Harlequin Desire January 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 Maisey Yates (sad books to read .txt) 📖

he ran scared from relationships. But that he was ready to confront his demons, just like he’d asked her to confront hers.

“Not a lot of people know this, but Arjun is my half brother. My dad had a first wife who died when Arjun was a baby. We never knew. We found out a few years ago, and Arjun was devastated. For the rest of us, it didn’t matter. He had always been our big brother and would still be. Nothing changed for us. But he started treating us differently. It was him that put distance between us because he felt like he didn’t belong.”

“You think that’s what I’m doing?”

“I think it’s time for you to realize that you’re a wonderful man and there’s nothing wrong with you.”

He ran his hands down the length of her arms, feeling the goose bumps, and placed a light kiss on her lips. Then moved on to her neck. She brushed her hair aside and tilted her head. He’d been with a number of women in his life, but it felt different with Divya. As aroused as he was, he was also content just being close to her, touching her skin, smelling her sweet vanilla scent.

He circled her waist with his arm and pulled her closer. He untucked her silk shirt and ran his hands underneath it to cup her breasts, enjoying how perfectly they fit in his hands and how taut her nipples became at his slightest touch.

“Matt’s here.” Marilyn’s voice came clear up the stairs, and Divya pushed Ethan away. He smirked.

“Coming, Mom.” Divya quickly tucked her shirt back in and adjusted her bra. He leaned in close to her ear, kissing the lobe while whispering, “Don’t worry, we’ll pick it up tonight. The bed is really comfortable.”

Her eyes widened. “We’re not having sex.”

He raised his brows. “Then, what did we do on the plane?”

She shook her head. “I mean we’re not having sex here. It wouldn’t be proper in your parents’ house.”

“You’re kidding, right? They know I have sex. I’m sure my mom thinks it’s silly you want me to sleep on the couch.”

“But it’s not okay by me.”

“You’re serious?”

She nodded. Marilyn called out to Ethan again. They went downstairs to see his brother’s minivan in the driveway. The kids, Allie and Jake, burst out of the back, slamming the door shut in their excitement to give Ethan a hug. He held them close in a group hug, his heart overflowing with love for them.

“Uncle Ethan, you won’t believe what happened at school today.” He turned his full attention to five-year-old Jake, who had his mother’s dark hair and brown eyes. Jake went on to give him the lowdown on the most recent recess games.

“That’s enough, Jake, Uncle Ethan doesn’t need to hear everything that happens in kindergarten.” Allie was seven going on fifteen. She was the perfect mix of her mom and dad with platinum blond hair from Bill’s side and big eyes and a snub nose from Heather.

“Nice to see you again, Ethan.”

He smiled at his sister-in-law. She had dark hair, brown eyes and a tall, slim build. She was holding two covered dishes. “You okay?” he asked, taking them from her. Heather looked tired.

She gave him a small smile. “Just the usual grind, dealing with these kids.” She shot them an affectionate glance.

His brother came up and gave him a hug. Every time he saw his brother, it always surprised him that Matt was no longer the small, lanky boy from Ethan’s memory. He was as tall as Ethan but with a much stockier build. Ethan slapped his younger brother on the back. It was hard to see Matt with kids of his own. Ethan still remembered the day his mother came home from the hospital with newborn Matt bundled in her arms. Ethan had stood at the top of the stairs and watched his parents become a family. And then twenty years later, he’d watched Heather and Matt become a family.

“Why does that car have a bow?” Allie asked.

Ethan grinned. He’d been hoping to wait until the morning when he could show them the car, but now was as good a time as any. “It’s Mom and Dad’s anniversary present.”

Marilyn gasped. “Ethan! What’re we going to do with a car like that?”

“Get rid of your old beater and not worry about car repairs.”

Bill put a hand on Ethan’s shoulders. “Thanks, son. This is mighty generous of you, but we’re doing fine. This is too much—we don’t need it.”

Ethan clenched his jaw. “It’s your wedding anniversary. I have the right to buy my parents a gift, don’t I?”

“We bought them a bottle of wine,” Matt said unhelpfully.

“Why don’t we go inside and set the table,” Heather said and took the kids inside. Matt and Divya followed.

“Come on, Mom. Accept this. For me.” Ethan put on his most charming smile and put his arm around his mom. “It’ll make me so happy to see you enjoy a luxury for once.”

Marilyn shook her head. “I appreciate it, Ethan, but this isn’t for me. I’m used to my old clunker.”

“I don’t understand why you guys don’t like nice things,” Ethan said with obvious impatience. “I know you think my money is easy, but I earn it honestly. What’s wrong with me wanting to spend it on the people I love, to give you nice things?”

“We don’t need it, son,” Bill said firmly. “I can take care of my family.”

My family. Bill’s family. Blood pounded inside his ears. It had always been like that. While Bill called him son, the fact that Ethan was in truth his stepson was always just under the surface in their family. He would always be the boy looking down from the staircase.

“Fine. I’ll take the car back.” Ethan took a breath as he walked into the house and to the backyard, where Divya was helping Heather set the table.

Jake came running toward him, and Ethan scooped him up. He was getting too big to really carry,