Chase had pulled Megan back into his own arms and was whispering in her ears now. He was shocked at Ethan's reaction. His big brother was going after Grace as soon as the water knocked her over.
Ethan gave Grace a lot of attention, more than any woman, including family. He tried his best to avoid people, yet he pushed Grace at every turn. First, flirting at the historic sites and then feeding her at dinner.
Surely, if he had slept with Grace last night, he would not be interested in her this morning. That was how Ethan operated. This man carrying Grace out of the water was new to him. It made him nervous for his brother and for Grace. Chase began comforting Megan then started playing again.
"Hold on, Gracie.” Ethan placed her arms around his neck and grabbed her thighs with his hands. She followed his lead wrapping her legs around his waist. He held on to her thighs and began the walk out of the water.
Grace rested her head on his shoulder and tried not to cry. A tear escaped anyway. The whole experience was overpowering her. Ethan had held on to her. She had let go of him. Now, here she was draped around his body one arm supporting her under her butt, the other holding her back, pressing her firmly to his chest like a child. She felt almost cherished.
Megan and Chase stayed in the water, body surfing and playing around. Ethan sat on the blanket next to Grace and watched them, pretending not to notice her tears. He didn't want to add insult to injury, and the fact she was holding them back meant she didn't want anyone to notice. So, he sat in silence. He really wasn't sure what to do with a crying woman who wasn't related to him. His cousin Stephanie worked for him. She cried a lot, but she was an emotional lady, an artist. Ethan understood that.
As he watched his little brother and Megan hoot and laugh in the waves, he wondered what his mom would think of Grace. She was like a southern belle one minute and then a feisty little imp the next. He didn't like her sad like this though. It made him feel helpless, and he hated that.
Turning his eye from the ocean to Grace, she still laid face down, silent except for an occasional sniff, and she was facing away from him. He looked back out toward the ocean at his brother and Megan still having fun. Megan seemed different here.
He knew she was using Chase to get to him all those years ago, and he hoped she genuinely loved his little brother now. He knew firsthand how manipulative women could be, always trying to trap a man.
Too much time in silence made Ethan think of the troubles ahead in New York. When he gets back, he has Chloe to deal with. How far back her treacherous deeds went he had no idea, but he would find out. She grew more dangerous each time he ran into her.
Women, women are not to be trusted.
So why was he risking himself with Grace?
Ethan lay back on the blanket and closed his eyes. He thought about how good Grace felt around him. It didn't feel sexual. Hell, she was scared to death. It just felt right, like she needed him. Needed him on a deeper level, not for money or for publicity, she needed his friendship, his time. He hated to admit he liked that. Grace was strong, independent, and single by choice. She obviously didn't need anyone, but the thought of her needing him, now that felt right.
The sun beamed down and dried his wet body. He wondered if she should put on more sun-block. When they got there, she had lathered on so much her skin was white for the few minutes it took to soak in, but that was hours ago. Remembering the feel of her skin as he helped lather up her shoulders again pulled a smile across his lips and sent a tightening to his groin.
It seemed like only minutes before Megan and Chase were standing over them ready to go, so he didn't get a chance to ask her.
"I'm starving,” Megan proclaimed. “Let's get something to eat."
Grace had regained her composure and wasn't sure why Ethan had just sat there without saying a word. Any other guy would have at least asked what was wrong. She tried to hide her tears but knew she wasn't doing a great job. He asked a hundred questions the other day, but when she was crying, he didn't say a word. She hadn't cried in years. She needed to blame it on someone, and Ethan had made her get in the water. She glared at him then returned to her sullen mood.
Men, scoundrels the lot of them!
"The sun will be going down soon. Do you want to head back or stay and watch the sunset?” Chase glanced out the large window of the pizzeria. “We could grab a bottle of wine and some glasses."
"We still have to drive home remember.” Grace spoiled the moment. Ethan had barely spoken to her since the water. She missed his attention now, his touch.
"Only one person has to drive, Gracie.” Megan turned to give her cousin a scornful eye. Grace was out to ruin everyone's night. Megan had never seen her so bitter before. She felt sorry for Ethan. Every time he tried to talk, she shut him down. It was usually the other way around. Ethan was the one driving women away, but now Grace was lining up a one way ticket out of her life, express flight. Megan felt her heartache. Grace really was driving men away, but she didn't want to believe it.
