He'd saved me from the mountain lion, then cleaned me up and healed me.
Ethan hadn't expected or planned what we'd done, it just happened.
Was he really a player?
Doubts kept trying to slink their way into my brain.
Aubrey had gotten to me. But she knew him better than I did, if I were smart, I would trust her.
Walking into work, I settled myself in at my desk and began my morning check of voicemails and emails.
Glancing to the far end of the room, Ethan's door stood open, as usual.
My senses were on high alert as he walked by and pulled up a chair to talk to Aster. I heard her tinkling laugh and pursed my lips. When Ethan looked up toward me, I pretended not to see him.
A few times, he caught my eye and gave me a saucy wink.
I widened my eyes at him as a warning. Did he want everyone to know about us?
When lunch came around, I dreaded my plans with Aubrey as I drove to the small café she'd suggested.
Pulling up next to her car, I spotted her and Chance sitting in the outdoor covered deck to the side of the building.
Uh oh! Was this an intervention?
Hesitantly, I approached the table. "Hey guys, I'm a bit late, have you ordered yet?"
"Yeah, I hope you don't mind. I ordered for you…but I promise you'll love it!" Aubrey was nearly shaking with giddiness.
I laughed as the couple stared adoringly at each other. "What's going on?"
Aubrey made a happy grimace showing all her teeth. "Well, we've known for a while, but we've held off saying anything. Anyhow, I'm pregnant! We're pregnant."
"What?"
"Yeah," her Aussi confirmed, "Aubrey's been so anxious we haven't told anyone. Went to the doctor this morning. Everything's well on the way. Our little bean will be here in a few months."
"A few months? Well, congratulations, guys!" I stood and came around to give hugs before returning to my seat. "I wondered why you acted so weird when I mentioned you two having kids! I thought maybe it was a taboo subject." I laughed.
"Well, I had an ultrasound today," she scrunched up her face, "I'm six months along."
I let out a sigh. "Six months! Six months?! And you're just now telling me?"
Aubrey set her hand on my arm, "You know miscarriages run in my family. I wanted to make sure that this bun would stay in the oven before telling anyone. Besides, other than Chance, you're the first to know."
I blew out a long breath. "Wow! It's just a shock. I'm just shocked that you didn't tell me sooner." Yeah, like your wedding.
She bit her lip, "I am sorry we hurt you by not telling you."
The silence lengthened until Chance spoke, "So, Aubrey tells me you've had a dalliance with your boss?"
"Aubrey? You told him?" I groaned.
"Caro, Chance won't tell anyone."
The Aussi spoke up, "I disagree with Aubrey. I mean I don't know the bloke, but he deserves a chance, right?"
I sucked in a breath waiting to hear his reasoning, but Aubrey interrupted. "I'm trying to protect Caro."
"Nah, I've met the man once before, and I think he's a good guy. What gives you the right to tell her to cut it off?" He asked his wife.
I sank into my chair and covered my face. "I don't know Chance, maybe Aubrey's right. Ethan hasn't spoken to me all morning. But in all fairness, we both have been busy."
I pressed my lips together and watched as the couple discussed the pros and cons of Ethan.
Chance, who I normally butted heads with, actually took my side for once. "Princess," he addressed Aubrey, "What if he's actually a good guy and you've pegged him wrong. I mean, you told me yourself that your dislike of him is based on rumors."
She sighed and frowned. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's a bad guy, but something about him makes me uneasy. Where there's smoke, there's fire? Right, Caro?"
He's a vampire. Yep.
I had to cut this off. "Both of you, I appreciate the help, but I'm going to play it by ear. Most likely, nothing else will happen." I moved my hands as the waitress set down my plate. "Besides, I want to hear about the baby! I'm going to be Auntie Caro…yes, that's what I want to be called. What is it? Boy or Girl? I want to hear all about it! And names? What are you going to name it?"
Chance spoke first around a French fry he popped in his mouth, "Well, we don't know the sex yet, but I was thinking Willow or Luna."
