by Roya Carmen
He took her hand and led her toward the balcony. She had somewhere a little more private in mind, like that dark storage room, but anywhere with him would do.
As they stepped out, Kirsten took in beautiful Seattle. The flickering colorful lights were dancing and the night was magical. They rushed past the few people scattered across the balcony. They retreated to a little dark corner, secluded from everyone.
"God... I've missed you," he whispered as he pressed his lips against hers. It was everything she had wished for, his warmth pressed against her body, the sweet taste of his mouth. She wanted more. She wanted him naked, deep inside her. As he caught her bottom lip between his, she wondered if it would always be like this between them, high drama, intense sex... the need, the craving. Was this all there was to them? Was this all she was to him? Amazing sex?
She pulled reluctantly from him. "Ethan... we can't," she whispered. "Not here."
"I know," he conceded with a pained expression. "I just want you so badly."
Her gaze fell to the stone floor. "Is this all you want from me?" She couldn't look at him because she was too afraid of his answer. She didn't even want to ask the question. But she had to.
He pressed his fingers against her chin and tilted her head to face him. "Look at me, dragonfly," he said, his voice stern. "Look at me when I tell you I love you."
Her breath hitched. He loved her.
"This isn't just about sex," he went on, dead-serious. "For the first time in my life, this isn't just about sex for me. I love you, Kirsten. I've never loved anyone before. I've been searching for you all my life… for someone to prove to me that there is true love, to believe in someone I can love, someone who won't hurt me.” His expression softened as he added, "And I've finally found her.”
Kirsten eyes welled up, her heart brimming with emotion. "I love you too, Ethan. You're all I can think about. No other man has ever made me feel the way you do. It's only you."
He smiled, a sweet grin. "You and Cole..."
"We just broke up," she told him. "I just broke it off when I realized I was completely leading him on. You were all I could think about."
He pressed his lips against hers again. She reveled in his kiss but as she felt herself being lifted, caught up in him again, she pulled away. "Hey baby, we probably shouldn't start something we can't stop.”
His grin was wicked when he whispered. "Although the night is still young, I think you need to go home and get to bed, young lady."
She smiled wide. "Oh yes, I agree wholeheartedly. Let's go."
Kirsten was filled with anticipation as they gathered her clutch and shawl from the table and raced past the dance floor on their way out. She couldn't wait to have him naked and all over her. Tonight they would make love until sunrise, not miss an inch of skin.
She nipped at Ethan's heels, and struggled to keep up with his long strides.
"Kirsten," she heard her name called out in the distance. Both she and Ethan turned around to see Logan closing in on them.
"Are you on your way out?" Logan asked, curious.
Her heart was pounding like a jack hammer. From the racing around? From being surprised by Logan? From the impending sex? She wasn't sure. "Oh, Logan," she said, completely breathless. "Yes... I was just leaving."
Logan lifted his head as he took in the enigmatic Ethan Fox, and Kirsten delighted in his expression, quizzical awe. Who was this vision of a man? She had always known Logan to be a curious man, and she knew he was just dying to know who this man was.
"That's too bad. We didn't even get to dance," he pointed out with a sly grin, "for old times' sake."
Kirsten smiled. He didn't even instigate anger in her anymore, because she simply didn't care. He had morphed into a caricature.
"Yep... that's too bad," she added as she set out to leave.
Logan extended his hand to Ethan. "Logan Smith."
Ethan offered him his dashing smile. "Ethan Fox."
"Oh... Ethan Fox,” he said, wide-eyed. "I've heard of you," Logan told him, as if this little tidbit would suddenly make them best friends. "Funny," Logan added. "You're the second one I've met tonight. Where did your other date go to, Kirsten?" he added playfully, and Kirsten knew he was trying to stir the pot. She knew him too well.
"That was Cole," Ethan chimed in. "He's a friend of Kirsten's," he added with a smile. "But me... I'm the one, the one she's going to marry one day."
Kirsten's heart skipped a beat. And Logan seemed taken aback too. She didn't quite know who was more surprised by this revelation. She stood speechless as Ethan carried on.
"I actually wanted to thank you, Sir," Ethan told him. "If you hadn't been foolish enough to let her go, she and I would have never gotten to know each other and never have fallen in love. So I owe you all the gratitude in the world."
Logan stood, jaw hanging, speechless.
"Now, if you'll excuse us," Ethan went on, towering over Logan. "We're trying to hurry back to my place. I'm planning to make sweet love to my beautiful girlfriend. And then I'll do it all over again, but the second time, I plan to make her scream," he added with a wicked smirk. "And I can't very well do that if we keep chatting with her annoying pretentious ex, now can I?"
Logan stood speechless. In fact he hadn't uttered a single word for quite a while now. Kirsten tried to bite down a smile but couldn't quite do it. She exploded into laughter as Ethan winked at her and grabbed her hand. They raced out of the crowd, both wearing Cheshire cat grins.
