The Art of Ethan (12 page)

It was around lunchtime when Chase coaxed Megan back to the house.

"He's my brother, not me. Surely they are done by now.” He winked. She was not amused.

Grace and Ethan indeed were finished and decided a little fun never killed anyone. Technically, they still had not had sex so no harm no foul. Friends helping friends relieve stress, they decided.

Even if it was only make-believe, this pretend life was better than Grace's real life had been in a long time. Grace smiled as she thought of her cousin's face and how much more it would have flushed had she opened the door to find Ethan face down between her legs. The thought sent a warm flicker deep within.

Ethan may not have been the first man she slept with, but he was the first man to cause an orgasm and so easily. Grace clenched blissfully inside, understanding what Megan was talking about on the beach yesterday. Ethan was written all over her today.

"What?” Ethan could tell that smile came from somewhere.

He was watching her slice the tomatoes for the salad. He had proven one lousy wrong and planned to prove another. Grace just needed to be nurtured. He could help her get her confidence back. God, now he was taking on a project. He felt like Joshua, always the hero.

"Just thinking of Megan's face.” Grace barely got the words out before the door opened. She locked eyes with her cousin, whose face again filled with the flush of embarrassment.

Ethan looked at Megan, the diva dethroned. He never thought he would see the day when Megan walked in a room and obviously wanted no one to look at her.

"What!” She stomped her Louis Vuitton heel hard against the wood floor.

"Nothing.” Grace smiled and shifted her eyes to Ethan as he shifted his to look at Grace. They shared an inside laugh. She was going to enjoy this. “What have you guys been doing all day?"

Chase answered, nudging his stubborn fiancé through the door.

"Little of this, little of that.” He had no problem looking at Grace or Ethan.

The brothers exchanged a moment of face gestures then smiled at one another. Grace raised a brow at that. They had their own little code. It wasn't the first time they had done that. Mischief, both of them seemed full of it.

"What's for lunch?” Megan was quiet, unusually awkward. The sight of Ethan, his bare back hovering over her cousin, the image was burned in her mind.

"I'm making chicken alfredo and a salad.” Grace beamed.

"You're making?” Megan snorted. “You mean Ethan's making."

"No,” he interjected. “She's making.” He walked around the island in the center of the kitchen and pulled Grace's long red locks to one side and kissed her neck sweetly watching Megan the whole time. “I'm just watching."

Chase held back a snicker knowing his brother had been waiting years to unsettle his future bride.

Megan was always rude and unkind to Ethan. Chase knew why. He knew she had liked him all those years ago, knew that if Emma wasn't in Ethan's life at the time, he may have indulged her for an evening then sent her packing like the rest.

Ethan didn't like anything that came too easy. That's why he went to college before taking over a business he was practically groomed for since birth. Megan made it a point to be ugly toward Ethan. That alone let Chase know she really wanted to prove her love for him. He knew when she actually did fall in love with him, and he had no worries about her affection anymore, but he enjoyed watching her torture his big brother from time to time. Funny, the things that made Ethan dislike Megan were the things Chase liked the most.

"Ch-aa-se,” Megan whined putting her lip out.

"Okay, okay, there is only one way to settle this.” He walked into the living room. “You saw them. Now, they must see us."

Chase pulled his shirt off and undid his belt. His shorts were around his ankles in an instant. His boxer briefs and sandals were all that was left.

Both ladies gasped. Grace buried her face into Ethan's chest. He laughed so hard he could barely hold her.

"Come on, babe, shimmy out of that dress.” Chase walked to Megan, who was trying to be furious despite the fact she was laughing. He hugged his little angel and kissed her lips. “See, you saw Ethan. Grace saw me. We're square."

"Yeah, Megan, I still had clothes on for crying out loud. It's not like you saw us naked.” He thought for a moment. “Well, not me anyway."

With that he got a well deserved pinch from Grace. “Who's side are you on?” She laughed.

"Yours.” He replied with a kiss on her forehead. “I'm on your side."