"Mmm…What if it's a boy?" Aubrey asked, sipping her water. "Caro, these names are not agreed on at all. My girl names are Emma or Olivia. My boy names are Alex, after my grandfather, or Lucus…or maybe Liam."
The rest of lunch went by in pleasant banter about their new baby, which was probably the only topic that could take my mind off Ethan.
Back in the office, I couldn't help but feel a bit angry at Aubrey for everything she'd said about Ethan. All her worries were based on her feelings and rumors or 'roomahs' as Chance would say it. I appreciated her trying to protect me, but after my run-in with the mountain lion, I couldn't just keep closing myself off to anything that might hurt me.
Apparently, that's how I become a regretful virgin.
As I sat there, thinking about my vampire, his door opened. Then a busty brunette with sleepy eyes and mussed hair strode out. Her tall heels clicked on the hard flooring as she walked past me in a cloud of perfume.
She's just a blood donor, I told myself.
Ethan stood there in his doorway, his eyes on me. Damn that warm tingle that ran through my body. How could he have just been in there with her and smile at me like that?
Closing the distance between us, he leaned on the glass partition of my cubicle. "You look like you've been busy all morning. Do you have a moment to come chat with me?" The corner of his mouth quirked up into an impish half-smile.
Standing, I tried to calm my racing heart as his eyes seemed to devour me.
I didn't want doubts. I just wanted certainty, but life doesn't come with guarantees.
We strode through his office door, and he closed it behind himself.
"Thinking about the other night?" He asked me, tilting his head a bit to the side.
"No," I answered immediately.
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, "I want to see you again. Tonight?"
Studying one of the drawings that hung around the wall, I bit my lip. "Aubrey says you're a player."
He raised an eyebrow, "Aubrey called me a player?"
I nodded and joined him on his modern office couch.
He shook his head and let out a derisive laugh, "Yeah, I've heard those rumors too. You know I have needs and what they might look like to those on the outside."
"Those women, they're just blood donors, right?"
"That's all. You know what I am." He reached over and took my hand into his.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Ahhh…this is so crazy. Am I like sworn to secrecy or something? Am I going to have to be changed now, or what's the deal?"
He shook off my questions, which irritated me.
"We live in a litigious world, and even though I have other means to deal with issues like this, I think it best you sign these papers." Then Ethan stood and paced the room before picking a stack of papers off his desk.
Stopping before me, he handed me the documents held together with a paperclip.
"What?" I read the top of a document. "Consensual Relationship Agreement?" I began skimming over the page. "This is long …we're not even officially together."
He stood before me, hands in his pockets, watching.
"I would like to start seeing you, but I have other people who depend on me. Other people that I must protect and provide for." He held a pen out.
Tell me about the mysterious death, I wanted to ask.
Did I even want to sign this?
My gaze flicked between the papers and Ethan several times. Finally, taking the pen from his outstretched arm, I scribbled my name on the last page.
Ice filled my veins, but
god help me, I wanted Ethan Dumont—vampire or no.
As stupid and foolish as it was to want him, I did anyway.
As soon as my pen left the page, he scooped them up before separating the copies and placing one in an envelope.
I took a shaky breath. Shit, I should've read it.
"This isn't like 50 Shades of Grey stuff, is it?" I asked, frowning.
Ethan looked heavenward and shook his head before handing me the sealed contract. "I think I know what you mean. No. Read it when you get home."
I bit my lip. "Okay…Aubrey didn't write it, did she?"
"No, she does the patent applications…" He took my hand and pulled me to my feet before kissing my cheek, "Come for dinner tonight. Yeah?"
"Dinner? Tonight?" I couldn't keep my eyes off him.
"I know what I want."
I laughed, "Why can't I say no to you?"
"Because you want the same things, but are too…hmm, not shy, but reserved to say so." He pulled me into him, his arms tight around my body. "Tell me." He leaned in toward me, his mouth hovering inches away from my own. Our breath mingling, his dark eyes sparkling. "Say it. Tell me what you want."