Suddenly, she didn't want to wait for the ride home. She wanted him right then. As they raced past the storage room, she pulled him back. "Wait, I've got the perfect little spot for us."
And as they stepped into the small dark space, he pressed her against the storage shelf and whispered against her ear, "I love you, you wicked little dragonfly."
Epilogue
Six months later...
As they made their way to Elliot Bay, Kirsten sulked a little. She had no reason to. It was a beautiful night in Seattle, and she was madly in love. As she and Ethan walked hand in hand through the troves of tourists, he smiled at her. "You need to do it," he teased. "Just jump in."
She glared at him. "I told myself I'd never go on that thing again."
As they made their way to the ticket booth, Ethan laughed. "You need to face it. You see it every day. Hell, we have the best view of the Wheel in our own living room."
She smiled. "Yeah, I'm glad you never sold your place."
He pulled her closer to him as they stood in the line of eager tourists. "It's time to replace the old miserable memories with new happy ones," he added with a kiss on her cheek. "We'll have fun. I promise."
As they stepped into the VIP Gondola car, she couldn't help but squeal a little. "This is so much better than last time," she told him as she settled her rear on one of the luxurious red leather seats. "This rocks."
He flashed her his amazing smile as he took a seat next to her. "I'm glad you're happy."
"Why wouldn't I be," she said, her eyes on the ground below her feet. "Better seat, better company... and check out this glass floor... it's so crazy."
She gazed up and caught him looking at her, the way he always did, with adoration and love. Logan had never looked at her that way. Not even once. She thought back to her last time on the Great Wheel. As she had been going up in the sky, she had not been thinking about how much she loved Logan and how much she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She had been thinking about the wedding day, the dress, the flowers, the bridesmaids. She had never truly loved Logan. Not in the way she loved Ethan. She pulled her eyes from the Seattle skyline to look at her beautiful man. Not only was he beautiful outside, but inside as well.
As they slowly made their way up, they took in Elliot Bay and the beautiful Seattle skyline at night. The twinkling lights were magical. She glanced occasionally at Ethan. His smile was sweet. But he seemed nervous and not quite himself. She cocked a brow as she studied him.
Wh
en they finally reached the highest peak and their gondola swayed at the top, he did a quick a jerk of his head as he reached into his pocket. She smiled because he seemed nervous. That adorable tic was a tell-tale sign. What was he up to?
When he pulled out a pretty blue velvet box, she knew. Tears of happiness made their way to the surface at rocket speed and her words caught in her throat. She was speechless. It was all too much. Ethan wore a sweet expression as he opened the velvet box and presented her with the most beautiful diamond ring she'd ever seen; white gold, dragonfly design, a gorgeous diamond flanked by a myriad of smaller ones.
She wanted to say 'yes' but had suddenly lost the ability to vocalize.
His smile faded slowly as he watched her, sudden concern clouding his features. Oh no, she thought. Thankfully, she found her words again. "Yes... yes, I'll marry you, Ethan."
A huge grin practically split his face in two as he took her in his arms. "I love you, Kirsten."
"I love you too, Ethan."
He held on to her tightly, and she didn't want him to ever let go. "How's that for a new memory?" he asked.
She laughed, her eyes full of happy tears. "Amazing... the best."
The end.
A note from the author:
Hi! Thanks so much for reading FIXING YOU. Hope you enjoyed Kirsten and Ethan’s story. If you enjoyed the book, please consider telling your friends , or writing a review and checking out my other novels.
If you enjoyed this story, check out the first chapter of ONLY YOU, a steamy summer romance novella, at the end of this book.
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Cheers!
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my amazing husband and kiddoes.
I would also like to thank all my amazing readers, and all the wonderful readers on Wattpad who originally made this story a success. It received 2.3 million reads!!! And also tons of comments and wonderful feedback. And many thanks to all those who have shared my books, whether it be by telling a friend, writing a review, or sharing on social media. Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers who have supported The Ground Rules Trilogy, The Riverstone Series, the One Week series, and the Orchard Heights series. You have no idea how much that means. Reviews are crucial and word of mouth is key. Without all of you, I wouldn’t be here.
Again, thank you to my wonderful Beta readers, Chancy, Geneva, Melissa, Veronika, and Louise. You gals are all amazing, and good friends. I can’t thank you all enough. I’m very lucky to have you all.
And finally, thank you to all my book friends!
About the Author
Roya Carmen is a book junkie, self-professed chocoholic and hopeless romantic. A graduate of Ryerson University, she worked in Graphic Communications before becoming a stay-at-home mom. She has always loved writing, finding her passion for romance in 2008. She enjoys spending time with her family, camping, playing billiards, and painting. And of course, there is nothing she enjoys more than sitting down at her laptop and making up stories – and if those stories should include beautiful men, a little romance, and a few steamy scenes, all the better!
