Temptation Moved in Next Door

My name is Claire Bennett. I'm thirty, and I just got divorced. My ex-husband was a personal trainer. Gorgeous muscles, all show and no substance. Three years together, and I never even learned what it felt like to cry out in bed. After the divorce, a college guy moved in next door. His white T-shirt outlined his chest, and his athletic shorts showed off muscular calves covered in thick hair. I bent down to get him a pair of slippers, and the neckline of my nightgown slipped—I wasn't wearing anything underneath. His face turned red. So did his ears. He couldn't even meet my eyes. But I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. On our first day of tutoring, his roommate's girlfriend came over. The bed in the next room rattled against the wall, and their breathless sounds filled the apartment. He leaned close, his warm breath brushing my neck, his voice impossibly rough. "Claire, I have plenty of stamina, too. Want to find out?" Was that the damn doorbell? My eyes flew open, and the Black man in my dream vanished. Then the doorbell rang again. I dragged myself out of bed. Not bothering to dwell on the fact that I'd been sleeping naked, I grabbed a nightgown and pulled it on. "Coming!" I called, lowering my voice and trying to sound normal. Ugh. Mom must have forgotten her keys again. I opened the door. And froze. A tall young man stood in front of me, a full head taller than I was. He wore a plain white T-shirt, but it did nothing to hide the firm muscles underneath. I would have bet anything that his chest was even more solid than the one in my dream. "Hi. Are you Claire Bennett?" His deep voice had an inexplicable pull. I nodded automatically, my cheeks warming for no good reason. My gaze drifted down to his athletic shorts. Below them were strong calves covered in thick hair. Heat stirred inside me. Those legs. All that hair... He had to have incredible stamina. My imagination immediately went places it shouldn't. "I'm Ethan Parker. I moved in next door yesterday." He smiled politely, showing a row of white teeth. "Your mom said I could ask you about preparing for my exams. Is now a good time?" That snapped me out of it. Get a grip, Claire. "Of course. Come in." I quickly stepped aside. I noticed the gift box in his hand. Probably a little thank-you present. Were all college guys this handsome these days? I crouched down and took a new pair of men's slippers from the bottom of the shoe cabinet. My nightgown had a loose neckline. Only when it slipped off my shoulder did I remember I had nothing on underneath. I hurriedly adjusted it and looked up. Ethan's expression hadn't changed. Thank God. He probably hadn't seen anything. I had just started to relax. Then my eyes accidentally drifted lower... The sight sent a tingling warmth from between my thighs through the rest of my body. I stood up in a hurry. "Um..." My voice came out painfully dry. "What is it?" Ethan looked up at me, puzzled. He followed my gaze downward and immediately understood. His face went scarlet. He jumped to his feet and stammered, "I didn't mean to. I..." The more he tried to explain, the more awkward it became—and the more charged the air felt. I turned my face away, unable to look at him, while my heart hammered in my chest. "I'll get you some water." I seized the excuse and rushed into the kitchen. Oh my God. Could this get any more embarrassing? I leaned against the refrigerator, pressed my hands to my burning cheeks, and tried to steady my breathing.When I came back with a glass of water, Ethan was sitting on the couch, looking through the study materials on my coffee table. There was something surprisingly sexy about how serious and restrained he looked. I walked over and handed him the glass. "Thank you." He accepted it politely. There was something almost magnetic about his smile. I quickly looked away, afraid to meet his eyes. "Ask me whatever you like. I'll help with anything I can," I said, pretending to be perfectly calm. But my eyes kept straying toward the one place I shouldn't have been looking. I silently scolded myself. Why was my head full of such filthy thoughts? Ethan seemed to notice my glances and shifted uncomfortably. I immediately looked away and pretended to listen closely as he talked about his exams. But my mind was completely blank. I wasn't absorbing a word. I had to be losing it. I shook my head hard, trying to clear those images from my mind. "Are you okay?" Ethan asked with concern. I waved a hand, flustered. "I'm fine. Just a little distracted." "Am I boring you with all this exam stuff?" He gave me an apologetic smile. "No, not at all," I said quickly. "I'm just having an off day." "Should we call it a day, then?" he suggested. He stood to leave. As I walked him to the door, I felt an unexpected pang of disappointment. After closing the door, I leaned back against it and let out a long breath. That had been more nerve-racking than any exam. Before I could collect myself, I heard a key turning in the lock. "Mom, you're back?" I took a deep breath and tried to look normal. "Did Ethan stop by?" Mom carried her groceries into the kitchen. "Why did he leave so soon? I was going to ask him to stay for dinner." "What a nice young man. So tall and handsome, too." My face flared hot again. I hurried to change the subject. "Mom, why did you agree to let me tutor him without asking me first?" "Oh, come on. Last time I stocked up on groceries, I had more bags than I could carry. If Ethan hadn't helped, I never would have gotten them all home." Her voice was full of praise. "I already promised him you'd help him study every afternoon." I opened my mouth to refuse. But one look at her expression told me there was no arguing, so I closed it again. The thought of being alone with Ethan every afternoon made me seriously question my self-control. That night, I kept picturing his handsome, sharply defined face. There was something incredibly sexy about his youthful energy.I was thirty and recently divorced. My ex-husband was a personal trainer, all muscles and testosterone. But he looked much better than he performed. In three years together, I'd never once experienced real pleasure with him. I'd even wondered whether he had someone else and was just going through the motions with me. If our sex life had been the only problem, I wouldn't have divorced him. But a few months earlier, I'd discovered he'd been gambling online behind my back. He'd lost three hundred thousand dollars. I must have been blind to marry a man like that. I divorced him without hesitation. As I drifted between sleep and waking, I dreamed about Ethan. It felt so real. I could even feel the shiver as his rough fingertips brushed my skin. We'd arranged for me to tutor him at his place that day. Remembering that dream made me impatient to see him. "You're here. Come in." Ethan opened the door, a faint smile lifting his lips when he saw me. I nodded and stepped inside. The place wasn't big, but it was clean, with exam prep materials neatly arranged on his desk. He shared the apartment with someone. One door was shut, which I assumed led to his roommate's bedroom. I followed him into his room and tried to focus on tutoring. I set the study materials on the desk and carefully walked him through the questions. "This question..." I tried to keep my voice steady, but my heart kept beating faster. Then rustling sounds came from the room next door. Ethan looked embarrassed. "My roommate's girlfriend is here." A moment later, muffled panting and the creak of a rocking bed drifted through the wall. My cheeks began to burn. I couldn't decide where to look. I glanced awkwardly at Ethan. His eyes burned with heat, and his hands were clenched. He was clearly fighting to control himself. I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. "Um... would you... like some water?" I stammered. "No, thanks." His voice was rough. He drew a deep breath, as though struggling to hold something back. Caught up in the moment, I leaned against him without realizing it and felt the solid muscles of his chest. His fresh, soapy scent filled my senses, making me dizzy. "You..." I lifted my head and met his dark gaze. Ethan said nothing. He simply lowered his head and kissed me.