"Ethan…stop," I breathed out on a laugh. Reaching up on my tippy toes, I puckered my lips, but he leaned away.
"Tell me."
I rolled my eyes. "Tell you what?"
"Tell me you want a kiss," he pulled my arms around his neck.
"Why?" I baited him.
"Because I want you to say what you want. Stop being so demure," He teased back, narrowing his eyes, that cocky grin tugging at his mouth.
"Kiss me," I finally told him.
"As you wish." Leaning forward, his mouth skimmed my own, but I couldn't keep a straight face after his comment.
"I swear, you can get away with saying what no one else could," I whispered.
His mouth twisted, and he came close to rolling his own eyes, "Hmmm…"
Ringing made me startle, and Ethan laugh.
I sighed, reluctantly taking a step away. Still, he grabbed my hand and tugged me in for another quick kiss before answering his mobile phone.
"Dinner, tonight," he mouthed.
I nodded, turning to leave.
Pulling the door behind me, I tried to compose my face.
When Mel met my eye with a death glare, I flinched.
What did she know?
Mysterious death.
The farther away from Ethan I walked, the more doubts began to fill my head. Sitting down, I opened the envelope and smoothed out the contract I'd just signed. I wasn't sure what a regular agreement like this consisted of, so I wasn't sure if this was any different.
I pursed my lips. What on earth did a lawyer think when they wrote this up?
Pressing my hands to my heated cheeks, I continued to read.
Slipping outside, I tapped Aubrey's number and listened as it began to ring.
Then I hung up.
Aubrey was already set against Ethan; this would just make it worse.
"Crap," I muttered under my breath and pulled out my vape pen. I sucked but nothing came out. "Damnit."
I needed to quit. Hopefully, that wasn't in the contract.
Unfolding the papers again in my hand, I slid down onto the bench. I skimmed the document to make sure nothing like that was actually included.
Thankfully all the wording was boring and legal and nothing referenced behavior.
I folded it back up and shook my vape again before trying it—nothing.
"What's going on between you and Ethan?" Aster held out a lit cigarette to me, and I held it to my lips.
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to look as innocent as I could.
She swiped the papers from me, taking several steps away into the parking lot, skimming the front page.
I followed and pulled it from her fingers. "You didn't see this."
She shook her head and blinked her eyes rapidly, laughing, "Holy shit! You and Ethan? The midday quickie king? The two of you are not a good fit. What are you thinking?"
"You wouldn't understand," I told her, handing the cigarette back.
"Yeah? Hey, whatever you want to do is your business. But this is quick, isn't it? You've only been here like what? A few weeks?" She blew out a puff of smoke.
I sat back down, folded the contract, and tucked it into the waist of my pants. "Has he dated anyone else that you know of?"
"Besides the bimbos during lunch? I don't know." she raised her eyebrows. "Ethan's just a strange dude." The barbie pulled at her ponytail to tighten it while she shook in agitation.
"He is. But he's fun…"
She laughed, "Yeah and arrogant, controlling and…"
"Sexy," I added.
"Well, if you say so." She shrugged exaggeratedly.
"Did you and he have a thing?" I asked, taking the cigarette for a puff.
Aster plucked the smoke from me and took a final drag before stubbing it out on the ground and holding onto the butt.
"No. I'm not an idiot." She raised an eyebrow and smirked.
I needed to quit nicotine.
Tomorrow.
8
The rest of the day, the contract weighed heavily on my mind. When I pulled up in front of the house and saw Aubrey’s car already there, I knew I needed to show it to her regardless of her opinion on Ethan.
She sat on the couch in sweats, watching tv.
Smiling, Aub held up a jar of pickles to me. “Want one?”
“Tempting but no. I need some friend—slash—legal advice.”
I flung my bag onto the chair and pulled out the envelope before taking a seat next to my friend.
“Oh?” She asked, muting her show.