"I'll drive.” Ethan raised his hand to the waitress for their check. Grace wasn't speaking to him. He should never have pressed her to go in the water. He should have never let her get that far from his grip. She was scared. He had asked her to trust him, and he failed to keep a grip on her. He felt like such an ass, and she treated him in kind.
"Do you have a license?” Grace looked toward the man, who assumed that not speaking to a woman still entitled him to drive her new car. His confidence annoyed her.
"Yeah, of course, I do.” He gave the waitress his credit card before anyone else had a chance to move. “You don't trust me to drive across a bridge and down the block?"
His eyes were intent on hers now. They were playful, hopeful. They were hard to resist. Before she could protest, the waitress was back. He signed the check and thanked the waitress with a smile.
The girl had to be a teenager, yet she smiled a full tooth smile and blushed. Grace looked from the goo-goo eyed girl to her goo-goo eyed cousin and felt a pang of jealousy.
Why can't I have goo-goo eyes? Am I less deserving than the next woman, destined to die with only three notches on my belt, three lousy notches at that!
Ethan could see her eyes fixed on Megan, who was buried deep in his brother's neck at the moment. He thought for a moment she may burst into tears again or throw something at them the way her hand was gripping the napkin she held.
He couldn't help but wonder if that passion translated the same in the bedroom. He thought of her hands gripping a sheet the same way. He felt a twinge of the old Ethan inside just then. The man he was before his mother nominated him for the top ten bachelors list, before the Broadway starlet left him, before the gossip columns hounded him. His mother never intended to make his life hell. She just wanted him to get out there and seriously date. He did, he dated Emma, fat lot of good that did.
"Grace.” He confidently placed his hand on hers. He was ready to push the issue. “Let's go for a walk.” He eased the napkin out of her death grip and tugged her reluctantly from the booth.
"Hey wait up,” Megan called after them.
"This isn't a double date.” Ethan tugged at Grace again before sliding his arm around her waist and pressing his hand in the small of her back.
"We'll be around here.” Chase circled his fingers pointing out the window.
Ethan's fingers were long and strong, like the rest of his body. They seemed powerful lighting her with fire like when he put the sun-block on her. He pressed into the small of her back guiding her out the door. No man led her around like this, yet it came naturally to him.
Grace never really spent time at the beach. She now discovered that as the sun sets, the wind over the ocean cools quickly. Her T-shirt and shorts weren't doing much to keep her comfortable.
They kept walking into the sand and along the shoreline. She hadn't said a word though neither had he. She wanted to ask for that jacket he was wearing but refused. There would be no show of weakness, well, not another one anyway.
When Grace felt the warm cotton fabric draping over her shoulders, she wondered if he really could read minds.
"No,” he said aloud as if answering her. “I can't read minds, but I can read body language, and your body is cold right now."
"How did you know that?” Grace stopped and peered up at him. He looked so masculine with his strong jaw, the line of his nose, his eyes perfectly proportioned. He was like art. Grace never really enjoyed art, but if Ethan had been the subject to study, she had an idea it would have taken on a whole new meaning.
His cheeks and nose were pink from the sun already, but the color deepened. He was blushing.
"Well, you're either chilly or really excited to be here.” He briefly glanced at her breasts then off to the ocean. “Looks like we'll catch a good sunset."
He began walking again. He knew he was blushing, damn it. She had him all inside out again. Her innocence and total disregard for the effects of her sexuality drove him mad. Grace never tried to be sexy or get his attention like most women did. She just breathed, and he got aroused. She got angry, and he wanted to apologize, his fault or not. She dressed in natural fitting clothes, and he felt like he was looking at a girly magazine. It made no sense, but he couldn't ignore her.
"Thanks,” Grace said as she slipped her arms into the jacket. The cotton material was almost like a sweatshirt. It was warm and carried his scent. She inhaled deeply. Ethan had started walking again.
"Wait for me.” She caught up with him.
"Grace, we need to talk.” He turned to her, looked into those hazel eyes briefly then out to the ocean. She looked good in his clothes. Real good, but the specifics of this relationship needed to be hashed out. She was a moody woman, and he couldn't read her like he could other women. It made him curious about her. It lured him in. Then, she chopped his head off, and like a fool, he walked back up to the guillotine.
