At nine o’clock, Ethan closed up shop and secured the security cover over the kiosk for the night. Across the way, the woman was struggling to pull down the security gate to the lingerie s tore.
For a minute, or longer (he wasn’t exactly sure because he was temporarily mesmerized) he watched her struggle, straining on her tippy toes, reaching up for the gate. She grabbed it, started to pull down and it stuck. She let out a huff, blowing her bangs from her eyes.
Ethan couldn’t help but notice h er tee shirt had inched up, revealing the waistband of her jeans. They sat so low on her hips that he thought he might catch a glimpse of her underwear.
What color would it be? Would she be wearing something lacy and skimpy or something soft and cottony? Did it even matter?
Then she reached up again and her shirt inched even higher, revealing a tantalizing strip of skin. He licked his lips and wondered what her skin tasted li ke. After the day he’d had, he wouldn’t mind licking her all over starting right between her…
Ethan sucked in a few calming breaths and walked over to help her, h is erection strain ing against his zipper.
“Need some help?” he asked her backside.
She whipped her head around at the sound of his voice. Her face was flushed and she was panting from her tug-of-war with the stubborn gate.
The color in her cheeks made him wonder what she would look like after sex. Would an orgasm flush her cheeks and neck the same way? Would her lips part when ecstasy claimed her? Would she whimper and sigh with pleasure or would she cry out for the whole world to hear?
God, s he looked even prettier up close. Flecks of gold swam in her moss green eyes. Freckles dotted her nose and cheeks. It looked like she tried to cover them up with makeup and blush, bu t they were there all the same.
Ethan’s dick throbbed, begging to be released from the confines of his jeans. H is eyes moved down her body and he caught a glimpse of her bare mid-riff. Her shirt was still hiked up from when she had reached her arms up over her head to close the gate. She stood still under his gaze and didn’t move t o pull it back down into place.
Ever so slightly, she turned her body toward him and her belly button piercing peeked out. Inside was a sparkly diamond butterfly. Christ, he wasn’t prepared for that. He wasn’t prepared for the little diamond winking at him.
He bit down on the tip of his tongue to stop the urge of leaning down and flick ing his tongue around it. He forced himself to look back up at her eyes and she smiled at him.
“Yeah. Thanks. I think i t’s stuck.” She turned back to the gate, reached up again and demonstrated. Her breasts rose up, bringing the t ee shirt even further up her torso.
Ethan stood behind her in agony. Between her hair and her skin and her sweet fragrance, he felt his self-control start to slither away. One step forward, one measly little step, and he could easily put his arms around her waist and meld their body heat together.
Ethan stepped forward but kept his hands at his sides. Before he had the chance to reach up for the gate, she leaned back against him. Her bottom pressed against the front of his j eans and he sucked in a breath.
His entire body stiffened as her warmth seep ed through his thin shirt. Her body was so soft against hi s.
Ethan reached up and removed the clip from her hair and h er long locks cascaded down her back in shiny waves. She flipped her hair over her shoulder just like he’d seen her do a million times in the store. Except this time, he was close enough to smell her shampoo. Apples. Juicy, crisp, green apples.
He ran his fingers through the silky strands and she made a sound of pleasure in her throat.
“You were watching me today, ” she said breathlessly.
He closed his eyes and breathed in her delicious scent. “Yes,” he said into her hair.
“I liked it.”
He smiled to himself and swept her hair to the side, revealing the smooth skin of her neck. Gently, with a restrain he didn’t know he had, he kissed the sensitive skin below her ear.
Lana sighed. The contrast of the cool air inside the mall with his warm breath on her neck made her shiver.
He pressed his lips lower down her neck and when he came to her shoulder, he pulled her shirt away and nipped at the sensitive skin there.
She moaned, pushed back against his hard chest and wiggled her butt against his zipper. “Come on, ” she said and pulled him into the store.
Ethan easily pulled down the security gate behind them, because it was never stuck in the first place, and followed her inside.