Ethans Fal (35 page)

“A little perhaps. Oh!” I slap my hand at my mouth but it’s too damn late. Ethan freezes beside me then does something that hurts because it is just so perfect. He ignores what my unfiltered mouth revealed, he threads his hand around my neck and pulls me hard against his lips. Deeply possessive and urgent kisses consume me and make me forget, make me forget everything but him, if only for a moment and I grab it like it is my only lifeline. I lose any sense of time when he consumes me like this, it could be minutes…it could be hours and my lips are swollen enough to think the latter but we are interrupted by a deep cough.

“We have food in the house, Ethan …let the poor girl breathe.” A tall man with salt and pepper hair, a deep tan and kind eyes approaches. He surprises me by lightly nudging Ethan and stepping between us. He takes me by my shoulders and chuckles at my startled face. “I am so happy to meet you, Ada…I have heard next to nothing about you but the fact you are here is biblically significant.” He winks at Ethan, who groans and his cheeks tinge an adorable shade, not quite pink. Ethan’s Dad squeezes the very breath from my body and my bones creak under the pressure.

“Dad.” Ethan steps instantly between us once I am released by the bear hug of the century.

“Or you can call me Tom, Ada, I‘ll answer to either.” His genuine bright wide smile is filled with kindness and it is easy to return.

“It’s nice to meet you…Tom.” Ethan grabs my hand and leads me up the steps to the huge open door.

“Leave the bags in the kitchen, Dad. I’m famished.” He calls over his shoulder. He practically drags me across the reception hall, which is a vast open space of highly polished parquet flooring, and lots of light from the eight double height Georgian sash windows that dominate the front of the house. I find I have to skip and hop to keep up and avoid putting too much pressure on my sore toe. He starts to lead me to the sweeping staircase but I pull him to a stop.

“Ethan, I thought you said you were hungry?” I am a little breathless and more so when his eyes darken.

“I am.” He turns but I remain fixed to the bottom step.

“Ethan, we are not fucking in your home with your father here!” My mouth drops when his look of stunned confusion is replaced with pure wicked intention.

“Really? What on earth gave you that impression?” He bends and folds me easily over his shoulder but I fight all the same.

“Ethan, I mean it!” I try not to scream but my tone is filled with the fury and embarrassment racing through me.

“So do I.” His causal disregard for my feelings is just the fucking icing.

“Ethan, please don’t make me one of those girls.” I whisper on a defeated breath. He stops and slides me down his toned and hard body, harder still now he is pressed so tightly against me.

“Girls, that fuck do you mean?” I can feel his heat deep inside and scorching my thigh with his steel hard erection.

“No, I mean one of those girls you bring here that doesn’t have the decency to respect that
this
is your father’s home and
I
am a guest. We haven’t even had a cup of tea! What is he going to think of me, Ethan?” My voice catches and his hands are instantly cupping my cheeks. His gaze softens and his lips curl with tender understanding.

“You care what my father thinks?”

“Well, yes of course. I…I …”

“Weren’t brought up that way?” He dips to meet my gaze when I try to look away, maintaining the contact.

“No…I wasn’t…I’m not sorry.” I tip my chin and straighten, manners cost nothing and they may well be the only thing I am grateful to my parents for.

“No need to be sorry but you don’t have to worry about being compared to other girls. I have never brought anyone home.” His finger pushes my dropped jaw shut and he pecks my lips before he starts to descend the stairs. I am still stunned and speechless when he leads me into the kitchen. Tom is fixing some food and pulls out a chair for us to join him. Ethan brushes his lips at my neck and I shiver from top to toe. “After tea, we fuck,” he whispers. I gasp and shudder. “It’s going to be a challenge fucking in the Mini but anything for you m’lady.” He takes my hand and places a playful kiss on the back, then the palm and my wrist until I pull it away and slap him on his taut tummy before joining his father for tea.

EVEN FROM MY
tucked up position in the back seat of the car, I can see Ethan’s profile and he doesn’t look happy. I snicker as he huffs loudly much to his father’s amusement. You wouldn’t credit such a small car could fit two large men, but Ethan’s Dad insisted on catching a lift with us. He is chief babysitter and didn’t see the point in getting the train when his son was going to the exact same place.

“Honestly Ethan, you are like a fourteen year old boy…what exactly where you hoping to get up to in
this
car? Unless you are a contortionist.” Tom chuckles and I am glad I am sat behind him because my face is as red as the paintwork on the car.

“Dad.” Ethan warns and Tom holds up his hand in surrender.

“So Ada, tell me a little about yourself. Ethan has given me little more than your name.” He tries to turn but given the confines of the tiny car he gives up. I inwardly cringe and would actually prefer to have the previous awkward conversation resurrected than answer this loaded question.

“For a reason, Dad.” Ethan’s firm tone makes his dad hesitate but only for a second.

“Nonsense…tell me what you want. I’m not prying and if I’m honest it’s my son’s fault. The fact that he called you his girlfriend has elevated you to the status of unique and rare. So forgive me and indulge an old man.”