"Dumping me already? And we've only been pretend dating. This is a record, even for me.” Grace tried not to sound sarcastic, but those words were always followed by a break up. This was going to be bad. They should have never started this game. “Talk."
"What? I don't understand.” He gazed back at her. Did she want to throw in the towel already? That would not do. He needed her in New York. This would be a great way to throw Chloe off his trail. “What are YOU talking about?"
"It was a joke, just a bad one.” She shrugged. “Please tell me what you were thinking.” She actually wanted to know and still anticipated the—this was a bad idea rap.
"This was a great idea,” he started. “As a matter of fact, I think we need to work out a few kinks, and I would like to propose a sequel. If you're up to it?"
"What?” Grace couldn't believe her ears. She had a crying spell today. She had been moody and withdrawn. As she thought about it, she realized she had shut down all attempts he had made to talk to her since the water.
Her eyes wandered all over him. He was like any other surfer right at home. Ethan was watching the waves again now engrossed in the sunset. His brown eyes flickered with red specks reflecting the sun he focused on so intently. “What are you talking about?"
"Us.” He turned to her now. “This whole
lovers
thing. I think we need to get a good back story on each other and then really run with this."
"Are you serious?” Grace couldn't take her eyes off of him. His shoulders and chest were barely contained by the T-shirt he wore. His long legs pushed out from the board shorts and into his sandals.
Where had he learned to surf like that? Surely not in New York, he had mentioned Hawaii. Her hands began to fidget with the sweatshirt sleeves as her mind wondered if he were as agile in the bedroom. Not that she could meet his demands. She was sure he was accustomed to experienced women.
"Yes, dead serious. See I have a stalker back home in New York, and unless you had other plans arranged, I was hoping you would be my date for the wedding. We could act like a real item, you know, and hopefully that might signal her to back away and let me be."
Ethan wished he hadn't been so blunt about it, but when they changed over, he had received a call from his lawyer, and indeed Chloe was not pregnant. She tried to bribe him into not serving her the restraining order, several ways. No wonder she could get access to him. She could get access through other men.
"Are you serious?” Grace meant about the stalker, not the play along part. She knew it was the same response she already gave, but he made her into a broken record. She couldn't believe he was serious. He wanted to be with her at the wedding? Well, if he wanted to be her date for that monster of a wedding Megan was throwing, hell yeah, she'd play along. “Stalker you have a stalker? Like unsolved mysteries crazy psycho lady stalker?"
Ethan couldn't tell if she was scared or just in disbelief. He gazed down at her. Those eyes were both green and brown in a kaleidoscope of color.
His own heart was pounding. He couldn't believe he had just proposed such a ridiculous offer, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and though he liked Grace, more than he probably wanted to admit, she was free of New York. Uncorrupted by society, hell she probably didn't really know who his family was.
"I can explain everything, but later, for now.” He held out his hand. His voice was low and seductive. “Let's just look at this sunset."
She didn't know what made her obey him when he did that, but she turned to face the sunset not taking his hand.
He stepped right in behind her. His chin rested on her head, and he wrapped her comfortably in his large arms. Damn her body betrayed her at every turn with this man. She sank right into him telling herself one thing,
Don't swoon!
Just swoon.
Ethan rolled his eyes in thought. The woman had a will of steel, and he was set on breaking through to the other side. Her soft body lined up against him made his knees weak and his heart thunder. He wanted to taste her everywhere, and it was becoming a driving force. She smelled like her shampoo, the beach, and salt water. Each inhale drew her fragrance into his lungs, settling inside him.
Once the water had fully taken the sun beneath its fold, the pair trekked back toward the pizza place where Chase and Megan were sitting on a concrete table enjoying a bottle of wine and the blanket from the back of the SUV.
Though Grace was truly happy for Megan, she was sad for herself. She had started to believe the rumor that she would end up an old maid. A prudish school teacher all she lacked was some more age and glasses. What she had to do was believe that wasn't her fate and change it, she hoped. Ethan followed quietly behind her and was happy to accept when Grace held out her hand.
This man wants to put on a show, then a show he'll get. Nominate me for an Oscar.