Stitches and Scars (17 page)

“Ethan?”

“I’m sorry, Kate,” he said without lifting his head. “I really didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that when I’m around you I forget that I’ve only known you for a week.” He let out a sigh. “I keep forgetting that you need to take it slow. I’m letting the desire and feelings that I have for you take over, and I’m sorry. I just wish I could make you see that I won’t hurt you. I won’t make you feel like you can’t—”

“Ethan,” she cut him off before he could finish. “Look at me, please.”

He lifted his head slowly, his hair hanging across his forehead, his blue eyes gray with emotion. He took her breath away.

“Kiss me,” she whispered, barely audible to her own ears. But somehow he heard her.

“Kate, I’m fine with taking things slow, both physically and emotionally.”

Hearing him say that only drove her further. She knew she still had some things to work on and she wasn’t saying that she wanted to marry him tomorrow, but she did know that she wanted him—her heart wanted him. And that was enough.

“Kiss me,” she said again, louder this time.

Ethan watched her with cautious eyes as he slid off the counter and walked over to her, hesitating when he was a few feet away. He didn’t want to do something she wasn’t ready for and, most importantly, something that she didn’t want to do. He looked deep into her brown eyes, trying to read her emotions, to make sure.

Kate felt bare, exposed, like he could see right through her. She wasn’t sure what he saw, but it must have been reassuring because he closed the rest of the distance in one swift movement and kissed her.

He pushed her up against the refrigerator with the freezer door still opened. The cold air poured out over her shoulders, adding to the chills he already caused. He quickly moved from her mouth to her neck, kissing and tasting her skin. Kate let her head fall back—practically inside the freezer—as his kisses traced her collarbone. Gripping his hair in her fingers, she sighed.

Upon hearing her reaction, Ethan looked up. He gave her his perfect smile before returning his attention to her lips. She gladly welcomed the feel of his tongue, something that she knew she’d never tire of. They kissed and nipped playfully, not able to get enough, until the sound of the freezer pumping on suddenly broke their connection.

“Maybe we should close the door,” Kate panted.

Ethan got an idea and a mischievous grin spread across his face. “Not yet. Didn’t you say you needed some ice?” he asked, raising one eyebrow.

“For the smoothies,” Kate said.

“Then allow me.” With that, he reached over her shoulder and dug into the freezer behind her. Before she had time to turn around, he brought an ice cube to her mouth. His eyes focused on her lips as he slowly began tracing them with the ice cube.

She parted her mouth and allowed her tongue to reach out for the ice, wetting it slightly, as he slid it against her warm lips. Ethan’s body shifted as he leaned in and gently kissed her, removing the excess water with his tongue.

Kate had never felt this way before—so alive and powerful, yet so weak at the same time. The ice was so cold that, after a few minutes, her body shivered and she involuntarily curled her shoulders in.

She heard him chuckle softly. “Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s just cold,” she sighed, barely able to speak the words.

“Here.” In one swift motion, Ethan had his hands wrapped around Kate’s waist. He slammed the freezer door shut and lifted her onto the counter next to the sink. “Is that better?”

Kate nodded and sat back against the cabinets, relieved to finally be sitting. Now at least she wouldn’t have to worry about her legs giving out. Ethan stood in front of her, and she parted her legs slightly, allowing him to move closer.

“How about some fruit?” he asked.

She only nodded. She couldn’t speak. Her mind was a mess, and the vision of Ethan standing in front of her, breathing heavily, was driving her insane. Before he had a chance to grab anything, Kate shot her hand out and grabbed some cherries.

Cherries were not something she’d gotten to use at the grocery store and she was more than ready to tease. Holding a perfect pairing of cherries out in front of her, she smiled as she brought them to her mouth, reaching out with her tongue. She slid it around each one slowly before taking them both into her mouth. The skin was smooth on her tongue, and she held them there for a moment before releasing them.

Ethan’s back went ramrod straight and his breathing was loud. Kate kept her head down slightly, looking up at him from under her lashes. His eyes seemed darker, grayer, as he watched her. The energy between them worked as a magnetic force, drawing him in until he was just inches from her face. Kate lifted one of the cherries and placed it in his mouth then leaned in and grabbed the other one between her teeth. Pulling back slightly, they split the stem, separating the two.

