"Want some eggs?" Jill asked and swung her legs to the side of the stool.
"No, thank you," Ethan answered. "I need to run home for a bit; I forgot to pack a toothbrush."
"Then you must go," Emma teased him.
"Are you going to be okay here?"
"I'll be fine," she assured him. "Jill knows Karate."
"Hiya!" Jill said and chopped at the counter. "Proud yellow belt right here."
"Isn't that the lowest one?" Ethan asked.
"What color is your belt?" Jill retorted.
Ethan released a low laugh. "You got me there."
"Don't worry," Emma said and rested her hands on his chest. "Flowers aren't really ominous or threatening."
Ethan studied her as she slid off the stool and stood before him. The last thing he wanted to do was leave, but he had to feed, and he needed to do it soon if he was going to remain around her and her friends for the rest of the day.
This morning, he'd woke to the rhythmic pounding of her heart and the almost cinnamon scent of her blood as it pulsed through her veins. It was the first time her blood had ensnared him in such a way. He knew it was an indication their relationship was progressing faster than he’d anticipated, but that would have to wait. She had too much going on in her life right now; he refused to put even more on her.
He would have to keep himself in control and feed better from now on, but upon waking he'd been torn between taking her again and sinking his fangs into her throat. The decision was made for him when she rolled over and cupped his balls with her small hand. He grew aroused again at the thought of her tiny hand running up and down his shaft before her body slid on top of his.
Ethan bent and kissed the top of her head before he decided to pull her back into the bedroom and push the limits of his restraint. "I'll be back in a little bit," he promised.
"You don't have to be concerned about me, really," Emma said as she walked with him to the door. She didn't want him coming around because he felt he had to, or because he felt sorry for her, and she definitely couldn't handle him getting hurt because of her. She hoped their relationship would continue, but she wouldn't blame him if he walked away. "If Tristan is here, you don't want to get wrapped up in the mess he creates."
He took her hand and turned her toward him when they arrived at the door. "If I didn't want to be here anymore, I wouldn't be."
She smiled at him and turned her cheek into his hand. "Thank you."
He bent and kissed the tip of her pert nose. "I'll see you guys soon!" he called to Jill and Mandy.
Jill leaned across the breakfast bar to look at them. "We're going to hit the beach soon, so we'll probably be by the volleyball nets!" she called.
"Maybe you should stay here until I get back," he said quietly to Emma.
Emma shook her head. "Even if it is Tristan, I didn't let him win before, and I won't let him win now. I'm not going to hide from him. We'll be fine."
He didn't look at all appeased, but he kissed her again and stepped out the door. Jill and Mandy had stopped smiling when they entered the living room after she closed the door.
"You really think it's Tristan, don't you?" Mandy inquired.
Emma was tempted to deny it, she didn't want to come across as a drama queen in case she was completely wrong, but she couldn't shake the knot of apprehension in her gut. "I do."
"We'll be on the lookout for him then, and if he comes anywhere near you again, Emma, I swear I'll cut off his nuts," Jill vowed.
Emma bit her inner cheek to keep from laughing at the solemn look on Jill's face.
"Now get your bathing suit on, it's time to catch some rays," Jill commanded.
* * *
Emma wasn't much for sitting in the sun and catching rays. Maybe it was because of her Irish heritage, or perhaps it was the fact she found it boring, but today she found herself quite content to lay in a lounge chair under an umbrella. It was probably because she was up with Ethan, talking and making love, until almost four in the morning.
Mandy was beside her with a book propped on her chest and her sunglasses in place as she read. Even with the shade of the umbrella, the warmth of the day, and the thuds and groans of the volleyball game going on nearby, lulled her.
She didn't recall falling asleep, but the sun was higher in the sky when she woke later. Rolling over, she turned to find Mandy with her head tipped sideways and the book she'd been reading laying by her side. An inelegant snore escaped her.
Emma stifled a laugh as she pulled herself up in the chair. Jill was still on the volleyball court, high-fiving her teammates. She didn't think she'd been asleep for long as they were the same teammates Jill was playing with before she fell asleep.
Emma turned, reached for her water bottle, and froze. Sitting beside the water bottle was a single black rose. A note rested on top of it. Emma pulled her hand back as swiftly as if a scorpion sat beside her. She continued to eye the rose, certain it would sprout legs and come after her.
She almost shrieked when a shadow fell across her, but though she suppressed the scream, she couldn't stop herself from recoiling so much she nearly fell out of the chair.
"What's wrong?" Ethan demanded as he knelt by her side.
She blinked at him as she tried to calm the erratic beat of her heart and get herself back under control. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself a little more, but her hand still shook as she pointed at the rose lying beside her chair. A line creased his forehead; he took a step back to look at the rose. Something sinister slid through his eyes, something that unnerved her almost as much as the rose did.
He bent to grab the flower then stood to survey the area. A lethal air vibrated from him as he turned in a circle.
He could kill someone, she didn't know where the thought came from, but it blazed across her mind seconds before he knelt beside her again. The threatening air surrounding him eased as he met her eyes and tenderly touched her arm.
"Are you all right?" She managed a nod in response to his question. "When was this left?"
