“You good?” he asked.
Good? That was such a mild, calm word for the storm that had just wrecked her in the most perfect, amazing way.
“I’ll take speechlessness as a positive sign.” He leaned forward and nipped at her earlobe. “Now, finish eating, since I distracted you.”
Wait...what? Eat? He could think about food at a time like this?
Ethan turned and rounded the counter. Harper glanced over her shoulder, more than aware that one of them was totally naked while the other was fully dressed and picking out a cube of cheese.
“Are you serious?” she asked, easing down off the counter and rounding up her clothes.
He popped a piece of gouda into his mouth and stared across the space. “About food? Yeah. You barely ate.”
Harper slid into her panties, then her skirt. Clutching her bra and tank, she pulled in a shaky breath.
“Are you playing a game?”
Ethan’s brows narrowed. “Game?”
Harper didn’t know if she was more confused or irritated. “Are we not going to finish what we started?”
“By my recollection, you finished—enthusiastically.”
Yeah. Definitely irritated. She pulled on her bra and tank, needing the extra armor.
“You didn’t.”
Ethan shrugged. “I’ll live. Are you complaining?”
No, that would make her a bitch.
“I’ve never met a man like you,” she muttered.
Ethan let out a bark of laughter. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She continued to stare as he grabbed a small plate and started adding a variety of fruits and cheese, plus a small finger sandwich. Then he set it in front of the stool she’d been on before he blew her mind.
“Take a seat,” he told her. “You can eat and tell me more about your renovation ideas.”
She wasn’t sure what his angle was by playing her and keeping her guessing, but she wasn’t about to let her guard down. She was going to figure out Ethan Michaels one way or another...something she should’ve done before he permanently landed in her life.
Six
The next morning Ethan was still questioning who the hell he’d become. Since when did he have a willing woman—a sexy-as-hell willing woman—naked and ready for him, and not take full advantage of the situation?
With the time difference between California and France, Ethan had finally gotten out of bed at 4:00 a.m. after a restless night. He’d made yet another call to his Realtor to see where they stood on the final bid they’d put in on the waterfront bistro.
And yet it wasn’t his latest quest that had his mind occupied or his sleep lacking. He knew he’d get the property, but he didn’t know what the hell he was going to do with Harper.
She’d been naked, panting, sitting atop the island in his kitchen. He’d given her an orgasm and what did he do next? Not take her to the bedroom or even take her right there on the floor.
No, he’d made her a charcuterie board and they’d chatted until midnight about water walls, open courtyards with lush plants, infinity pools and special couples’ rooms for secret fetishes.
She’d thought of every aspect of this adults-only resort, and maybe that’s what had him so distracted. He’d come here for the sole purpose of gaining back what should have been his. Hearing Harper talk about the future makeovers had him itching to get Mirage in his name sooner than ever.
So now he was sexually frustrated, confused at his own actions and not so patiently waiting to hear about his bid.
Ethan padded to his kitchen to make coffee, but his eyes landed on the island. As if he needed the reminder of how damn sexy she’d been, utterly bare, completely at his mercy and more than willing to give him more.