A smirk took Ethan’s lips as he chewed and searched the nearby colander for his next selection. Reaching down into the sink, he grabbed a peach and stood up, still smiling. He brought the peach to Kate’s face and marveled at the similar color while he gently grazed it across her cheek. The smooth surface felt like velvet on her skin and when the sweet aroma hit her nose, she felt her mouth begin to water. By the time it reached her lips, Kate was ready for a bite. She opened her mouth and stuck out her chin in preparation but was disappointed when he abruptly pulled it away.

Instead, he lifted the peach to his mouth and bit down. The juice from the fruit dripped on his chin and without waiting a second, Kate leaned forward to lick it away. She intertwined her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him close to her. Tasting the sweet flavor of the juice on her tongue was delicious, and it made her head spin. Slowly slipping one free hand up and over his shoulder, she traced down the back of his arm and finally to the hand that held the peach.

She grasped it in her hands and broke their kiss so she could take a bite. Ethan stood back, and Kate took the biggest bite she could. His eyes grew large as he watched her mouth. Then, he was on her so fast she didn’t get a chance to respond. He tasted her lips and kissed her just as she had done a moment before. Kate’s body relaxed, and her hand lazily dropped the peach to the floor.

Ethan stood up and pulled her off the counter in one swift motion. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing loudly in her ear. Kate ran her hands up and down his back, feeling the curve of his body and the warmth of his shirt as it clung to him.

Their breathing was erratic, coming in heavy gasps. Letting her body relax, Kate laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. He held her wrapped in his arms until their breathing settled. It was a few moments before Kate lifted her head and looked into Ethan’s beautiful eyes, which seemed to glow.

She couldn’t keep the smile from her face.

“I like seeing you smile,” Ethan admitted. “It makes me happy.”

“Me too.” She nodded and placed her head back on his shoulder. After a shared moment of silence, Kate’s stomach growled loudly. She let out a little laugh. “I guess it’s time to eat.”

“What? The strawberry, cherry, and one bite of peach weren’t enough for you?” he asked teasingly.

“Yeah, not quite. I may be a girl, but I like to eat.”

“All right,” he said as he lowered her to the ground. “Let’s make some breakfast. But before I help, could I use your bathroom?”

“Sure, it’s down the hall on the left. I’ll get started on our shakes.”

He gave Kate a quick wink that made her heart flutter, and he walked out of the kitchen. As soon as he was out of sight, she bent over and rested her head on the counter. Her mind was screaming and her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. All she could do was smile. The sound of the front door opening brought her out of her daze.

“Katherine Elizabeth Thomas! You get out here right this minute and tell me what happened last night!” the voice shrieked.

Sophie’s voice trailed down the hallway and Kate stood up, suddenly frantic. She had been so lost in her own world with Ethan that she had forgotten all about the possibility of Sophie stopping by. She didn’t have time to stew over her thoughts before Sophie came through the doorway.

“So?” she asked, propping her large black sunglasses onto the top of her head.

“What?” Kate teased, knowing full well what her friend was talking about.

“That was him, wasn’t it? That was the Ethan from the gallery, the club, the hospital, and the grocery store. That was the same Ethan at the dinner last night, wasn’t it?” She rose to the tips of her toes in anticipation.

“What makes you think that?” Kate played dumb.

“I just do. Plus, the way he was looking at you was not the normal way a guy looks at someone he’s just met. Then, after you both came back to the table and you looked like you do after a hot make out session, I knew there was something going on. I put two and two together. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. I would say I’m shocked, but I’m not. You know what I said about it being magic.”

Kate listened to her friend’s rant and couldn’t help but laugh. She was just as observant as Elle was.

“It’s not funny.” Sophie placed her hands firmly on her hips.

“I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you. I was just thinking about something.” She shook her head. “Hey, did Logan come with you? I didn’t hear him.”

Sophie peered over her shoulder and waived her hand around. “He’s here, but he’s probably in the other room watching TV. Besides, I want to hear all about the kiss, and I don’t think he wants to be around to hear all the delicious details.”

Kate laughed again and turned around to focus on making the fruit smoothies.

“You aren’t really going to do this to me, are you?” Sophie groaned.