"I don't know, I just woke up, and it was lying there."
He glanced at Mandy who still slept soundly before focusing on Jill. Pulling the note from the rose, he dropped the flower beneath his foot and stepped on it.
"Do you mind?" he asked as he held up the note.
Emma shook her head; he ripped the envelope open and removed the note. His frown intensified as he read over the words before scanning the beach again. He held the note out to her. Emma almost waved his hand away, but if it was from Tristan, she suspected he was somewhere nearby, watching them. She would not give him the satisfaction of thinking he frightened her.
She took the note from him and unfolded it. You still belong to me, you always will, T.
Emma crumpled it in her fist as volatile anger swelled up within her to replace the fright. She climbed to her feet beside Ethan and turned to survey the crowd.
"Do you see him?" he asked.
"No, but he's out there. I know he is."
Ethan wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. "Maybe we should get you out of here."
She agreed, but she found her feet frozen in the sand. "No."
Standing on tiptoe, she placed her hands on either side of his face and turned his head toward her. His eyes searched hers for a moment before his mouth descended on hers. Relief coursed through her as the feel of him burned away her dread over the realization Tristan had been so close to her again, that he was here. She hadn't escaped his persistent torment.
The world completely faded away as her mouth opened to the gentle probing of his tongue. Tristan didn't matter; nothing mattered as Ethan’s powerful arms enveloped her and he lifted her off her feet. Her body pressed flush against his as he held her. She wanted nothing more than this man and the way he could make her feel as if she were falling apart and coming together all at once.
She was breathless when he pulled away to look at her. There was something almost loving i
n his eyes as he searched her face before bowing his head to rest his forehead against hers. He was the most amazing man she'd ever met, and she was putting him at risk. Tristan was a ticking time bomb about to go off.
"I might be putting you in danger," she whispered.
"I can take care of myself."
"I'm not sure what he's going to do, or what he's willing to do."
"No matter what he does, I'm going to stay by you. Seriously, Emma, don't worry about me. I'm a lot stronger than I look."
"You must be as strong as a horse then."
"Stronger," he said and kissed her temple.
Though his words were supposed to reassure, she couldn't help but fear for him as her hands curled into his shirt and she dropped her head against his chest. Why did Tristan have to come back into her life just when she was moving on from his memory?
"I think I'm ready to go home," she said.
"I can help with that."
She gathered her things before kneeling at Mandy's side. Shaking her friend's shoulder, she woke her to explain what was going on before they left.
Chapter Fourteen
"That dress is beautiful," Jill said as she leaned against the doorway of Emma's room.
"Isn't it?" Emma gushed as she smoothed the front of it.
"The man is hooked," Mandy said as she pushed past Jill and walked over to sit on Emma's bed.
"I'm not so sure about that," Emma said with a laugh.
"Oh yes, he is. Men don't buy clothes for women they don't care about."
Emma frowned as she turned to face her friends. She'd never really thought about it that way, and if she really thought about it (something she'd tried not to do over the past year), Tristan hadn't bought her anything until after she left him. In fact, they'd rarely gone to dinner, and she could only recall one movie they ever saw together.
What was I doing with him? She wondered for the thousandth time. How had she gotten trapped in such an unhappy relationship and convinced herself it was good?
Her parents were incredibly loving, they rarely fought, had a happy marriage, and her father was one of the most attentive men she'd ever encountered. But somehow, she'd ended up with a manipulative, cruel, unfaithful, and unstable ass who was still trying to ruin her life.
"I suppose they don't," she murmured as she ran her hands over the front of the dress.
"Nope, they don't," Jill agreed.
Emma stepped in front of the mirror; she pulled her hair back and twisted it into a loose knot resting against the nape of her neck. Jill walked over and began to sort through her earrings on the dresser.
"Wear these," she said and held up two dangling butterflies interwoven with the colors of green, purple, and blue. They matched the dress perfectly.
Emma smiled as she took them from Jill's hand. "Perfect," she agreed.
A knock on the door brought up all their heads. "I'll get it, finish getting ready," Jill said and fairly bounced out of the room.
"Where are you going tonight?" Mandy inquired.
"I don't know, Ethan just told me to wear this dress, and that it was a surprise."
"Sounds like it might be fancy," Mandy teased.
Emma enjoyed the feel of the earrings dangling from her ears as she shook her head at her friend. "Let's hope it's not too fancy."
Jill appeared in the doorway again; she was fanning herself with her hand as she walked into the room. "He is so hot," she whispered. "From the look of that man I don't think you're going to make it to dinner tonight."
"Jill—" Mandy started.
"No seriously, I almost jumped him when he walked through the door."
Emma tried to stifle her chuckle, but Mandy and Jill's laughter did nothing to help her hold back.
"There's something wrong with you," she told Jill as she slipped her feet into her sandals.
"With me? There's something wrong with you if you make it past the salad," Jill retorted. "Public place or not."
Great, just what she needed, to be tempted by him in a public place again. She'd been able to turn him away last time, but now she knew what it was like to have him on top of her, inside of her...
Ugh, even now her mind was wandering down treacherous pathways, and her body was beginning to heat.
