Jethro: Are you up?
I quickly messaged back,
Sienna: Yes.
Jethro: I have something to ask you, a new proposal.
Sienna: Ask me.
Jethro: I’m coming over.
Sienna: Okay.
Sienna: I miss you.
Jethro: I miss you so much. Sorry I left. I’ll be right there.
Sienna: I don’t care about my image. I wish you would believe me. If I lose film roles, so what? I love my work but I’ll love it just as much working on smaller films.
I checked my phone obsessively for five minutes. When he didn’t respond, I sent him another message.
Sienna: What would you do if I sent this picture of us kissing to every celebrity blogger and reporter I know?
Jethro: Don’t.
I quickly typed a new message.
Sienna: I’m going to do it.
Sienna: And I’m going to send them your full name and social security number.
Sienna: And a picture of me giving the double middle finger salute.
Sienna: Naked.
Jethro: Hold your horses, woman, I’m on my way.
I leapt from my bed and darted out my bedroom door. Running down the steps, I had to temper my footfalls when I reached the second landing. I didn’t want to wake Dave and Tim.
Henry was on duty, and I spotted him as soon as I cleared the last stair. He was sitting in front of the TV, watching a baseball game and looked over his shoulder as I appeared.
“Can’t sleep?” He looked nervous, like he expected me to burst into tears at any moment.
Shaking my head, I darted to the foyer. “No, no. Jethro is coming over. I’ll let him in. Watch your game.”
I paced in front of the door, peeking out the window every five seconds. After an eternity—sixteen minutes—the headlights of his truck appeared, filling the windows and momentarily blinding me. I grabbed the door handle, thinking maybe he wanted me to meet him outside, but then stopped myself.
I didn’t want to meet him outside. I didn’t want to have this conversation in his truck. I didn’t want to make it easy for him to say goodbye, if that’s what he was planning.
Stepping away from the door, I walked back to the living room and loud-whispered to Henry, “Get the door when he knocks and send him upstairs—got it?”
Wide-eyed, Henry nodded and stood from the couch. I jogged up the stairs back to my room and paced the length of it, straining my ears for the sound of Jethro’s approach. Not a minute later I heard footfalls on the stairs. I tried to swallow but I couldn’t. My hands were shaking so I placed my phone on the dresser and turned to face the open door.
And then he was there, hovering just outside my room, his eyes moving over me. He was still gorgeous, dressed in a white T-shirt and dark jeans, boots and no belt. His hair was in disarray, and he looked tired. He’d obviously dressed in a hurry.
But the sight of him filled my heart with impatience and anxious joy.
So, in other words, hope.
“Come in.”
His eyes lifted to mine, and I felt a pang when I saw how guarded they were, how bracing.
“You should probably put a robe on,” he said gruffly.
I glanced down at myself, saw I was in my normal pajamas—pink cotton sleep shorts and a matching camisole. Of course, when Jethro had slept over I’d been naked.
I stuck my hip out and placed my hand on it. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not putting a robe on.”
“Sienna.”
“Jethro.”
I admit, I used my sexy voice.
His eyes heated.
“I’m not putting a robe on.”
And I wouldn’t. I wasn’t going to put a robe on because if he was here to break up for good, I wasn’t going to make it easy.
No. Way.
“If you can’t control yourself, then don’t control yourself. You have my full permission to ogle and/or touch me however you like.” My breath caught on the last word because as I spoke his eyes narrowed, sharp and predatory, and he took a step into my room.
Holding my gaze captive, he closed the door behind him. With his signature unaffected confidence, he crossed the space and stopped just in front of me, inches separating us. I lifted my chin, balled my hands into fists. I had to force myself not to take a step back. The weight and intensity of his stare was almost too much to endure. But I did.
His eyes dropped to my mouth then to my neck, slid along my collarbone, raising goosebumps wherever his gaze focused. He lifted a large hand and placed it on my arm, the heat and strength of him had me sucking in a breath. His fingers pulled the strap of my top to one side, baring my shoulder to his eyes. Tingles raced down my spine, blossomed in my chest, made my heart thunder between my ears.
His eyes on the skin he’d uncovered, Jethro said, “I’m in love with you.”