After lunch Ethan and Grace took a walk around town. Grace needed to be seen out with him, and he promised to make a good show of it. He held her hand the entire time. They talked about Beaufort, pirates, and ghosts. It was strange how much Grace thought of her mother while she was with Ethan. She wanted to tell him about her, but that would be too much. Too painful, so she stuck with safe, friendly topics.

"It rarely snows here. When it does, the whole place shuts down.” Grace leaned into the rail on the boardwalk.

"We get a lot of snow in New York. I like all the changes of the seasons. We definitely get all seasons up there.” Ethan leaned on the rail next to her. “Are there really wild horses over there?"

"Yep, if you were going to be here a few more days, we could have taken a boat over and seen them.” Grace had gone over with her mother to see the ponies a couple times.

"Next time I come in then.” Ethan grabbed her hand and headed back toward the house.

The rest of the night went along fine. Megan gave up her theatrics, and Grace and Ethan performed at Oscar level. The day ended too soon, and night was falling quickly. One more day and they were leaving. Not a full week as planned but more fun than Grace had encountered in a long time.

Going to bed with Ethan tonight felt awkward. With all of the façade down, it was the two of them in a locked bedroom in a queen size bed that felt more like a twin.

"You should invest in a king size bed.” Ethan broke the silence as usual. They were sitting there. Grace was reading though she hadn't turned a page the entire time. “I'd be more comfortable in it I think."

"Well, you can bring one when you come back.” Grace lifted a brow. Let's not forget whose territory this is.

She had enough empty space in her life. A bigger bed was not something she needed and certainly not when the man proposing she buy one would be leaving soon never to return.
MEN! The nerve.

"You should come to New York this weekend.” He played with a loose curl. She was reading some little paperback book, ignoring him, creating distance. “Grace."

"I can't,” she said flatly. Why was he asking? The wedding would be soon enough. She hated he was leaving tomorrow. Her head was split with emotions. “I have to turn the keys and files and all that jazz over to Amy on Friday morning."

"You wanna fill me in here?” Why was she being so distant all of a sudden? Why was that bothering him? He needed distance but not too much. He needed her in New York, like they had been today. He wished he had her everyday in New York like they had been today.

"I'm sorry what?” Grace stared at him blankly.
He is leaving. He is leaving.

"Keys, Amy.” He waved his hands.

"Oh, I thought I told you.” She shifted and put the book down. “I'm not the cheerleading coach anymore. I have to turn it all over on Friday before they head to camp."

"Did you want to quit coaching?” The way Megan beamed about it the other night gave him a sinking feeling now. “Did you take time off for your book?"

"Well, I'm getting older, fatter, and less flexible.” She smiled a forced smile. He had a way of seeing through her wall, and that unsettled her. No one questioned her actions or her decisions. Ethan barely knew her, yet he questioned her all the time. “Plus, I do need to focus on the book, yes."

"That doesn't answer my question.” He wasn't letting up. It didn't sound like she let go willingly, and Megan said her book was almost done.

"No, okay, no.” Grace stared into her book again. “But like everything else I care about for more than five minutes, it was taken from me, too."

So there. That should shut him up.

"It must be hard to let go of a job you enjoy so much.” Ethan wanted to make her smile, but he didn't know what to say.

"I'll be teaching second grade next year. I'll have more fun with them anyway.” Grace smiled at the thought of the new class, the kids.

"My birthday is Friday. I was hoping you could come.” Ethan lightly slid his fingers down her arm.
What the hell is she reading?
How can she put him aside so easily? He made out the words, a romance novel. So, she needed a little more romance in her life aye. “Can't you come up after?"

"Your birthday?” That's why everyone had to be back early. Megan wasn't going to tell her, why? “It would be crazy to buy a ticket now; otherwise, I probably would."

"Okay,” he said and lay back on the bed. She went right back to reading that same damn page again.

"So, you think I could get a birthday blow job?” He prepared for the hit he knew was coming. He was going to get her attention from that book one way or another.