I sniff out a laugh at his blatant attempt to charm. “You are not so old, Mr. Cates, and I am not so unique.” I draw in a deep breath and try to work out what I feel comfortable sharing. “I grew up in the country, a small village similar to yours, I suppose. I don’t have any brothers or sisters but we did have dogs, chocolate Labradors. I missed them the most when I left home.” I swallow a lump and can sense a shift in Ethan, his head tilts to make sure he isn’t missing anything. His shoulders are tense like he is holding his breath waiting for me to reveal more.

“I can imagine…I love my son, but my dogs well…” His effortless laugh and ability to ease a difficult topic into something more palatable is a skill. I now know where Ethan picked it up. “And school, where did you study?”

“Oh, I went to a small girls school. I took my exams early but I never got to go to university.” I shake my head because that sacrifice was inconsequential compared to raising my baby. “I love to read.” I offer as a throw away comment, because doesn’t everyone. It’s like saying I like chocolate, well duh.

“And she can dance like the devil.” Ethan flashes a wicked grin over his shoulder, his eyes crinkling with pleasure at his recall of our own dirty dancing

“Really…well I can see why you’re a keeper. Ethan loves to dance…his mother taught him and they would practice in the hall at home. Didn’t even stop when it was no longer such a
cool
thing to do. His mother loved it so much. I have two left feet and she feared for her life at every charity ball we attended.” Ethan barks out a laugh and smiles at his dad with such love in his eyes I feel tragically jealous. Not for Ethan loving his Dad, but for his Dad clearly adoring him.

The elevator door pings and just like his father, Ethan is pushed aside, this time by a much smaller woman.

“Oh, my God…you’re real!” She doesn’t hold my shoulders for long before I am pulled against her body and held in a strangely familiar embrace. Warm and comforting but strange because I don’t know her.

“Even
I
don’t think Ethan has to resort to a blow up, Bethany.” The man talking is directly behind the hugging woman. The hint of humour in his tone is offset by his dark frame and stern aura. He is tall, immaculate and fiercely handsome. He pulls the woman from me and shakes Tom’s hand. Ethan makes the introduction.

“Daniel and Bethany this is Ada, my girlfriend.” He sounds so comfortable saying that but it doesn’t sit right, my tummy tightens with the facade. His sanguine expression when he looks my way prevents me from clarifying any more than I had at his home with his father.

“Oh, oh!” Bethany jumps up and down with her hands clasped together. If I hadn’t spent the last few weeks with Ethan, I would be concerned there is something wrong with him for everyone to react like having a girlfriend was some sort of relationship miracle.

“Where’s my grandson?” Tom pushes past and strides into the apartment.

“He is all ready to go for a walk around Green Park in his stroller before you get to bathe him and put him to bed. I’m going to help Ada pick something to wear tonight, so you guys can go and work on that bonding thing.” She flashed her husband a smile laced with mischief and I swear I hear him growl.

“You don’t have to come Daniel, I can…sorry for a moment there I forgot who I was talking to.” Tom winks at Bethany and she captures Daniel’s face and plants a tender kiss.

“Don’t tease him Tom, he’s just being a protective Daddy. I am sure you weren’t any different to this one when he was a baby boy.” She tugs on Ethan’s T-shirt and he bundles her into his arms. Ethan smiles and hugs her tightly.

Daniel steps away and returns with a sleek, black stroller that looks like it could go cross country and possibly fly too. But it is the steely blue eyes of the chubby cheeked six-month-old baby boy, waving his arms erratically and dribbling bubbles from his rosy lips that pierces my heart. I step back and Ethan is at my side with a deep frown.

“Are you okay?” He tips my chin and I blink back the sudden well of water.

“Sorry, sorry…I’m fine. Think I might be allergic… maybe to the city fumes.” I wipe my eyes dry and rub my nose like it is now itching with irritation.

“Oh…look I can stay here if you would prefer.” His gaze locks with mine and there is no one else but us for that long moment. I love that, but I don’t want to stop him from spending time with his Dad or his nephew.

“I’m fine.” I nod and he covers my lips with a kiss, his tongue dipping to trace the salt water that settled in the crease.

“Are you sure?” He hesitates but the others are holding the lift doors impatiently.

“She’s sure, she’s sure, now go, or we won’t be ready in time.” Bethany shoos the men from the apartment and slumps against the door with a huge sigh once they have left.

Bethany is kind and helps me pick out something from her extensive wardrobe. Strange she looks more uncomfortable than I do peeking through the hangers. She has so many stunning gowns she could open her own floor in Harrods. Bethany is easy company and doesn’t talk endlessly about Luca. I wouldn’t blame her though. I just couldn’t guarantee I would be anything other than a blubbering wreck if she did. She holds up a gorgeous Roberto Cavalli, full length black metallic striped wool dress, with no sleeves fitted under the bust, sleek and edged with tiny brass studs, airing on the sophisticated side of BDSM attire. I love it.

“Now shoes.” Bethany hums and taps her fingers in thought. “You know with a full length dress like that you could wear anything and with your toe swollen like it is there really is only one thing that will be comfortable. She reaches into the bottom of one of the shoe closets and I burst out laughing.