He hands me a beer and sets some bright cocktail thing in front of Abby’s seat, a cranberry vodka maybe—who cares? I fucked up.

“Have your drink and get out of here, man. That’s the best thing you can do right now. Better yet, just go now,” he advises and I just nod my head.

The moment Abby returns from the bathroom, we leave. I don’t look back to see if Kelsey is watching because I hope to god she isn’t.

How am I going to fix this?

Chapter Seventeen

Kelsey

The remainder of the evening goes by in a blur because I can’t stop thinking about how Abby has ruined something else for me. Logan knew exactly why I asked him to switch sides with me. There was no way I was going to wait on Ethan while he was sitting with her. Instead, I just watched them from my end of the bar. I know he was trying to get me to react or at least say something. I wanted to. I wanted to tell Abby she is wasting her time, because he’s mine. But all I saw was history repeating itself. He cheated when he first kissed you, Kelsey. He will do it again.

I force back the tears as I clear the last table of its empty drinks. Why can’t I find a guy who is happy with just one woman? Rain is pouring down outside, and for the last hour, the sound of drops beating against the window is the only thing that has kept me relaxed. I stop, still holding a few dirty glasses, and watch as everything outside looks cold and depressing, much like my life at this very moment.

I have no one to blame but myself. I can’t be upset with anyone but me. Ethan doesn’t know about my past relationship. I never told him. I shouldn’t be upset with him. We hardly know each other, and one kiss doesn’t mean anything.

“Hey, is it cool if I head out?” Logan asks. He pulls on his jacket and pauses at the top of the steps while I head behind the bar.

I set the dishes in the sink and nod my head.

“Of course.” I smile at him. He studies me for a minute.

“Is everything alright?”

No.

“Yeah, everything’s great. I’m just getting tired,” I say, and when he doesn’t respond I know he’s deciding whether or not to believe me.

“Alright… well, if you need anything, just call, okay?”

“Thanks,” I say and follow behind him as he leaves so I can lock the door.

Before I reach it, the jukebox begins to play “Endless Love” by The Bird and The Bee. Does everything have to depress me right now? I used to love this song, but now the words are bound to tear me apart. It’s a song that mocks me of something I’ll never have. I head for the jukebox with the goal of changing the song to some hate music – because anything would be better than this — when I feel a cold breeze from the front doors opening. I turn to tell whoever it is we’re closed, but freeze when I see Ethan standing in the doorway.

He isn’t wearing the same clothes as he was earlier, and a pang of dread flows through me as every awful idea runs through my mind. His wet hair drips into his face and his black t-shirt and jeans are sticking to his body. His chest is moving quickly as he breathes and his now dark and determined green eyes are focused on where I stand.

My eyes go wide as I take him in. The wet look makes him even sexier than before, but his eyes are the piece causing me to take a step back. The desire in them matches the exact way my heart feels. He came here for me, I know that much. I also know I’m not letting him leave until we’ve resolved this one way or another.

Ethan stalks toward me, and when he gets close enough, I take another step behind me, bumping into the pool table. My palms grip the table to steady myself as he presses his body against me and leans forward, placing his hands right next to mine.

“I don’t want to play games, Kelsey. I want you and only you. I’m sorry about tonight. Abby doesn’t mean anything to me. I have never felt for someone the way I feel about you and I didn’t know how to handle it. I still don’t, but I do know the only way I want to figure it out is with you. I want you in my life no matter what happens.”

I’m stunned speechless. Everything is a clouded mess inside my head. I want to tell him that I want him, too, and together we could have it all, but I can’t form words. Say yes, Kelsey. Say anything. Forget the past. I manage a small nod.

He doesn’t waste any time waiting for more of a response. His lips crash against mine and I wrap my arms around his neck to pull him closer. Our mouths move desperately against one another while his hands glide down my back until he’s cupping my butt. He grips each cheek tightly, picking me up and setting me on the table.

“God, I want you so bad,” he breathes into my mouth.

My knees part as he moves between them, jerking my body into his. Since I’m wearing another skirt there isn’t much of a barrier left between us, and when he grinds his hips into my core, I can feel how much he wants me and that only fuels my body even more.

“Kelsey,” he says, separating our lips and trailing kisses down my neck. I love the way he says my name. I lean my head back to give him better access, but I don’t let go. Pleased sounds escape my lips as he moves further down my body. His hands find the hem of my shirt and a wave of desire washes through me as they rise underneath it, his fingers reaching the edge of my bra.

The soft music in the background and our rapid breaths surrounds me. It only intensifies the fire between us. Ethan removes his hands, but I grab his wrist in protest. He smiles and lets out a small laugh. “Trust me, ok?”

I lock my eyes on his, accepting his silent promise, and let go of him. He quickly lifts my shirt over my head. He drops the shirt to the ground and leans back.

“You’re so beautiful,” he says then kisses me again. He unsnaps my bra, removing it from my body, but never pulls his lips away from mine. His hands find my breasts and he squeezes them gently, letting his thumbs play with my nipples a little longer.

I moan into his mouth and the warmth between my legs tells me how much I enjoy what he does to me. I let my hands roam over his body slowly and stop at the waist of his jeans. My fingers unbuckle them and once I have them unzipped, I slide my hands underneath and around to his backside. I put my hands flat against his firm body and pull him into me, moving my waist against him as I hold him there.

“Ah fuck,” he cries, quickly moving his hands to my skirt. “I can’t wait much longer.”

With his admission we take full advantage of removing every last piece of clothing from the other’s body. Once I’m completely naked, he picks me up to move me back to the middle of the table and then he climbs up to join me, crawling over me until his body is above mine. We’re totally going to have sex on top of a pool table. This isn’t like me, but I love it.

Ethan gently lowers himself between my legs. The feel of his skin brushing against mine sets my body off. I want him to touch me anywhere his hands will go. His lips trail kisses across my cheek, down my neck, and between my breasts.

“God, you smell like cinnamon,” he says, pulling my nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. My hips lift of the table at the sensation his lips send through my body. I moan, causing Ethan to grab my waist. He holds it firm against his. Moving from one breast to the other, his hands glide to the back of my thighs, to the inside of them, climbing higher until I almost lose myself the moment his fingers touch my core. Slowing, he slides one in, then another. He keeps kissing me and with each stroke I’m more turned on. I don’t want to wait anymore. I want him inside me.

I pull my body away quickly, taking him off guard as I push him on his back. With one leg on each side of him, I gaze down at his body.

“You are so fucking hot.”

“Kelsey, don’t swear or I’m going to lose my shit.”