I’m barely done cleaning him before he lifts me up and over his mouth. God, he’s so good at this I want to weep from relief, especially when he can go for what feels like forever. Before, it felt like something I had to endure, now, I simply melt in a haze of pleasure. When I’ve come for the third time, he pulls me down over him.
He sits me on him, and oh, my god, this position is new. A thrill goes through me as I take him inside me, only a few inches in. I nearly come from the hot heat of him burning into me. I’m lost, not sure what to do. My hands go down to his chest while his hands go down to my hips. His grip is tight as he moves me on him. He urges me to move, his hands guiding, crooning low in his chest the way he does when he’s having a hard time maintaining control.
I pick up on the movement he puts me through, my reward is the hiss of my name on his lips. Oh, god, he feels so good, so damned good. For the first time, Ethan has let me take over, and it’s so amazing I never want it to end. So why can’t I stop, why am I moving faster? Ethan’s hand moves between us and rubs my clit until I come, but I’m also coming from him inside, and between both I can’t keep the scream in as I fall on Ethan’s chest.
Slipping into sleep, I don’t hear Ethan dress for his dinner or even hear him leave. I don’t mind that he goes out without me. He went out Wednesday for a long planned client dinner. Before he left in the morning, he told me he would be taking another woman, as it would be expected. The whole day I told myself it didn’t matter, refusing to admit it did. Only, it really didn’t. Because even though he reeked of another woman’s perfume, he was on me the minute he walked through the door. His lovemaking, voraciously intense, told me what I needed to know. I’m the one he wants. I’m the only woman he wants.
The clock tells me it’s a little after seven. I stumble into the kitchen, starving. I’m lazy and go with scrambled eggs on toast. Checking his calendar when I finish, I check to see if he’ll need dinner tomorrow night. Nope, he has a client launch he’s been invited to. Just in case, I take out chicken breasts and stick them in the fridge to defrost. I clean up after myself then take a quick shower before changing the sheets. I put them and a few other things in to wash. I’m in love with Ethan’s washer and dryer. They wash better and dry faster than anything I’ve ever known. Where a few loads would take all day, now they only take a few hours.
After I change the sheets, I climb into bed with the remote. By ten, I’m nodding off. I set the remote onto the bedside table and cuddle up into the soft silky sheets. I’d never have thought it before, but I’ve not only grown used to sleeping naked, it’s the way I feel comfortable.
Ethan wakes me in the morning in the best way possible. Slow and sweet from behind. Saturday is almost a replay, except this time I manage to remain awake while Ethan gets dressed. “Hey, sweetheart,” He sits on the edge of the bed. “Amelia invited herself and her new man to brunch tomorrow. However, since neither one of us are feeling very forgiving towards her right now, I figure Goldfinches is better, they have a wide selection for brunch. You can say no if you want. I wouldn’t blame you if you do.”
Oh hell, he is the sweetest, even if he doesn’t think so. “I’ll go.”
Relief is clear in his eyes as he kisses me goodbye. I’m glad I said yes.
****
Sunday morning shines way too brightly for me. Ethan picks me up and takes me in for a very sexy morning shower. The bench does hold the both of us very easily. I’m still moving slowly, Ethan leaves me with a kiss to get dressed. I finish, wrap a towel around myself, and go into my room where I find Ethan looking through my closet. I sit on the bed and watch. He’s very good at surprising me.
“Ethan, I don’t think those are in your size.”
“What you wore to visit Ray was too fucking sexy. I’m surprised you didn’t give him a heart attack. I just want to make sure when I take your ass out, men aren’t eyeballing you like they were last time.”
I try not laugh at how serious he sounds. Only, I know Ethan is very serious. Even though I should find it sexist, I don’t. The fact is I love the Ethan Bishop, who once thought I wasn’t perfect enough for him, is now worried other men will be eyeing me, and is jealous at the thought. I lounge back and wait for him to find something that will please him.
He lays a bright pink dress, tight in the bodice then long to my ankle, and of all things, a matching cardigan. I smile and bow my head. “Yes, lord and master Bishop.” I unwrap the towel as his eyes are on me.
“Brat, get dressed. We don’t have nearly enough time.” He tugs my hair on the way out of the room.
It doesn’t take me long to get ready. Ethan is leaning against the island. When he sees me, his calm disappears. “I fucking knew it! You have gone down at least a size. Holly, what are you doing to yourself? You aren’t starving yourself are you? Please don’t do this because of me. I fell in lust with your body the way it was. I don’t want you to change a thing about yourself.”
Do not cry, do not fucking cry. My nails are buried so deeply into my palms I wonder if they’ll bleed. I don’t think he’ll ever know how much his words mean to me, how they make me love him even more. Taking a step toward him, he shakes his head, stepping out of reach. My voice wobbles, “Ethan, it’s not what you think.”
“What I think is I’m a fucking idiot for letting you get near me. If I had known you’d do this I never would have touched you, no matter what.”
“Damn it, Ethan! I know this is hard to believe, but not everything is about you. I’ve been working out since the day I found out about your secretary, before I even thought we would end up together. The only exercises I’ve been doing are walking using the incline, changing it up for a half hour, then very light weights. I don’t want to be a size four. This had nothing to do with you and everything to do with me. Me feeling like it was a constant battle with my weight and having to take constant breaks from cleaning because I was tired. Now that I’m a fourteen, all I want to do is maintain. I like my body as much as you do. I’m not changing for anyone but me.”
His eyes are intent, trying to see inside my brain. When he sees the truth, he exhales. Pulling me into his arms nearly crushing me to him. “I’m glad.” The words come out of him strangled. “Now, go change into that floral sundress with the big pink and purple flowers. Keep the cardigan just in case. The breeze is cool out.” He pushes me back toward my room as he turns away.
I know he’s working to hide his feelings. I’m glad he gives me the time I need, as well. Before I change, I splash cold water on my face as I take a few deep breaths. In the closet, I find the dress and change.
When he sees me, he nods with satisfaction. “Let’s go.”
At the restaurant, Ethan asks for two mimosas before the waiter even hands us the menus. He sees my look and smiles. “Their orange juice is fresh squeezed and their champagne is great.”
Then Amelia and her new man arrive. He looks like he stepped out of preppy times. Maybe it’s because he’s a ginger that I take an instant dislike to him, or maybe it’s because he holds my hand too long and too tight. Ethan sees it and I feel him tense at my side as the guy finally lets go. Amelia introduces him as Richard Lake, he adds “the third” with a look of annoyance at her. When Ethan takes the man’s hand, I can see his struggle not break the man’s hand. I sit down, exhausted by the tension surrounding me. Richard helps Amelia
into her chair before sitting. Holy fuck, are his eyes on my breasts?
Over the next hour, I think I would rather have endured a root canal. Richard lists his achievements as well as his family’s, going back to the first Richard Lake. He graduated from Yale law and now works for a philanthropic foundation. Loudly stating he feels those who only cared about billable hours are bottom feeders. As that’s what both Amelia and Ethan do, I wasn’t sure if Richard Lake is brave or stupid. The only time he really speaks of his relationship with Amelia is in terms of how she is an asset in her beauty and intelligence. Yet, even when he’s speaking, his eyes are on my breasts.
It finally ends with him pleading the time, as he had tickets for a Russian film he had heard great things about. Watching them leave I look at Ethan. “I feel nauseous. Does she always pick men like him?”
“No, they are usually too old for her and treat her like she’s their servant. Some of them have been real asses, but I’ve never wanted to put a fist through a face like I wanted to with him.”
“Am I being vain or was he constantly checking out my breasts?”