“I’ve picked up on that. The next time this happens, I’m going to throw my drink in your face.”
“I’ll do a better job of staying hidden, then.”
I glared at him.
“Fine,” he snapped.
“Thank you.”
“Yeah.”
Natascia waved at him. “Ethan!”
He smiled at her then rose to his feet. He grabbed his beer and my hand and approached the table. “Do you need anything, ladies? Another round perhaps?”
“Take a seat,” Natascia commanded him.
I looked at Ethan. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.
He kissed me on the forehead
then pulled out my seat, helping me down, then took the seat next to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and leaned in close to me. My earlier annoyance had completely disappeared. He smelled great like he always did. I rested my hand on his thigh and felt the muscles of his leg. I had a quick daydream about us making love and it made my spine shiver. Now I just wanted to go home—with Ethan.
“So, what do you do for a living?” Natascia asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Do you really need to grill him right now?”
“It’s okay, baby.” He turned to Natascia. “This is my story. I graduated from UCLA with my bachelors in business then received my MBA from NYU. I’ve been working on W
all Street for two years. I like my job but sometimes it gets boring. But I really can’t complain. I’m a certified financial analyst.” Natascia nodded her head in approval. “I’ve slept around with a lot of different women, but when I met Sadie, I realized I wanted to be in a committed relationship. I care about her very much and I will only treat her with respect. I’m a little possessive at times, but I can’t help it. I’m obsessed with her.” He said everything in a calm tone. He didn’t seem annoyed that my friends were listening to every word he said. “My hobbies include basketball, reading, hanging out with my friends, and buying Koku bones.” I smiled at that part. “I’m very close with my family. I have two brothers and a sister who live in the city. Is there anything else you would like to know?”
Natascia and Stephanie exchanged glances.
Natascia shook her head. “No.”
Stephanie nodded. “We approve.”
Ethan smiled. “Thank you.” He kissed me on the forehead. “I like your friends.”
“That’s a miracle,” I said sarcastically. “They’re a pain in the ass.”
“Well, I’m a pain in the ass too.”
“No, you aren’t,” I said quickly.
“You aren’t mad at me because of my little episode?”
“No. I thought it was cute.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“As long as you don’t tell me what to do, I don’t care.”
“Deal.”
I kissed his lips gently then pulled away. I wanted to tell him that I loved him but I held it back. When I looked at his face, I thought I saw the same expression. I wondered if he loved me. It seemed like he did.
“So, do you have any cute friends?” Natascia asked.
“None that aren’t dogs,” Ethan said honestly.
She shook her head. “Good guys are hard to find.”
“I’m sorry about that,” he said. “We’re a rare breed.”
I gripped his thigh. “Definitely.”
“So can I buy you ladies some drinks?” he asked.
Stephanie nodded. “I like him.”
Ethan smiled. “I’ll be back.”
When he walked away, Natascia leaned toward me. “I like him too.”
“Yeah
,” Stephanie whispered.
Natascia stared at his backside. “You were right about his ass—it’s nice.”
I slapped her on the arm. “Hey, that’s my ass.”
She laughed. “Sorry.”
Now Stephanie was looking at it. “I understand why you slept with him so easily.”
“I said I wouldn’t
, but then a day later I was begging him to have sex with me.”
“A day?” Natascia asked. “You’re such a slut.”
I shrugged. “For Ethan I am.”
Ethan returned with the drinks and we spent the evening talking. Ethan made them laugh a few times. Natascia was chuckling so hard that he
r cosmo came out her nose. I wasn’t really listening. I was just staring at Ethan the whole time, shocked that this beautiful man was really mine. With the exception of his history, he was perfect in every way.
When we left the bar, Ethan offered to walk them to their doors, but my friends both rejected his offer. Then Ethan and I headed back to my apartment. As soon as we walked inside, I threw myself at him.
“Let’s go in the bedroom,” I said as I kissed his neck.
He
grabbed my shirt then pulled it off as we moved down the hallway. Koku was right at our heels but neither one of us cared. When I ripped off his shirt, I broke a button, but he didn’t seem upset. He pulled down my pants then stripped off my underwear with lightning speed. He pushed me on the bed and crawled on top of me. He was inside me instantly, and he started to rock.
“Ethan.”
“Baby.”
I rolled on top of him and started to ride him. I had never done it before, so Etha
n guided my hips with his hands, pushing himself deeper inside me. I moved faster as I felt my orgasm form. I liked being on top. I could control everything.
“You look beautiful,” he said between breaths.
I moved him as far inside as I possibly could. I felt my body shake for him. He still stretched me tight but I was able to accommodate him better. The orgasm hit me suddenly and I moved on top of him as fast I could.
Ethan dug his nails into my skin. “Baby, be careful.” He bit his lip as he stared into my face, watching me come.
When I was done, he rolled on top of me and pounded into me so fast that I came again. I gripped his back as the orgasm exploded inside me. Ethan tried to control himself long enough for my moment to pass then he pulled out and came onto my stomach. “Baby,” he said with a moan.
I ran my hand down his chest and felt the sweat on my fingertips. After he was fin
ished, he wiped himself off then cleaned my stomach. He collapsed on the bed next to me and cradled me in his arms. We fell asleep immediately.
