Before I Die

“You’re just saying that because you heard Blaire tell me she’s moving in with Victor.”

“No.” He lifts my hands so they wrap around his neck. We continue to dance, our bodies moving in sync with each other. “I’m saying it because after spending the last few nights with you wrapped around me in my bed, I don’t want to go back to sleeping separately.” He tilts his face so his lips brush against mine in a teasing way. “And I don’t think you want to either. I’ll get your stuff and move it to my place so it’s ready when we are. Let her sell her condo.”

I’m in shock at his words. We’ve only known each other for a short time. Sure, I’ve read in my romance books where the man and woman quickly fall in love, but this isn’t a romance novel, and in my reality, a man like Ethan doesn’t end up with a woman like me.

“Talk to me,” he murmurs. “Tell me the problem, so I can argue it.”

“We barely know each other.” I repeat the same excuse I told Blaire earlier.

“You know me better than most.” He kisses the corner of my mouth, as I consider what he said. I know him better than most? My mind goes back to Kelsi and them losing their baby. How hard it was for Ethan to tell me about them, but he still did. He let me in, and it explained a lot about him and the way he is.

“Move in with me,” Ethan whispers again, brushing his lips against mine. I open my mouth to tell him yes, but quickly stop myself, instead blurting out another excuse.

“You’re only asking me to move in because I’m in danger.”

Ethan sighs, but I continue before he can argue. “I can’t. I’m sorry, but I need to know if or when we move in together it’s for the right reasons, and not because you feel bad for me or have some white knight complex going on.”

Ethan laughs softly. “You have all the excuses, but I can see it in your eyes, you want to live with me. You’re just scared of what you’re feeling. And I get it. I’m scared shitless, but I’m not about to let it stop me from having you in every way possible. And we both know damn well, I’m not a white knight.”

He dips his head and kisses my top lip and then my bottom. “I’m going to make you safe, and while I’m doing that, I’m going to make sure we get to know each other on every level possible.” He deepens the kiss, flicking his tongue into my mouth. He tastes delicious, like the perfect mixture of scotch and Ethan.

“I’m going to make sure the next time I ask you to move in with me, you’ll have no reason to say anything but yes.”

We spend a little while longer at The Warehouse, while Ethan conducts whatever business he needs to conduct. Blaire and I have a few more of those delicious fruity drinks and dance until we’re both glistening with sweat. The club seems to be crazy busy for a weeknight. I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I imagined it being dead since people work during the week. Apparently this crowd has no problem drinking and dancing until early in the morning and then getting up to go to work.

A couple hours later, Ethan shows back up at our table and tells us he’s ready to go. With my head fuzzy from drinking, I forget about my suggestion of going to the strip club next door, so I’m confused when, instead of heading to the parking lot, Ethan steers me next door, Blaire and Victor following behind.

Ethan steps up to the bouncer and shakes his hand. “Marlene will show you to your table,” he says. “Benjamin is sorry he couldn’t be here to personally escort you, but he’s made sure you’re in VIP.”

Ethan pats the burly gentleman on his shoulder and thanks him. Then interlacing his hand with mine, follows Marlene into the club. Unlike The Warehouse that has loud, fast-paced dance music pumping through the speakers, Assets has slow, seductive music blaring from theirs. The walls are white and the floors are marble. There’s a huge stage in the center of the room with two winding staircases on each side, leading upstairs. There’s a bar on the back wall with mirrored shelves filled with liquor. The tables are a thick expensive looking wood, and the chairs are surprisingly comfy looking, reminding me of a reading chair. Soft pink and silver fluorescent lights cover the entire area, lighting up the room, yet keeping it dark and seductive.

As we follow the hostess, my eyes dart around the club. There’s a gorgeous woman gracefully dancing on the stage, using the pole as her prop. She’s topless, and her breasts are perky and perfectly tanned. Her hair is pin-straight and her makeup is on point. She smiles seductively at the crowd of men who are sitting around the stage as she peels herself from the pole and removes her panties. The men, who appear to be deep in conversation, look her way occasionally, but aren’t salivating over her like I imagined.