Roya lives north of Toronto with her husband and three children.
Also by Roya Carmen
To check out all my books, please check my Amazon profile at: https://amzn.to/2MTAY5l
The Ground Rules Trilogy - International bestselling erotic romance trilogy.
The Riverstone Series – A series of steamy standalone reads.
One Week Series - A series of steamy standalone reads.
Orchard Heights series - A series of steamy standalone reads.
Back to You (The You Collection) - A sweet summer romance.
Only You (The You Collection) - A steamy summer novella.
Read below for more detailed info.
The Riverstone Series
A beautiful inherited estate. Three unforgettable love stories.
Loving Amber
(A standalone novel. Book 1 of The Riverstone Series.)
Torn by tragedy. Reunited by love.
A steamy forbidden romance. Two years following her husband’s tragic death, a widow struggles with feelings for the man she holds responsible.
“Loving Amber is a second chance at love story with a twist of the forbidden. This book had so many feels. My heart broke over and over again.” - Sultry Sirens Book Blog
Author's note: contains sexual scenes and some coarse language. This is the first book of the Riverstone Estate Series and can be enjoyed as a STANDALONE read.
Loving Ruby
(A standalone novel. Book 2 of The Riverstone Series.)
A sinful boss secretary romance.
I’ve heard all the rumours: He killed his wife. He’s on house arrest. He’s a vampire. Yet still, when I get a job offer from the reclusive Mr. Hyde, I jump at the chance. Yes, I know I’m crazy.
I’m cautious at first, but then I discover a beautiful, quirky man. I also see a tortured soul who lives in darkness. I know I should run, yet I can’t tear myself away. I want to discover all his secrets. I desperately want to help him. And when he draws me deeper into his strange little world, I want to stay.
Author's note: contains sexual scenes and some coarse language. This is the second book of the Riverstone Estate Series and can be enjoyed as a STANDALONE read.
Loving Jade
(A standalone novel. Book 3 of The Riverstone Series.)
A story about courage and new beginnings.
In an attempt to escape her abusive husband, a woman seeks refuge at a horse estate and falls in love with her equine therapist.
Author's note: contains sexual scenes and some coarse language. This is the last book of the Riverstone Estate Series and can be enjoyed as a STANDALONE read.
The Ground Rules Trilogy
Two beautiful couples. Five simple rules. One hot mess.
Gabe and Mirella Keates are happily married – high school sweethearts, in fact. But by chance, one fateful night, they meet the rich and enigmatic Weston Hanson and his beautiful wife Bridget.
Mirella is instantly drawn to the sexy, mysterious, peculiar man and soon becomes obsessed with him. And when the dynamic couple makes them an unthinkable proposal, Mirella and Gabe accept, driven by lust and desire, despite knowing the risks.
The ground rules are clear, but as Mirella discovers the kind and gentle man hidden under Weston’s cold, rigid exterior, she soon falls hard for him. And as Weston’s walls begin to crumble, he starts to break his own rules as well.
As Mirella falls deeper, she is torn between her feelings for Weston and her love for her husband. And as the volatile and passionate Gabe becomes increasingly jealous, Mirella realizes her entire world is tearing at the seams.
Author's note: contains sexual scenes and some coarse language. This is a trilogy but the first book can be enjoyed as a standalone read. The Ground Rules (Book 1), The Ground Rules Rewritten (Book 2), The Ground Rules Undone (Book 3)
Read the excerpt of Chapter One following this section.
The One Week Series - A series of steamy standalone reads.
One Week
A troubled marriage. A one week hall pass. A married woman falls for a beautiful stranger she meets online, and is given permission by her husband to spend a week with him.
One Week Hating You (Book 2)
One Week in Paris (Book 3)
Stuck with You: A ONE WEEK novella.
Only You - Excerpt - Chapter One
I’m making a complete mess.
Who knew it was so hard to paint polka dots on one’s own nails? Other women make this kind of thing look so easy.
But then again, I’m not most women. I’m a “character,” my bestie says. That might just be T
rish’s way of saying neurotic, irrational… crazy.
I screw the bottle of black nail polish shut, my pinkie pointed toward the ceiling. My nails look like shit, and I couldn’t care less. I’m not going anywhere tonight. I’m probably destined to never go anywhere again. I think I’ll just stay home for the rest of my life and watch romantic comedies and take up crocheting again. I used to be really good at it. I’m sure it’s like riding a bicycle.
The intercom buzzes. I know it’s Trish, so I buzz her up, unlock the door, plop on the sofa, and get back to my laptop. I managed to leave it for a whole ten minutes while I was attempting to art-ify my nails.
Complete fail.
I check out Melanie’s page again. I’m obsessed. Ever since the breakup a week ago, I’ve been fixated on her. I want to see what she has that I don’t have. I want to know why Matthew chose her over me. Why he would end a two-year relationship to be with her?