Chapter 21

Twenty-One

T amara leaned back against Ethan, secure in the circle of his arms.

These days, there was no place she’d rather be.

“Comfortable?”

Looking up, her breath caught as shadows from the fire flickered over his cheekbones, highlighting his strong nose, the curve of his lips. He was gorgeous and for now, he was hers.

“Very comfortable.” She wriggled slightly, enjoying the flare of heat in his eyes, the slow, sexy smile.

“When you mentioned a full moon party at Arjuna Beach, I envisaged a bunch of hippies drinking and having a rave complete with bubbles. Nothing like this.”

He cuddled her closer, sweeping a kiss across her lips before resting his chin on her shoulder, content to hold her as they stared at the bonfire one of the revellers had lit not far from the water’s edge.

The stubble peppering his jaw brushed her cheek, the tiny prickles strangely comforting. Gone was the slick, smooth, clean-shaven corporate pirate: in his place was his laid-back, easygoing, constantly smiling counterpart.

She liked this guy a lot better.

How had she ever thought of Ethan as cold and ruthless and aloof? The Ethan she’d gotten to know the last two weeks, the Ethan she’d fallen for, was warm and spontaneous and generous. He made her laugh, made her secure, made her forget every sane reason why she shouldn’t gift him her heart.

Though it didn’t matter how attentive and carefree he was here, she knew once they returned to Melbourne he’d revert back to type and she’d be left with nothing but memories.

She’d known it from the start, had held him at bay because of it, but no amount of self talk could withstand a barrage of Ethan at his best: charming, gregarious, and able to make her feel one hundred percent female.

That was most seductive of all, because she hadn’t felt that way in a long, long time. Not only had Richard sapped her identity, he’d battered her self-worth and, thanks to Ethan, she’d rediscovered another part of herself she’d thought lost: she was still a desirable woman capable of instilling passion in a man and that made her feel like a million dollars.

“You’ve heard that pretty much anything goes at these full moon parties, right?”

“Yeah.” His soft breath caressed her ear, sending a shiver of delight through her. “What do you have in mind?”

“Dance with me.”

“Here?” His dubious glance flicked to the couples surrounding the fire, some of them entwined, some holding hands, some laying back and staring at the stars, and she laughed at his doubtful expression.

“I love dancing and haven’t done it for ages.”

His reticence melted away at her wistful tone and he stood, tugging her to her feet in one, fluid movement, and pulled her close until her breasts were squashed against his chest and her pelvis snuggled against his.

“How does that feel?” He murmured.

“Perfect.”

It was, not the way their bodies fit but how he held her, as if she was something precious, something he never wanted to let go.

An illogical, wishful thought, but for now her heart had to go with the flow, caught up in the magic of the moment, with soft sand still warm from the day’s sun squishing between her toes, Ethan’s sandalwood scent enveloping her, and his body calling to her on a visceral level.

They didn’t speak, her head resting on his shoulder as they swayed in time to the sultry strains of a sitar and the drugging beat of a tabla. Closing her eyes, everything faded: the other couples, the fire, the music, the waves lapping at the water’s edge.

She wanted to remember every second of tonight, imprint every incredible moment in her memory, for this was the night.

The night she admitted she’d fallen in love.

While she may not be ready to admit it to Ethan yet, the knowledge she’d come so far—opening her heart again, learning to trust, taking a chance—was beyond empowering.

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.