11
My phone rang on the nightstand, waking me up. I grabbed it.
“Muh.”
“Dear?”
“Hmm?”
“Did I wake you up?” my mother said with a laugh.
“No
...yeah...what?”
“It’s seven in the morning there. You should be awake by now.”
Ethan moaned then pulled me closer to his chest. He buried his face in my neck and sighed. I loved waking up to him every morning—I freaking loved it.
“Well, I’m awake now,
Mom.”
“So, how are you?”
“Tired.”
“Other than that?”
“Good.”
“How’s your father?”
I knew she didn’t care. She only asked
to be polite. She moved across the Atlantic to get away from him. She even left her kids behind. “He’s good.”
“How’s the job hunt going?”
I ran my fingers through my hair then rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Okay. I applied to a few places. I haven’t heard anything.”
“Well, keep trying. Something will turn up. You can’t run that bookstore with your father forever.”
“Yeah. So how are you?”
“Good. I started seeing someone.”
“What about John?”
“Eh. I didn’t like him.”
My mother went through men quicker than toilet paper. I wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t like them, or she just found someone else to like more. “So who’s this guy?”
“I met him in the tube.”
I rolled my eyes. I hated when my mom tried to act British.
“He works for a magazine. He’s very charming and rich.”
“Your favorite qualities,” I said sarcastically.
She ignored my comment. “So are you seeing anyone?”
I didn’t want to tell her the truth. I wasn’t sure why. She and I just weren’t close. “No.”
Ethan pulled his face away. He didn’t loosen his hands
on my sides, but he moved further away.
“Well, you need to get out more, Sadie. Time is ticking.”
“Uh, thanks.”
“Well, I have to go. I just wanted to check in.”
“Okay. Bye, Mom.”
“Goodbye, sweetpea.” She hung up.
I returned the phone to the nightstand and looked at the clock. I still had a few minutes before the alarm went off.
“What was that about?” Ethan asked.
I turned on my side and faced him. I ran my hands across his shoulders and felt his warm body. He was always scorching hot. It kept me warm in the middle of the night. I usually only had Koku for warmth, but now I had a real man. I glanced at my dog. I could tell that he wasn’t happy about not being the only man in my life anymore—even though he loved Ethan. “What do you mean?”
“Why didn’t
you tell her about me?”
I sighed. “Please don’t be offended. I’m just not that close to her.”
“Then why does it matter if she knows?” I could see the pain in his eyes. His jaw was clenched tight. He didn’t seem as happy as he normally was.
“I—I just don’t want to tell her.”
“Why?” he pressed.
“Does it matter? She doesn’t even live here.”
“It matters to me. I’m your boyfriend. I want people to know that.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Your father knows so why can’t she know?”
“Why is this so important to you?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Are you afraid that we aren’t going to last?”
My eyes softened. “Not at all, Ethan.”
“Really?”
“
Yes. I’m just not close to her. And she’ll be annoying about it. I really don’t want to deal with it this early in the morning.”
“So you’ll tell her eventually?” he said hopefully.
“Yes.”
He nodded. “Okay.” He pulled me close and snuggled next to me. As soon as we were comfortable, the alarm went off. “Damn.”
“Don’t go.” I wasn’t ready for him to leave.
“I need food, water, and shelter.”
“No.”
He laughed. “My dad isn’t my boss. I can’t be a bad worker.”
“Are you implying that I am?”
“No,” he said with a laugh. “Why didn’t you tell me that you owned the bookstore?”
I shrugged. “It didn’t come up.”
“How long have you been running it?”
“For about a decade.”
“That’s good,” he said. “So your parents are divorced?”
I nodded.
“When did that happen?”
“About seven years ago.”
“What happened?”
“I still don’t know.”
“Well, I’m sorry it didn’t work out
for them.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
He rose from the bed then started to dress himself. I wanted to cry. He fixed his suit and rubbed all the wrinkles out. He ran his fingers through his hair. Within minutes, he was perfectly beautiful and professional. I wish I could just roll out of bed and look like a god.
He caught my stare in the mirror. “You like what you see?”
I bit my lip. “Yeah.”
He flinched. “Don’t make that face, baby. Not before I go to work.”
I bit my lip again.
“I mean
it.”
I sighed, sad that my ploy wasn’t going to work. I rose from the be
d and dressed myself. It took me longer than it did him. I actually had to brush my hair and put on makeup. When we left the apartment, Ethan escorted me to work. When we were outside the bookstore, he hugged me tightly, pressing his face against mine. “I want you to come over for dinner tonight.”
“You’re going to cook for me?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
I remembered
I had plans with Jared. “I can’t.”
He growled. “You better be fucking kidding me. You had plans last night.”
“I’m sorry.”
“And what are you doing
now?”
“My brother and I are going out to dinner.”
His eyes narrowed. “Just you and your brother?”
I knew what he was really asking. “Yes. Alex won’t be there
, not that it should matter.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“Do you want to know where and what time?” I said sarcastically.
He smiled. “No. As long as you aren’t going to a bar and you’re with your brother the whole time
, I’m okay.”
