James shook her hand. “You’re going to love it here. Emily already stopped by with Snickerdoodles for the two of you and said she and Parker would come once they knew you’d arrived.”

“I’ll text him,” Ethan said of his brother, pulling out his phone.

James then showed them to a grouping of rooms on one side of the inn. “We don’t have guests until this weekend, so pick any rooms you want.”

Ethan thanked James and said he could handle it, and James took off, leaving them in the hallway.

“I’d like it if we could share a room,” Ethan immediately said when they were alone. “No pressure or anything but I want to be with you. However I can get you.”

She swallowed hard. Prior to this trip, she hadn’t given the rooming situation any thought. Did she want to insist on her own room, knowing Ethan was sleeping next door or across the hall?

No, no she did not.

He was making such an effort to be the perfect guy for her, and though she knew he’d be returning to New York, why couldn’t she take advantage of the time they had together? Her heart was his, whether he wanted it for keeps or not. She wouldn’t push him, knew that wasn’t smart with a man as wounded and hurt as Ethan had been.

Sometimes spontaneous judgment calls were the best ones, she mused, having come to a decision. “Umm, I was thinking. You know that proposition you made me? An affair while you’re here?”

He blinked in surprise. “Yes?” he asked hesitantly. He clearly had no idea where she was going with this line of thought.

“Well, I’d like to take you up on the offer. Be with you while we’re here and when we get back to Miami. Once you have to go back to New York, no pressure or strings,” she said, forcing the painful words from her mouth.

He’d told her he hadn’t been ready for a relationship after his wife died, and though he was tied to Sienna due to the baby, she’d never, ever want to trap him in any way.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t give in to what her body … and her heart desired now.

* * *

Ethan didn’t like his own words thrown back at him. I’d like to take you up on the offer. Be with you while we’re here and when we get home. Once you have to go back to New York, no pressure or strings. Jesus, it sucked.

And he deserved every painful word.

He studied her for so long she grew uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot. Until a blush stained her cheeks. Until he could decide how to handle this. Because he wanted more than just a fuck while they were together.

What he didn’t know or understand was how much more. He needed time.

So he did the only thing he could do.

He stepped closer. Her light fragrance surrounded him, and at his nearness, her breath caught in her throat. Her lips parted. And he sealed his mouth over hers.