“I don’t know what you want to hear.” She shrugged. “Ethan followed me outside after I got the text from Scott and—”

“What text from Scott?”

Sighing, Kate turned to the sink and continued washing fruit as she explained. “He sent me a text that basically said it was hard for him to see me with someone and that he missed me and wanted me to call him.”

Sophie’s jaw was hanging open. “That little piece of sh—”

“Soph,” she cut her off. “Can we not talk about him right now? Besides, I thought you wanted to hear about Ethan.”

“Okay, I’ll let it slide for now because you already know how I feel about the situation. Sorry, back to your story.” She held up her hand, gesturing for her to continue.

Grabbing two glasses out of the cupboard, Kate placed them on the table and started into her story. “Basically, he saw me get flustered or whatever, and he decided to follow me outside and see if I was okay. I, of course, started ranting like I do when I get nervous and angry. And well …” Kate paused and looked over at Sophie, surprised that she hadn’t interrupted her yet.

Instead her blond friend was standing still, a look of wonderment on her face. Her eyes dashed around the kitchen as she took in the surroundings. They shot over to the large basket of fruit, the half-eaten peach that was still on the floor, and the two glasses that sat on the table. When she looked back at Kate, her eyes were wide as she finally noticed her friend’s appearance. Kate rolled her lips in, attempting to keep the smile from her face, and dropped her eyes.

“Kate, is there something you want to tell me?” Sophie asked in a tone that said she already knew the answer.

Kate didn’t get a chance to speak before she heard the most beautiful sound in the world. It was the one voice that made her heart flutter, her knees weak, sent chills up her spine, and made her flush, all at the same time.

“Hello again, Sophie. It’s nice to see you this morning.” Ethan walked past a very stunned Sophie who was now staring with her mouth open wide. He slipped his arm around Kate’s waist and smiled down at her before looking back up. “Want a fruit smoothie?”

Chapter 15

Information

K
ate looked up at Ethan in awe. Clearly, he was not at all bothered by Sophie’s presence. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but she thought he might be a little embarrassed for being caught in her house in the early morning. Kate turned to face her friend who was still frozen in place with wide eyes. At least she had closed her mouth.

“What do you like in your fruit smoothie?” Ethan asked again, still completely at ease.

“Umm …” Sophie mumbled. Kate laughed. Seeing Sophie shocked was rare, but seeing Sophie
speechless
was achieving the impossible. “Do you mind if I steal my friend for a second?” she finally asked. “I promise I’ll bring her right back.” Before either Ethan or Kate could respond, Sophie was dragging her friend out of the room.

“Ouch. Has anyone ever told you that you’re freakishly strong?” Kate complained. She wasn’t released until they reached the bedroom and she was shoved to the bed.

“All right, Thomas, spill it.” Sophie stood with hands on hips, determined to get an answer.

“Soph, I know what you thinking. And nothing like that happened.” Kate laughed when she heard herself. It sounded more like a conversation between a mother and daughter than that of two best friends. “I would think that if something did happen, you would be happy for me,” she feigned being hurt.

Sophie dropped her hands immediately, walked over and sat down next to her friend. “Of course, I would be happy for you, are you kidding? I think I’m just a little shocked, that’s all. I mean I saw you looking …” she waved her hand around, “… like you just rolled out of bed, and then Ethan walked in.”

Kate’s heartbeat picked up instinctively at just the mention of his name, and she felt herself smile.

“You really like him, don’t you?” Sophie continued. Kate nodded, but what little doubt and fear she had was apparent on her face. “You’re scared?” Sophie asked, being the observant friend that she was. Kate nodded again and bit down on her lip in worry.

“He’s not Scott.” Sophie placed her hand on Kate’s knee. “Logan kept me up late last night, telling me story after story about him and Ethan. I’d heard him mention him before, but never like this. He was a great friend to him, and he sounds like an amazing guy.” She paused. “He is
not
Scott.”

It was the second time she had told Kate that he wasn’t like Scott, and every time she said it, Kate felt her stomach churn. “I know he’s not Scott. And I trust him when he says he won’t hurt me—which is crazy because we’re just starting to get to know each other. There’s just something about him and the way I
feel
when I’m around him. Is it weird to say that I feel safe?” She looked at her friend who was positively beaming.

