“What were you doing?”
Oh God, oh God. What do I say? I repeat in my head. I open my mouth to answer something, but it comes out as a squeak. I’m sputtering like a little child. “I was umm...” I comb my brain for what to say next.
“Looking at that spider.” I point down to the floor by him. I blush from my head to my toes, knowing I just lied through my teeth.
“Angel…” He crosses his arms across his chest, tilting his head to the side with a big ol’ smile on his face.
My eyes widen. I know I’m beyond busted and caught red-handed. Ground, please swallow me up. My cheeks burn hotter the longer he stares at me.
“Were you looking at my ass?” he asks in a teasing tone. Baby Jesus, save me. I never thought it was possible, but I’m going to die from embarrassment. I close my eyes for a second to brace myself before I look at Ethan.
“Yes,” I tell him under my breath, hoping he will let it go.
He walks forward a step then bends toward me, cupping his ear. “What’s that?”
I roll my eyes then tell him in a louder voice, “Yes.”
“That’s what I thought.” He chuckles and walks backwards toward the door. “Just so you know, you just gave me full rein to do the same to you.”
Umm, what? Not thinking too much of it, I grab my purse and follow him out the door.
~*~
Ethan and I walk hand in hand to another store at the mall. He’s actually surprising me. Most men would wait outside until I was done shopping. He’s giving me his opinion about what to get, but I’m noticing everything he is suggesting is the closest thing you can get to a turtleneck.
I take out a white and a black dress. Both would be perfect for clubbing. Not that I think I will ever go, but maybe one day when I get the nerve? I tuck them under my arm and duck into the dressing room before Ethan can see.
I slip on the dresses. The white one is more showing, but not to the point where you would think I was a hooker. When I try on the black one, I notice it’s more modest with almost everything covered.
I collect everything and head to the counter to pay for it. I feel Ethan before I see him. He places his hand on the small of my back. I turn my head, smiling at him before paying. Ethan takes my purse for me together with all the bags, putting them all under one arm. His other hand entwines our fingers, and I get those butterflies again.
I’ve got everything I could possibly need or want. This also means I can return Sydney’s clothes. She and Kane are a thing now. I’ve never seen her so happy. The way he looks at her? He would move heaven and earth to make sure she was happy.
Ethan puts all the bags in the back seat. I open the passenger door and grab the oh shit handle and start to lift myself up when I feel his hands go to my hips and lift me the rest of the way.
I get lost in my thoughts on the way home. Now that I have a good job, will Ethan want me to move out? The thought alone is scary because I’m so used to being around him. I sigh sadly as I rest my forehead against the window.
“Angel, what’s the matter?” he asks softly. His hand on my shoulder pulls me up so I look at him. My eyes fill with tears at the thought of being away from him. What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t have become so dependent on this man, but how could I not? He’s made me feel safe for the first time in my life.
I shake my head as I turn back around, not wanting to let him know my thoughts or see me upset. Of course he will want you gone, Brae. Who would want you to be around any longer than necessary? The other part of me is telling me Ethan wouldn’t have let me stay in the first place unless he wanted me there.
I won’t allow myself to go back into the dark place. I sit up as we pull into the driveway. I can feel Ethan’s gaze on me every few seconds, but I don’t acknowledge him. He helps me down out of the truck. His heated stare stays on me, and I know he is dying to ask what’s the matter. Shuddering, I walk along the sidewalk and up into the house. I forget all about my bags. I’m sad in a way I can’t explain.
When I’m in my room, I strip out of my clothes and grab one of Ethan’s T-shirts. I climb into bed and sniff the front of the shirt, unable to stop the tears this time. I don’t want to leave him. I admit my feelings for him go beyond those for a friend, but who would want someone so used up, so broken?
“Angel?” Ethan whispers softly. I feel him crawl into bed behind me. His arms wrap around me and pull me to him. That makes my sobs ten times worse. Why am I getting so worked up when he never said he wanted me to leave? The thought alone of him wanting me gone is enough to put me into a fetal position.