"Ethan!” She squealed just as he had hoped. Her book came across his arm with a playful thud.

"Shame on you.” She laughed. He really made her laugh even when she didn't want to. Grace had read the same page over and over again. How could she possibly focus on the hot detective when she had Ethan in her bed?

"Come here, Gracie.” He held his arms open, and she slid into them. He had a burning desire to sink into her flesh and make love to her for hours, but he knew Grace really needed him now. She needed a real friend, not just sexual satisfaction. He could wait and plan a nice seduction when she came to visit for the wedding.

"I'm sorry about the coaching thing.” He kissed her on the forehead. He didn't mention the book. He was an artist, and an artist's work is sacred. It's only ready when it's ready.

"Well, I just hope there is a bigger plan in store for me. When this house is empty, I need to fill time.” She snuggled into her nook turning her back to him. Why did she admit that? Grace really did feel with Ethan, too much. It cracked a hole in her safe little world.

Ethan followed her lead, playing with the wild red curls on her head with his left hand, inhaling the scent of them. He would have to find that shampoo at home if not steal hers from the shower. Ethan decided firmly on what he wanted most for his birthday. Grace.

Grace wished she could go to sleep every night this way. Ethan would leave tomorrow; then, it would be back to reality. Back to the routine, except school was out, so she had all day and all night empty. She hadn't felt alone or lonely before.

Of course, she hadn't really let herself feel anything in years. Now, she had feelings. Fear, courage, lust, and they were all created by this blanket of a man wrapped around her. Her heart swelled as she fell asleep.

Ethan awoke Thursday morning at eight a.m. with a beautiful woman in his arms. She was awake, of course. He had realized last night that Grace was stealing moments while he slept. He didn't blame her. If he could wake up sooner, he would probably do the same thing. It was strange how long he could sleep in here. In New York, he was out on the pavement running by six in the morning every morning.

This morning was the last they would share in North Carolina for a while. He didn't know what got his brain going this morning, but he sure knew what got his blood pumping. This fiery spirited woman in his arms did it with more ease than he thought possible. In less than a week, she had gotten closer to him than anyone. He had told her things he hadn't told Joshua, and they told each other everything.

Megan had already planned out the day for the girls. There was wedding business to tend to, and that would tie them up at least until three. The plane took off at five.

"I have to pee.” Grace quickly left for the bathroom.

She slid from his arms faster than he would have liked. She must have been up a while. He wanted to remain in bed and coax her back, but there was too much to get done today, and she needed to be with Megan. He got up and was dressed when she returned looking somewhat disappointed.

"I'll take them off and hop right back in.” Ethan smiled at her. She had the same thought.
Damn, I should have waited.

"No, it's too late now.” She pulled the covers up on her side of the bed, thinking better of stripping the sheets. She would need them just the way they are tonight, covered in his scent.

"I don't know what I'm going to do tonight.” Ethan crossed the room to kiss her forehead. His lips were betraying him already. “I'll miss all this hair."

"You'll find a way, I'm sure.” Grace hugged him loosely around the waist. His hand on the back of her neck felt so possessive and at the same time reassuring. The diva was waiting downstairs and had been since seven. Grace never left Megan waiting, but Ethan felt way too good to leave.

With effort she pulled herself from Ethan, got dressed, and headed downstairs. Megan looked like herself again, smartly dressed in a jean skirt and tank top. She had her notebook at the ready when Grace walked downstairs. She was set to go.

"Let's go to the Beaufort Grocery to eat.” Megan grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

Ethan still wasn't downstairs. He had stopped to talk to Chase. Now, she was going to miss him. All day she would be with Megan; then, they would leave. She knew it was coming but wasn't expecting it to be so hard to let go. Not just of Ethan, she liked having Megan and Chase around as well.
Am I really this lonely? When did I get this way? I've lived like this, alone, for years now.

Following Megan out the door, Grace could have sworn she heard Ethan call her name, but Megan was fast, and those four inch heels clicked their way down to the sidewalk in a hurry.