Please Don't Tell (20 page)

             
“There’s no problem, Mr. Powell.” Jason said as he pulled away, but continued to glare at Ethan.

             
“Maybe if you stopped trashing Sophie in the locker room and weren’t a wanker....no, you know what? Even then, I don’t think she’d like you,” Ethan said, before he took a step closer to Jason.

             
Jason balled his hand into a fist. Ethan gave the ‘make a move’ gesture with his hands, that said, ‘bring it on’ just as Mr. Powell had to intervene again. “All right you two. Off we go.” He grabbed each of them by the arm and led them into the hall.

             
Val yelled out, “Holy shit, Sophie.”

             
I couldn’t believe everything that just happened and it was all because of me. I knew I should have called him earlier in the week, but my knee killed half the time and I really didn’t want to speak to him about this over the phone. “I know,” I said, frustrated. I sat back down with my hands in my hair, and massaged my temples back and forth; trying to stop the headache from coming on. I reached into my bag, grabbed a painkiller and popped one for safe measure.

             
Ava sat down next to me. “What the hell just happened?”

             
“Long story,” I told her.

             
Val said, “Oh, my God. They fought over you...could Ethan seriously be any more perfect? I mean the way he defended you like that, so romantic,” she said, dreamily.

             
“That’s not my idea of romantic, Val.” I pushed my plate in front of me to the side. “I mean what was he thinking? What if they kick him out or something?”

             
“For what? He didn’t do anything. No punches were thrown,” Kelly shrugged.

             
Waiting for the last period bell to ring had been pure torture. I hadn’t seen either one of them walking through the halls or in classes or at their lockers when I looked. I hobbled out to my car as fast as my stupid leg would allow. I was sure he would be there, but he wasn’t leaning on my car like the usual, no cocky ass grin smeared across his face. Where the hell could he be?

             
I waited twenty minutes inside listening to the radio, allowing my car to really warm up in hopes that he would just pop out of nowhere. But, he never did.  My cell rang. I recognized the number immediately and answered. “Hey, where are you?” His mother had gotten him one of those oversea plans.
             

             
“Home,” he answered.

             
“How did you get there?”

             
“Walked. It’s only four blocks. Besides, they called your mom and she was unavailable to come get me. Some meeting or something, so they let me walk.”

             
“I’ll be home in five.”

             
“Can’t wait,” he said.

             
Flying the car into the driveway I slammed it into park and opened the door to get out. Ethan had been standing at the front entrance in his peacoat that I’d loved. I swung my feet around carefully to step out onto the pavement, when my bad leg slipped on a patch of black ice. My back grazed the rim of the outside my car, my feet flew out in front of me and my ass slammed to the ground. “Shit, I hate this,” I screamed out loud.

             
Ethan ran over and hoisted me into a standing position and scooped me up into his arms.

             
“Sorry about that. I should have come over quicker,” he said, before he pecked my lips quickly.

             
“You don’t have to carry me all the time,” I reminded him as he started to walk then yelled out, “watch the black...” We both fell to the ground before I got the last word out, “ice.” He laughed out loud then said, “Shite, are you okay?”

             
“I’m fine.” We both stayed there for what seemed like forever, when he planted his cold lips onto mine. I had started to shiver and my knee throbbed from the pain, but I didn’t care. He had been kissing me and when he did the world seemed to fade away.

             
“Are you two having fun?” Val yelled out from the street as she sat in her car with her window down.

             
We both quickly looked over. “We’re fine.” We both answered together.

             
“I was going to come in, but it looks like maybe I’ll come back later,” she yelled, before she pulled away. She waved out the window and then honked the horn all the way down the street.

             
“Right, let’s get you inside,” he said, as he hoisted himself and then reached down for me.

             
Once safely inside he walked me over to the sofa bed which was now back to a couch.

             
“Do you want anything?” He asked, as I tugged off my coat, throwing it over the arm rest of the couch.

             
“I would love some hot chocolate.”

             
“Hot chocolate it is.”

             
I yelled out, “Could you grab me my medicine off the counter, please.”

             
When he came back he sat so close to me that our legs grazed one another.  This caused a little spark to go off inside of me. He scooped my good leg up and over and rested it on his thigh. “Sorry about today. He just pissed me off acting like he’d owned you.”

             
“What were you thinking? I mean, really?” I asked, then popped the little pill into my mouth and took a small sip from my mug.

             
“He’s all talk, trust me. You should hear the rubbish he spits out in the locker room.”

             
“What does he say?”

             
“You don’t want to know.”

             
“Yea, I do.”

             
“Let’s just say that he seems to be under the impression that his baseball skills are better than mine when it comes to you.”

             
Technically they were, but I didn’t remind him of that little tidbit.

             
I bit down in my thumbnail. “It’s all talk y’know.”

             
“Just to clarify things, I want to ask my question of the day.”

             
“Sure.”

             
“Remember, honesty.”

             
I nodded.

             
“Did you really sleep with him that night when he was over? Y’know the black panties?”

             
I thought the hot chocolate in my mouth was going to come flying out. “What?”

             
He studied my face as he waited for an answer. “Sophie...honesty.”

             
“So, just to clarify your question are you asking me if I slept with Jason or if I’m a virgin?”

             
“Both.” He shrugged. “I guess.”