“Baby, please, what’s the matter?” His warm breath tickles my ear. I pull out of his arms and turn around so I can meet his eyes but immediately close them when I see his tender expression. I’m foolish. He cares.
“Nothing,” I tell him softly as the pain slowly ebbs.
“Tell me, Angel? Did I hurt you when I set you in the truck?” His expression is pained at the thought.
I shake my head no frantically. “No, you didn’t hurt me. My thoughts got the best of me.” I bring my hand up and run it over his square jaw. He closes his eyes and tilts his head into my touch. My hand moves down to his full lips. His hand tightens on my waist as his breath stills, waiting for my next move.
My gaze is on his lips. They look so soft, and I wonder what they would feel like if they touched mine. Not thinking, I bend my head forward then stop a hairsbreadth away from his mouth. I let out a deep breath and look at him. He hasn’t opened his eyes. His hands are tight on my body, waiting for me.
I lick my lips then press them to his. I keep my eyes open so I can gauge his expression. His eyes fly open in shock. I pull back, ashamed. What have I done? My breath hitches as fire flares in his eyes.
His hand entwines its way through my hair and pulls me back down to his mouth. Closing my eyes, I sink into the kiss, slightly hesitant. But then I open my mouth and mold it to his. He takes over and our mouths move together in a way that’s different than any other kiss I have ever had. This is soul-consuming.
He pushes me down onto the bed and moves between my legs, kissing me deeply. My hands sink into his hair, tugging on the ends slightly. He breaks away, his breathing as rapid as mine. He leans up and kisses my forehead sweetly.
Tears spring to my eyes again. Ethan looks down at me, saddened. “Baby, I didn’t hurt you, did I? Did I scare you?” He starts to pull back. I shake my head no as I pull him down to hug him. His hand hesitates on my arm before tucking me against him.
I pull him as close as I possibly can, his face in the crook on my neck. His body is lying on top of mine, heavy but comfortable.
“Braelyn.” His breath tickles my neck, making me shiver. I tighten my arms around him. I feel like I should be scared feeling the way I do. The way I kissed him. It’s just Ethan; if it were anyone else, I would have been scared out of my mind.
“Hmm?” I answer him.
“You know I will kiss you whenever I want now?” His voice is raspy.
Chills run down my body before a smile breaks out over my face in the dark. “Okay.” I run my hands through his hair. He snuggles deeper into my neck and leans slightly toward my touch. A few minutes later, his breathing evens out. I close my eyes and fall asleep. Life can’t get any better.
Braelyn
One week later
“Happy birthday, baby.” Ethan kisses my cheek, stirring me from a deep sleep. Groaning, I turn over. I feel him get out of bed. I snuggle deeper into the bed with the blanket over my head and fall back asleep almost instantly.
“Baby, breakfast.” He nudges my shoulder again; this time I’m ready to murder him. Cracking open a tired eye, I look up at Ethan, who is carrying a tray, shirtless, with that grin on his face.
He just made me breakfast and carried it to me in bed.
Smiling, I scoot up in bed with my back against the headrest. “Did you make me breakfast in bed?” I ask in a teasing voice.
He grins cockily, not a shy bone in his body. His muscles bulge as he lifts the tray onto my lap. There’s a plate in the middle, piled high with pancakes, a small bit of butter sitting on the top, melting, a small bowl on the side full of bacon, and a glass of milk on the other side.
“Thank you, Ethan. It looks delicious.” I pick up my fork and take a bite of my pancakes. Didn’t Ethan make himself anything? I look up and point the fork at him, then pat the bed beside me. “Eat with me?”
He walks around the bed and sits beside me. Grabbing a piece of bacon, I lift it to his mouth to feed him. This is already the best birthday I have ever had. I still can’t understand what I did to deserve all this. I’ve done nothing to deserve even a morsel of what he is giving me. Me being happy is something I wouldn’t have ever thought would happen. I am happy. I have those demons, demons that haunt me at every waking hour and surprise me then knock me down a notch, but I claw my way back up. I’m far from being fully okay—I just learned to cope—but sometimes you gotta fall before you fly. I realize that every single day.