I braced myself and decided to lay my cards out on the table. “First of all, I really, really like Ethan. So, keep that in mind.”
I puffed up my cheeks, waiting for her to interject.
“But…?” She asked.
“But, he’s just…” I struggled to describe the guy.
“A cocky bastard? Yep.” Aubrey punctuated her statement with a loud bite out of her pickle.
I blew out a breath, and my friend nodded, continuing to eat.
“Well, he’s just misunderstood. I thought maybe he’d ask me to dinner…well he did and I accepted but right out of the gate, he gave me this. Can you take a look at it for me?” I handed her the contract.
“Hmmm…” She said, reading through the document. Her feet were tucked to one side, and I watched as the pickle she held dripped onto her shirt.
The goat wandered in and began eating the cushion straight out of the couch arm where it was exposed.
“Pixy, come here, baby,” I called to him.
The sweet animal approached, and I scratched him behind his ear.
Knowing it would be a while, I stood, and Pixy followed me to the kitchen. Pulling out the produce drawer, I selected a carrot and held it out to him.
“Baaaaah,” he bleated, accepting the vegetable with loud crunches.
“I’m a mess,” I whispered, stroking Pixy’s back.
“Caro?” Aubrey called from the other room.
Sucking in a fortifying breath, I made my way back to the couch and took a seat, trying not to get distracted by all the cat damage.
“Okay, first of all, I’m sorry for pushing you away from Ethan. I know you can make your own decisions. I think I just fall into the habit of taking care of you, you know?” She set the pickle down in a cup on the coffee table.
“I know.” I looked down at the couch and tried to pull the fabric together to hide the stuffing, but it sprang out again.
“So, before we talk about this,” she tapped the contract. “I want to know what’s going on in your head.”
“When I’m around him, everything’s easy. I feel alive…Gah! That sounds so stupid…” I trailed off.
“She’s got the fanny flutters,” interjected Chance’s voice as he strode through the room and back out again.
&nb
sp; “Fine. Yes, I’m getting major fanny flutters!” I picked at one of the throw blankets beside me.
Aubrey wrinkled her brow, “There’s a but. I know it.”
“Yes, there’s a but…There are several buts that I’m probably not even allowed to tell you about.” I shook my head.
“Okay, so my personal feelings aside, this is actually two contracts. The first is pretty standard for wealthy people, or athletes, or politicians. The second is a contract dealing with Dumont Tech. Both are completely standard except for this last part. What concerns me is why there would be language saying that you wouldn’t sue the company if you get physically injured or die from your relationship with Ethan. Why would you get hurt being around Ethan? What are you planning to do? Is he into bondage or…what’s it called when you get pleasure from pain…?”
I interrupted her, “No, no, no! Nothing like that.” I felt a deep blush spreading across my cheeks.
“Well, that part is not standard.” She handed back the contract and picked up her pickle. “Have you signed it yet?”
I twisted my lips.
“Caro! You never sign contracts without getting them looked at by an attorney.” Crunch, crunch, crunch.
“Are you really craving pickles?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
“Well, I’m craving chips with lots of salt, but this is a second runner up.”
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
“I know things about him—things I can’t talk about. You told me that you feel uneasy around him, and I get that. But it’s not what you think. However, at the same time, this,” I shook the papers in my hand, “scares the crap out of me. He is different. But is different necessarily bad?”
I folded the papers back up and slid them back into the envelope.
“I don’t know. That’s what you’re going to have to ask yourself.” She drank some of the pickle juice from the jar, making me shudder.
I wanted to tell her what had actually happened, what Ethan really was. Instead, I went as close to the truth as I dared. “When that mountain lion attacked, I saw my life flash before my eyes, and I had so many regrets. Did you know that I’m still a virgin?” I whispered that last part.
“What? Really? What about Matt? Or that hipster teacher you worked with?” Aubrey’s eyes were wide.
Bloodthirsty Bastard: A Hero Club Novel Page 8