“No, it’s not weird at all. I think it’s normal to feel that way about the person you’re meant to be with.”

Meant to be with?
Kate let the words float around her head before pushing them back, filing them away for later. There would be plenty of time for her to stew over her feelings. Right now there was only one thing she wanted and he was in the other room.

***

Ethan wasn’t sure how long Kate would be under interrogation, so he figured he might as well make himself useful and make the smoothies. Just as he began to cut up some of the fruit, he heard the TV switch on in the other room. Up until that point he wasn’t aware that anyone else was in the house. He hadn’t been given an official tour of the townhouse yet but was fairly certain he could find his way around. Following the sound of the TV into the other room, he found Logan spread out on the couch.

“Hey, Logan, I didn’t know you were here.”

Logan sat up quickly and smiled as he took in Ethan’s appearance. “I should be saying the same thing to you. What are you doing here so early?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

Ethan shook his head. “It’s not what you think.”

“
Sure.
That’s what they all say,” he teased.

Little sparks of jealousy ignited at the simple thought of someone else vying for Kate’s attention, of someone else being in her home. Ethan knew it was ridiculous because she’d dated before, but he couldn’t stop his emotions.

“Whoa, that’s not what I meant,” Logan said quickly upon seeing the look on Ethan’s face. “Kate isn’t the type of girl to just have guys sleep over. Come to think of it, I don’t even think there’s been anyone since Scott.”

Ethan’s nerves settled slightly, but not entirely. It seemed that the mere mention of Scott made his blood boil. He wanted to know about him, wanted to know all the details that Kate hadn’t told him. He knew that he shouldn’t ask, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Logan, can I ask you something?”

He looked at Ethan for a second before answering. “You want to know about Scott, don’t you?”

“I know I don’t have a right to know everything. But I just can’t help it, I want her to …” he trailed off, not saying anything else as he walked over and took a seat on the love seat.

“You really like her, don’t you?”

Ethan turned to face him. “I do like her—a lot. And from what she’s said, she likes me too. She’s just scared of getting hurt again. Apparently this Scott guy did quite a number on her, breaking her heart numerous times.” He could feel himself getting angry just thinking about it.

Logan sighed. “He broke her heart, all right,” he said, shaking his head. “It took all my strength not to beat his ass after what he did to her. The only thing that kept me from doing it was Kate. She said he didn’t deserve to be hurt. Can you believe that?
She
told me that
he
didn’t deserve to be hurt.”

This statement didn’t surprise Ethan at all. In the time he’d had to get to know Kate, he was quickly learning that she was anything but ordinary. She was nothing like the other girls he’d known, and for that, he was thankful. “So what happened?” he asked still curious.

Logan looked at his old friend for a moment. “You know I’m only telling you this because you’re my friend. And even though it’s been years since we’ve talked, I have a feeling you haven’t changed. You’re still a good guy; I can tell.”

Ethan nodded and Logan continued. “Kate and Scott were friends for years before they actually started dating. They met back in Virginia. We all thought it would be a little weird for them, that it would take some time to adjust from being just friends to being together in a relationship, but it didn’t. In fact, it was the exact opposite. It was like they were finally where they should be. They were serious for about a year before things started getting strange. Scott started pulling away, making comments that sounded like they were coming from a good friend, not someone you were in love with. At first, Kate wasn’t even aware. Sophie tried telling her that something was up and that she thought Scott and Kate should talk, but Kate insisted things were fine.

“About two weeks later, Scott broke up with her for the
first
time. He told her that they were getting too serious and that he wasn’t sure they should be together any more. Kate was crushed. It was even worse because she had no clue he was feeling that way. Lots of times you know the relationship’s over before you actually say it, but Kate was clueless.

“About a month later, Scott called her and asked her to meet him for coffee. She was hesitant and we all told her she shouldn’t go, but she felt like she needed some closure.

“I don’t know exactly what was said during that ‘meeting’ over coffee; all I know is that Kate came home wrapped in Scott’s arms, smiling like nothing had ever happened.