“Angel, quit thinking.” His fingers wrap around my chin, and his eyes are full of fierce determination. “You are so much more than what you see. You deserve the world, and I want to make sure you get it.”
How did he know what I was thinking? Again? I open my mouth to argue, but he sticks a piece of bacon in my mouth so I have no choice but to chew.
“Hurry and eat, baby. I got you something.” He grins from ear to ear.
“What is it?” I can’t help but ask as excitement blooms inside me. I wish he didn’t get me anything at all, considering all he has done for me already.
“I’m not telling. Now eat.” He taps the side of my leg.
“You shouldn’t have,” I start, but he puts his hand over my mouth. He gives me a pointed look that leaves no room for argument.
“Just say ‘Thank you, Ethan’.” He moves his hand away.
“Thank you, Ethan,” I tell him sweetly. Leaning forward, I kiss him on the cheek. As I start to pull away, he grabs my jaw and presses my mouth to his for a short, sweet kiss. Blushing, I go back to my food, feeling all too aware of Ethan sitting beside me.
When I’m done, he takes the tray from me and puts it at the foot of the bed. Then he grabs my hand and leads me down the stairs and to the front door. Why are we going outside? I start to pull my hand away, but he tightens his grip.
“Ethan, what are you doing?” I ask as he opens the front door. He doesn’t answer and pulls me onto the front porch. Right in the driveway stands a white convertible Volkswagen Beetle, exactly like the car I always wanted. Why is it here?
“Happy birthday, baby,” he says, kissing my temple, then he leads me off the porch and sets a set of keys into my palm. I stare down at the keys. Why would he do something like that? Why? For me? Unable to hold back tears, I feel them hit my palm. I want to be angry at him because this was something I wanted to do myself.
“Ethan,” my breath hitches on a sob. I look up at him with tear-filled eyes. “You shouldn’t have done this. Why?”
His hand comes up and wipes away my tears. Sniffing, I grab the hand on my face and hold it in mine. His expression is soft and tender. “You deserve the world, Angel.”
Those five words shatter me into a million little pieces. The sob that sat at the back of my throat breaks free. I close the distance between us and cry into his chest. My heart is full of so many emotions I don’t know how to handle them all. Twisting my hands in his shirt, I pull him harder against me. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.
“Baby, tell me what’s wrong.” Ethan’s hand strokes down my back.
“I don’t know what I feel. It’s overwhelming,” I choke out.
After I compose myself, I pull back, wiping away my tears. I smile weakly at him. “Thank you for this. I’m not sure how I will ever repay you.” A cocky smile pops on his face, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes and laugh while still wiping my eyes.
“A kiss will suffice.”
I lean forward, stand on my tiptoes, and wrap my arms around his neck. He puts both arms around me and lifts me off the ground. My mouth seals with his, and he immediately takes over the kiss. His teeth nip at my bottom lip and pull. Pulling him harder against me, I deepen the kiss. He holds me with one arm while the other hand comes up to my jaw to control my movements. He slows the kiss down and pecks me on the lips. Then on my nose, cheeks, and forehead. He speeds up his pecks until he is kissing my whole entire face. Laughing, I lean my head back, the earlier moments of feeling overwhelmed gone.
~*~
Later that night, I decide to text Sydney and tell her I want to go to the club. I’m scared out of my mind at the thought, but it’s time and I want to do this. I have chalked seeing the man in my bathroom up to being my imagination.
She messages me a few minutes later, saying she will be here in an hour. I lay my phone on the bed before I walk downstairs to Ethan, who is lounging shirtless and in sweatpants. Stopping a few feet away, I suck my lips into my mouth nervously.
“Hey, I’m going to the club with Sydney tonight,” I say hesitantly, not knowing what his reaction will be. If you haven’t noticed, Ethan is a little overprotective.
His head shoots over to me so fast he could rival the exorcist. His expression is shocked. “You’re not going,” he says sternly and turns back to the TV, dismissing me.