking out the anger he felt toward Ethan and using this as an excuse to pound him. Or more so, Ethan was trying to work out his frustration at Miller’s attitude from his system. She understood men would be men. She simply didn’t want to witness it.

“Stop this!” She glanced around for a water bucket. That’d cool them off.

“Oh, fuck.” Matt entered the barn, slightly ahead of Lee.

Trembling, she watched as the cousins managed to pull the struggling brothers apart.

Ethan hunched over panting.

Miller straightened before spitting out blood. He wiped his mouth off.

She wanted to slap him for hurting Ethan. “Well, I hope you got it all out of your system.”

“For now.” Miller picked up his hat and put it on his head. He spat again.

For now?
She snorted, so glad she’d been born a woman.