             
“Well, that’s two questions,” I teased.

             
“Fine, just Jason.”

             
“No, never. And since I’m in such a good mood and the pain meds are starting to kick in I’ll answer both. I’ve never done that with anyone.”

             
I took another sip and placed my mug down. “Now back to you picking a fight with him.”

             
A smile crept across his face. One that I recognized. It was a smile that had relief written all over it. “He would have backed down, trust me.”

             
“What makes you so sure?”

             
“Years of playing Rugby. I would have crushed him. I’d love to see someone like him play with no pads, no helmets, no excuses. American football is just a bunch of fucking blokes who think they can play a real man’s sport.”

             
“Nice mouth.”

             
He leaned over. “Speaking of my mouth, it’s really wanting to kiss you right now.” His fingertips grabbed my chin and he pressed his mouth against mine. I felt like I could kiss him forever. When we kissed my whole world went a little haywire. His mouth, his tongue, his fingers that roamed in exactly the right places.Well, it had me just about going crazy as he touched me.

             
We were caught up kissing and playing around when the front door blew open and then slammed.

             
“Eeew, what are you guys doing?” Austin asked.

             
I pulled my leg off of him. “Hey, Aus. Ethan was just stretching out my leg, y’know like physical therapy stuff.

             
He shrugged and rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Is there any food to eat? I’m starving,” he asked, as he dropped his backpack onto the floor.

             
Austin walked in and Ethan tossed the remote next to me.

             
They both came back into the room minutes later. Austin plopped down next to me. Ethan looked down at me, and shrugged his shoulders as he walked over and sat in the big comfy chair. Austin grabbed the remote and turned the channel to Drake and Josh while eating a PB&J sandwich.

             
“You know I think I’ll study upstairs,” I said.

             
“Could you help me, Ethan?” Really the only studying I wanted to do was a slow Anatomy crash course with him.

             
He leaped out of his chair, grinning. “Absolutely.”

             
As Ethan was helping me up the stairs my mother came through the garage with a handful of groceries. “Oh, hey you two. Sophie, honey. How are you feeling today?”

             
Crap! “Better thanks.”

             
“Ethan will you be a dear and get the rest of the bags from the car after you help Sophie upstairs?”

             
“Sure, Mrs. Gerrard,” he said, as he shrugged and rolled his eyes at me.

             
He helped me in to my bed. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. We’ll study or something like that.” He quickly leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. His mouth hovered over mine as he ran his hand down my arm. Then my mom yelled out, “Ethan, I thought you could make your chicken curry tonight. I grabbed everything that you’d need.”

             
He let out a deep breath. “I’ll come back up and get you when dinner’s ready.” He stroked my cheek with his fingertips before he turned on his heels and disappeared.

             
Of all the lucky breaks. She was away constantly and when we finally started to make some amazing progress--bam she was home.

             
Knowing I had at least a full hour before he came up to get me, I slowly walked over to the bathroom to take a shower. Pulling off my brace and setting it down before I cranked on the faucet. Letting the water slowly drip off my back I stood like a statue while I’d let it soak my body. I loved super hot showers when it was cold outside. I could stay in there all day, or at least until my fingers started to take the shape of small raisins.

             
I had barely finished dressing when Ethan entered my room with a little tap  at the door.

             
He moaned loudly. “That’s not playing nice.”

             
Pulling the Tee down over my head and slightly embarrassed that I didn’t shut the door, I felt my face flush having him see me in my bra. “Two minutes earlier then I really wouldn’t have been playing nice,” I said, trying to force myself not to laugh out loud.

             
He walked over to me in two huge steps and pulled our bodies together. “You are beyond cute when you’re wet and nervous.”

             
“I’m not nervous,” I said, dipping my head down, my face still flushed.

             
He tipped my chin back up, forcing me to look into his eyes.“You are. I remember that look from the island when you wore that way too small blue suit. Which by the way, I happened to have loved.”

             
I punched him in his shoulder. “Knock it off or you’ll never see that suit again.”

             
He breathed in deeply, again. “Hungry?”

             
“Starving.”

             
He grabbed my hand. “Let’s go.”

             
We started to walk out, but then he lightly pinned me up against the wall. His hands fell to my waist, pulling me in closer. His one hand stayed at my waist his other wrapped around my neck when he dipped his head down. His mouth kissed the corner of my chin and then his lips slid down, kissing every inch of my neck. When his mouth reached my collarbone and his hand slipped my Tee slightly down, exposing my shoulder, I thought my body would immediately go into cardiac arrest. My heart rate soared so high I thought if this was how I was going to die...I might as well go down this way.

             
Austin cleared his throat.“Ah, Soph. Mom told me to come get you guys,” Austin said.

We pulled back immediately. I flew away from Ethan. My eyes closed briefly before opening them again, I looked at Austin. His mouth was hanging wide open as he stared at the two of us.

             
“Austin, please don’t tell Mom. I’ll pay you ten bucks to keep your mouth shut.”

             
He smiled and then rubbed his hands together. “Make it fifty. I need a new game for Xbox.”

             
My eyes narrowed. “Deal.”

             
As we walked downstairs, Ethan just chuckled softly like it was no big deal. “That lad drives a hard bargain.”

             
“I’ll say.”