Emma wiped her suddenly damp hands on a towel and took a steadying breath. She was incredibly curious to see what it was making Jill so enthusiastic about his appearance. Mandy climbed to her feet and looped her arm through Emma's.
"Now let's go, I have got to see what has Jill practically drooling like a bulldog," Mandy said.
"Oh, you'll be drooling too, believe me," Jill replied and led the way out the door.
Emma followed them and had to keep her jaw from dropping when she spotted Ethan standing by the door. His hair was brushed back to reveal the broad planes of his face. The black shirt he wore hugged the muscles of his chest; the sleeves were close fitting around his biceps and flexed as he adjusted his position. His black slacks hugged an ass she'd held in her hands before. The hungry gleam in his emerald eyes made her want to retreat to her room with him right then and there.
"You look beautiful," he told her as he strode toward her.
Was she supposed to speak? Apparently, she was as Mandy nudged her in the back. "Thank you," she managed to get out.
He held his arm out to her, and she took it. "Hope you don't mind walking, it's not far."
"Not at all," she assured him with a smile.
She glanced back at Jill and Mandy only to find them both fanning themselves. ‘Told you so,’ Jill mouthed, and they both bit their bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud.
Emma had to agree with them as she closed the door behind her. Keeping hold of his arm, she leaned against his side as they walked up the hill.
"Where are we going?" she inquired.
"Patience," he told her.
They were still a couple of hundred feet from his house when she realized that's where they were heading. "Are we meeting Isabelle and Stefan?"
"No."
The fact he didn't elaborate on his answer piqued her curiosity more as he stopped outside the door to his house and unlocked it. He made an elegant sweeping gesture with his arm for her to enter first. A giggle escaped her, something she couldn't remember doing in years, as she stepped into the foyer and waited for him to close the door. He locked the door, took her arm, and led her across the beautiful living room.
She frowned at him as he stopped her before the French doors leading out to the pool area and pushed the doors open. Her hand flew to her mouth as she spotted the two-person table set up on the patio with a single white candle in the middle of the red tablecloth. Beyond the table and patio walls, the ocean and setting sun provided the perfect backdrop for a dinner scene she only thought existed in romance novels or movies.
A lump formed in her throat as she turned her head to look at him. He may not have known what he was doing when he set up this table, or maybe he had, but he had completely stolen her heart. The smile he gave her didn't help, and it was taking everything she had not to start crying with joy.
She only had two weeks left on the island; she hadn't even known him for two weeks. She shouldn't be feeling like this so early in the relationship but she'd never felt like this about anyone before, and she never would again. This was a once in a lifetime experience, and it was hers. It seemed too good to be true, and though she was terrified of what would happen in two weeks, she was going to enjoy every second of the rest of the time they were together.
The amount of emotion in Emma's eyes robbed him of his breath. The setting sun shimmered in her hair and caused her hazel eyes to turn the color of cat's eyes. Watching her, he no longer held any doubt about what she was to him, and he wanted nothing more than to have her by his side for eternity.
He wasn't sure she would still be standing next to him if she knew half the thoughts running through his mind. And just how was he supposed to break the news to her? His mother almost l
eft his father, and they dated for a good month longer than he and Emma. He wouldn't blame her if she went screaming into the night and never looked back, but tonight wasn't the night to dwell on it.
Tonight was just for them, and hopefully, a good way to help her forget about her asshole ex-boyfriend, who was already as good as dead in his mind.
"This is amazing," Emma whispered. He smiled at her as he took her elbow and walked her over to the table. Pulling out a chair, he waited for her to sit before pushing it in. The heat of his body burned into hers as he leaned forward to light the candle before her.
"I thought a light salad and some chicken would be good," he told her.
"You cooked?"
He chuckled as he bent to kiss her cheek. "There are some things even I can't do. I am good at ordering out though."
"So am I," she told him as she unfolded the napkin and placed it on her lap. He went back inside and came out with two small bowls of salad. "Where are Isabelle and Stefan?"
"Stefan was kind enough to pack up my sister and take her over to St. George's for the night," he answered. "They won't be back until tomorrow night."
Warmth spread through her, the beat of her heart picked up as excitement trickled through her. She was hungry before they sat down, but her appetite vanished at the realization they had this whole place to themselves. Lifting the fork, she forced herself to take a bite of the crisp salad sprinkled with fruits, nuts, and cheese.
They became so engrossed in conversation, she didn't realize she’d finished her salad until he took the bowl away and brought out two plates of chicken. "This is delicious," she told him.
"I'll be sure to pass on your appreciation," he told her as he leaned back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head. He enjoyed watching the rise and fall of her chest against the bodice of her dress. The swell of her breasts was barely visible above the neckline, but even still, he longed to trace his fingers over the bared flesh, to feel it beneath him and to run his tongue over it. He was getting an erection just thinking about it as she ate.
His eyes were almost predatory as he watched her finish off the last of her dinner. She was finding it difficult to breathe as she placed her fork down and folded her hands in her lap. "Would you like some dessert?" he inquired.
The Vampire Awakenings Bundle: Books 1-5 Page 69