“So you aren’t completely crazy?”
“I didn’t say that,” he said with a smile.
“Good.”
“You like crazy?”
“A little.”
“That works for me.” He pressed his lips against mine and kissed me hard. People passed us on the street but I didn’t care. I cupped his face and relayed all my secret love to him in my embrace alone. I wanted to take him back to the apartment and move between the sheets, but we had jobs and reality to get back to. He pulled away. “You taste so good,” he whispered.
“You do too.”
He kissed me on the forehead. “I’ll see you later. Tomorrow night is reserved for me. You got it?”
“And you can still come over tonight.”
“I assumed. I’m bringing some things over, extra clothes, a toothbrush, etc. Do you mind?”
“No,” I said quickly. “I’ll make you a drawer.”
“Thank you, baby.” He gave me a quick kiss on the lips then walked up the street. I watched him move down the sidewalk until the crowd blocked his beautiful form. I thought about our last kiss long after it was over. I had never been so happy in my life.
“Getting serious?”
I turned and saw my father unlocking the door. I blushed crimson red. “Uh, yeah.”
He smiled. “I’m happy for you, honey.”
I was still embarrassed. “Thanks.”
He opened the door and I followed him inside. “So, it’s safe to say you love him?”
I nodded. I’ve never talked about boys with my father before. I thought it would be weird but it wasn’t.
“I can
tell he’s the one. I’ve never met a boyfriend of yours, Sadie.”
“He’s special.”
“I always thought Jared would get married first,” he said as he opened the cash register. “But I’m glad that I was wrong.”
I smiled. “We just started dating,
Daddy. We’ll see how it goes.”
“
But I already met the guy and I can see how much he cares for you. Time is irrelevant when it comes to love. It didn’t matter with me and your mother. She and I were married within a year of our meeting.”
My eyes softened. “What happened?”
He averted his gaze. “It just didn’t work out.”
I didn’t press him further. Neither one of my parents discussed their divorce. There was no figh
ting or yelling, as far as I could remember. It was so sudden and unexpected. Jared and I didn’t know what to think when it happened. It ended so quickly.
I checked the inventory for the store then moved some books around. I spent my afternoon working—thinking about Ethan—and working some more. A few customers came in but not as many as the day before.
I was disappointed that I had to have dinner with my brother. I wanted to spend the evening with Ethan—not Jared. But I knew I couldn’t bail on my brother. Even though things were awkward between us because of Ethan, I didn’t want to lose the relationship we had. We fought like crazy, but we loved each other just as much. I couldn’t live without my brother.
When I got off work, I went home and showered. I took Koku outside so he could do his business then returned to the apartment.
Jared came by a few minutes later.
“Hey,” he said when I opened the door. He seemed to be in a good mood.
“So, Suzie is officially history?”
“Yes, thank god.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“I picked up
some chick last night. I love being single again.”
I didn’t say anything. My brother
and I were close, but not that close.
We left the apartment then walked down the street.
Jared had a skip in his step and a smile on his face. I knew he hated Suzie but his upbeat personality was still surprising.
“Is there something else you’re happy about?”
“No,” he said quickly.
“So how
was your day?”
“Pretty uneventful. Yours?”
“It was okay.”
“Was it slow?”
“A little.”
We arrived at the Italian restaurant and walked inside. Jared didn’t
go to the podium but walked right into the line of tables. Confused, I followed him. When he stopped, I realized that Alex was sitting at a table—for two.
“Jared?”
He looked at his clock. “Damn, I have somewhere to be.”
My eyes lit up in flames. “This better be a fucking joke, Jared.”
He looked at Alex. “What a coincidence! Why don’t you two have dinner together?”
“I’m with Ethan—I made that clear.”
“Well, I have to go,” Jared said. He pulled out the chair then gestured for me to sit. “Come on.”
“This isn’t funny,” I said.
“And I wasn’t laughing.”
“No.”
“Sit,” he hissed.
“I love Ethan.”
“No, you don’t,” he snapped.
My brother grabbed my arm and pulled me into the chair. “Just share a meal with Alex. I’m not asking you to marry him.”
“Jared—”
“Just do this for me.
”
I flinched at the command in his voice. I stared across the table and saw Alex looking back at me. He wore a beautiful suit
, and there was a rose on the table. He was smiling at me. I felt nothing but guilt. I told Ethan that I was just having dinner with my brother—not Alex. I felt like a liar. “I have to go.”
Jared rested his hands on my shoulders. “It’s just a dinner between friends. Calm down.” He nodded to Alex. “Good luck.” My brother left the restaurant and walked out the door. I stared across the table at Alex awkwardly.
“How was your day?” he asked.
I averted my gaze. “Fine.”
He opened the menu and looked at the items. “They have a lot of good things here.”
I said nothing.
Alex stared at me. “You can calm down now.”
“I’m not interested in you, Alex. Please stop pressuring me.”
He sighed. “Be with me, Sadie. And this guy sounds like a womanizer. He’s trash. I actually care about you.”
“You don’t even know him.”
“Well, your brother does and he hates him. And he’s worked with him for two years. Do you really want to be with someone that your brother hates?”