Ethan (Face-Off 5)

Ethan laughs. “Will was talking about Clarke on the way to the airport. She’s the biggest challenge he’s ever faced. The only woman who’s ever told him no.”

“That’s why he likes her. Will likes the challenge. I already told her that once she gives in, he’ll lose attention.”

Ethan tips the beer to his mouth and hooks his arm around my back. “I don’t know about that. I think he actually likes her. Like for real.”

“Interesting.” I study my brother and best friend, now noticing the looks they give each other. They’re not enemies, nor are they friends, but there’s definitely some chemistry between them.

Liam West, a winger from the Flyers, strolls up next to Ethan and hands him a shot glass. “You’re not drunk enough,” he yells over the music blaring through the speakers suspended from the ceiling. “It’s your bachelor party. We’re supposed to be getting lap dances and getting shitfaced, not hanging out with your girl and her friends.”

“I can hear you,” I shout. “Ethan can leave whenever he wants. I’m not keeping him here.”

It’s the truth. I never intended to get in the way of his time with his teammates. Our running into each other here was purely coincidental, or so I thought until I saw Will and Clarke together. I wonder if they had planned to meet here.

Will reaches up to help Clarke down from the bar, and she falls into his arms. Oh, shit. She’s so damn drunk our night is most likely over before it’s even begun. I’ve had all of three martinis, while Clarke has been throwing drinks down like prohibition starts in the morning.

“Go ahead,” I tell Ethan, pushing him toward Liam and his other teammates who are waiting to leave. “I’ll meet you in the hotel room later. Wake me up if I’m sleeping.”

He gives me a wink and then sets off toward Will to separate him from Clarke. But Will doesn’t seem like he wants to leave her alone. Nope, he steps back from Ethan and slides his arm behind Clarke’s back. I can’t tell who’s holding up who, he looks just as drunk as her, if not worse.

“I’m not going anywhere with Will like this,” Ethan says, coming back to my side. “We might as well stick together. He’s a fucking mess.”

“So is Clarke.” I tip my head in their direction. “Look at them. Maybe I should take her back to the room.”

We stroll over to them, and I tap her on the shoulder to catch her attention. “Hey, do you want to go back to our hotel?”

“Why?” she whines. “We’re having fun here. Don’t be such a buzzkill, Mia. I want to hang out with Will.”

I cock an eyebrow at her. “Really? You’ve hated his guts since I’ve known you, and now you guys are besties?”

She chuckles but doesn’t respond, taking the drink from Will’s hand to chug the rest of his beer.

“Yeah, baby sis,” Will slurs, his eyes lidded from how much alcohol he’s consumed today. “Clarke’s with me. Stop being a downer. You never have any fun.”

“That’s because you have enough fun for all of us,” I counter with a wicked smirk.

He turns his back to me, his arm around Clarke. They walk away without another word and head toward the bar to get more drinks. Not like either of them need any more.

This is my bachelorette party—I guess I should get drunk and stop overthinking everything.

My last vacation from the paper was over three years ago. And in less than a month, I’ll marry the love of my life on the beach in Nassau. We’ll have the entire week to soak up sunshine and drink margaritas.

A few hours later, we’ve lost Will and Clarke, who disappeared into a crowded bar. We had no idea where either of them went, their cell phones going straight to voicemail every time we called. So, I followed Ethan and his teammates to the strip club, where I danced alongside two strippers in a private room. His friends were on the other side of the velvet curtain as we gave Ethan one hell of a show. It reminded me of the night we spent at Scores. I was so bold and out of my mind for allowing Roxie to show me to dance. But it felt good to let loose for once. The more martin

is I drank, the more liquid courage I developed.

Around four o’clock in the morning, I stagger back to the hotel room on Ethan’s arm. A few people notice us on the way and stop to say hello to Ethan. I’m surprised so many people recognize him off the ice. I’ve known Ethan for so long that I often forget he’s like a celebrity to those who don’t know him. But to me, he’s just Ethan, the boy next door I fell in love with a long time ago.

Once we reach the suite, Ethan’s so drunk he claws at my clothes like a ravenous beast, practically tearing them from my skin. We leave a trail of clothes on our way to the bedroom. My skin burns when he runs his hands down my arms, the heat going straight between my thighs. One touch is all it takes with Ethan. He’s always had an instantaneous effect on me.

Within seconds of entering the room, he has me on my back and his cock inside me. Ethan rocks his hips, lifting one of my legs over his shoulder as he claims every inch of me. I’m about to become his wife, and the closer we get to the wedding, the more lax I’ve become about taking my pills. He buries himself inside me, our bodies trembling from the intense orgasms commanding control. We come one after the other, and then he holds me tight against his chest.

Dripping in sweat and smelling of sex, he kisses my forehead then my cheek until he makes his way to my lips. “I can’t wait to make you my wife, little lamb. And I can’t wait to see you with my baby inside your belly.” He plants a few more kisses on my skin and then relaxes against the stack of pillows behind him, keeping his arm around me. Ethan cradles my head on his shoulder and lets out a satisfied sigh.

“I’m sure I’ll be pregnant in no time,” I breathe, still trying to get my bearings. “You can’t seem to keep your hands off me.”

He smiles. “I’ve wanted a family for a long time. But it wasn’t until last year that I knew I wanted one with you. Thank you for giving me the greatest gift, Mia. Because of you, everything is falling into place. We’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.”

I fall asleep in Ethan’s arms with a smile on my lips as I doze off.