A Hopeful Kind of Love (Kinds of Love 1.5)

He chuckled and kissed her before finishing getting himself dressed. She watched, enjoying the view and missing it as the clothing covered him up.

After making sure the coast was clear, they both snuck back out of the mother's room and back into the museum. Ethan grabbed Laura's hand as the walked, giving her a gentle squeeze as they left the quiet restroom area and rejoined the party.

“Can I get you a drink?” he asked, motioning toward the bar.

Laura chuckled. “Are you actually going to get me one this time, or are we heading back upstairs?”

The way his pupils dilated and focused only on her had her heating for him all over again. She was used to having lust fade after a sexual encounter, but this time it wasn't fading. If anything, she wanted him more now than she did ten minutes ago. She wasn't sure how that was possible, but she was going to enjoy it.

“I was planning on drinks, but if you kiss me again, we'll have to go right back upstairs,” he replied, his voice low and deep.

“Just don't walk under the mistletoe then,” she advised.

He glanced up toward the ceiling. “You have no idea how tempting that is.”

She flushed and smoothed her hair back. This party was definitely working out better than she ever could have hoped.

He gave her hand a gentle tug, and together they started walking to the bar.

“Ethan! Ethan!” A woman in a sexy red dress ran over to them, relief on her features. She was beautiful, but the dress seemed a bit much for a company Christmas party. “There you are. You weren't answering your phone.”

“It's a party, Janie,” he said gently. “I turned it off.”

The woman pouted, and Laura wondered what kind of lipstick she used. Whatever it was, she wanted to have lips like that, too.

“Ethan, I've been trying to find you since I got here,” she told him. That's when she noticed Laura. The woman's eyes went to their hands, and she frowned. “Who's she?”

“Janie, this is Laura,” Ethan replied. “Laura, this Janie. We work together.”

“Hmm.” Janie's eyes looked over Laura, and she stuck out her lower jaw, obviously unhappy. She then shook herself and turned back to Ethan. “I've been looking for you. You have an important message from Mr. Williamson. He couldn't get a hold of you, so he called me.”

Ethan's brows came together slightly. “About what?”

Janie shrugged, showing off a perfect creamy shoulder. “He wouldn't say. Just that I needed to find you right away. It sounded important.”

Ethan sighed. “It's probably about the airbags.” He studied Janie for a moment. “And you're sure he wanted me to talk to him now? Not tomorrow?”

“He said 'I need him now,'” Janie told him. “I told him I'd find you right away.”

“Thank you, Janie.” Ethan turned to face her. He took both her hands in his. “I'm so sorry. I just have to make a call. I'll be right back.”

He squeezed her hands once and let go, turning and hurrying up into the museum where it was quieter. Laura stared after him, unsure of what to do next. Should she go get a drink? Find a place to sit? Or just stay here and wait for him?

“So, you two seem cozy,” Janie said, watching her intently. “How do you know Ethan?”

“Um, well...” Laura wasn't quite sure how to answer that question. “We just met tonight, actually. Did you know that he's a great dancer?”

Janie's eyes widened and then narrowed. “He's never taken me dancing.”

“Well, if you work together, why would he take you dancing?” Laura asked. “I don't take my co-workers out dancing.”

The woman let out an irritated huff. “I do more than just work with him. I am so much more than just an employee to him.”

“You are?” Laura's heart started to drop. Was he cheating on Janie with her? He didn't seem like a creep, but who ever did in the beginning? Was she the other woman?

The woman puffed herself up and opened her mouth to answer, but then her eyes widened and her mouth shut.

“I'm so sorry about that, Laura,” Ethan said, returning to the conversation. Janie lost her haughty demeanor and instead fluttered her eyelashes at Ethan.