“Things seemed to pick right back up where they left off and everything was going great, until two months later, when Kate came home in tears. It took Sophie and Elle almost an hour to get her to calm down enough to tell them what was wrong. As it turned out, Scott told her he was having doubts again. He kept saying something about it being ‘too easy.’ He said that there was no way love could be that simple and that it was too easy to fall in love with his best friend. He told her he wanted to still be friends and that he hoped it wouldn’t affect the relationship they had. At first, Kate thought that she would try to be his friend and nothing more. But the longer she was around him, the harder it became. Eventually she told him that she couldn’t do it any more. She either had to be in his life completely or not at all.

“He wasn’t happy about it. In fact, he was calling and texting her all the time. She never returned his calls, so one day he showed up here. I still say that if Soph had been here he would have ended up in the hospital.” He laughed

“So what happened when he showed up?” Ethan leaned forward in anticipation.

“Now
that
conversation, Soph and Elle know nothing about.”

“Why?”

“Because Kate never told them.” He shrugged.

“Why didn’t she tell them?

“Because they already hated Scott for hurting her the first two times. Anyway, he showed up at her door and told her that he would marry her if—”

“
If
?” Ethan interrupted. “
Would
marry her? What is that supposed to mean?”

“He said that he wanted another chance, and that if she changed for the better and things kept moving forward, then he would marry her.”

Ethan felt sick. “What? That’s not a proposal. And why would he want her to change!” His anger grew the more he thought about it.

Logan held his hands up. “Look, man, believe me, I know. I couldn’t believe it either. But Kate being Kate threw her whole self into it. She knew they were perfect for each other. She knew that this time it would be different because in the end, she was going to marry him.

“She took him back and it lasted for about three months. That time when she came home, she didn’t even cry. She couldn’t—it was like she was dead. Sophie and Elle thought it was just because he broke her heart again. The reality was that
she
was broken; her spirit was broken. We all hated him. And after she told me what he had said, what he had promised her? I wanted to kill him. It took all my strength not to beat him down. But Kate begged me. She begged me not to hurt him and she begged me never to tell Elle and Sophie the whole story. So I didn’t. I knew it would only make things worse anyway. You don’t want the wrath of Soph or my sister on you. Believe me.” He rolled his eyes in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“It’s been a few years since I’ve felt the wrath that is Elle McLean, but I’m pretty sure it hasn’t changed much. If anything, I’m sure it’s only grown worse,” he agreed.

“You have no idea.” Logan laughed.

The two guys sat in silence for a moment, and then Logan leaned forward resting his hands on his knees and looked Ethan in the eyes. “You know you’re my friend, Ethan, but I’m going to tell you this right now. If you hurt her in any way, I’ll kick your ass.”

Ethan looked back at him just as seriously. “If I hurt her, I’ll let you.”

Logan’s stern face melted into a smile, and he lay back down on the couch, grabbing the remote control. “Hey, I have a question for you.” He lifted his head off the pillow and looked at his friend. “What are you doing here, anyway? Isn’t it a little early to be stopping by?”

Ethan dropped his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. “Uh, I just stopped by to make some breakfast for Kate,” he mumbled, trying to sound casual.

“Hmm.” Logan’s eyebrows furrowed, not sure what to make of his friend’s statement. He lay his head back down and flipped through the channels before pausing. “What are you making?”

Ethan’s throat clenched tight and he coughed. “Umm, breakfast drinks.”

“You mean like … fruit smoothies?”

Ethan could hear the smile in Logan’s voice, but couldn’t risk looking at his face. “Yeah,” he confirmed simply.

“I’d be a fan of fruit too, if I were you.”

The two finally looked at each other and fell into laughter.

“You have no idea, man,” Ethan laughed out. “Produce has
never
looked so good.”

The two friends sat on the couch laughing for a few minutes until the TV caught their attention. Silently, Ethan sat back and let the moment soak in. Besides Trent, he didn’t have many close friends, and after dinner last night with the group, he couldn’t help but feel like this was where he was supposed to be.

Another minute passed and Sophie walked into the room. She curled up on Logan’s chest and nuzzled into his neck. They looked so happy together, and he automatically thought of Kate and wondered where she was. Ethan stood and had just taken a step toward the kitchen when a slender but firm hand grasped his arm. He turned to see Sophie looking up at him, her wide eyes serious.

“She likes you, so don’t mess it up. You hurt her and I’ll hurt you.” She smiled at him sweetly, looking like an angel—an angel that could cause the very fires of Hell to rise and destroy him.